Second part of the Japan Trip! This post, like the 2 others of the Japan series is going to be quite lengthy. There are going to be a lot of photos as well.
Read the first part on 4 Days 3 Nights in Tokyo here!
All photos are taken by me unless stated otherwise. Enjoy!
Day 1 : 13 December 2014 (Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Arashiyama)
At about 7 in the morning - before the office rush hour, we arrived in Kyoto by the Willer bus. Stayed at Kyoto Station for a few hours before heading to the Ryokan, a type of Japanese traditional inn. We haven't showered for 24 hours and was extremely desperate to brush up ourselves by that time - we ended up brushing our teeth and washing our faces in the train station. #homelesslife
The shop linkway in Osaka station with the Kyoto Tower view
Less than two weeks to Christmas and so many festive decorations were up.
Hot coffee and Onigiri to warm ourselves up
Convenience store food and vending machines have been our safe haven during the 10 days in Japan.
Ticket to Gojo
Our Ryokan was approximately 20-30 minutes walk from the Kyoto station. The nearest subway station to our Ryokan (Gojo station) was only a stop away. However, because we were carrying too much luggages with us and it was FREEZING cold, we chose to take the train and walk the rest of the 10 minutes.
Looking at maps
FREE WIFI IN ALL TRAIN STATIONS IN JAPAN! :)
There are maps outside most subway stations in Japan!
Secondary school a block away from our Ryokan
We got lost easily because every alley in Kyoto looks so alike. The school has since became our landmark to find the ryokan when the sky turned dark.
The beautiful city of Kyoto
We made so much noise dragging our suitcases on the cement concrete roads and felt so bad because it was still early in the morning. :x
Our Ryokan
Photo by Shun Yu
The place that we stayed in was booked through Airbnb. This place is called Tsuki-ya or "Moon House". Personally, I think that this place is quite small yet cosy - perfect for families to come and book the whole place. There are 3 rooms in total, 7 of us took 2 of the bigger rooms (one on the first floor, one on the second floor). There is only one common shower room (with a common traditional japanese bathtub) and two toilets in the whole house. We didn't dare to use the bathtub because it turns out that one other family was living with us in the ryokan.
After placing our luggage in the Ryokan and taking our keys, we left for Kinkaku-ji temple (金閣寺), also known as the Gold Pavillion. We walked to the Gojo subway bus stop and took the Kyoto City bus 101 to the temple. It was really easy to identify which stop to alight because there were screens on the bus which showed the next stop.
We stopped and took a small food break in the food stall outside the temple. Some of my friends ate ice cream, but I was just too cold to eat anything that would numb my body any further.
Something like Indonesian "Perkedel"
The landscape outside the temple was already sufficiently stunning. However, to see the actual golden pavillion itself, we needed to pay the 400 yen entrance ticket.
It reads "World Heritage (世界遗产), Kinkaku-ji (金閣), Roukon-ji (鹿苑寺)"
There is a big stone outside the main entrance saying that the pavillion belongs to the world heritage. I love how kanji is so similar to chinese traditional writing - easy for chinese readers to identify what words said.
The landscape was altogether quiet and serene, very peaceful for a short stroll alone or with your loved ones!
Another one
Ticket to the temple
It looks more like a good luck charm rather than a ticket!
Kinkaku-ji
The Golden pavillion is surrounded by a big pond of water with many fishes in it. We couldn't enter the pavillion. However, there were many traditional buildings and sceneries to explore around the pavillion.
At the end of the pathway, there was a souvenir shop which sold different good luck charms. RY bought so much charms for her family here. There is also a temple for people to pray here.
Ice cream vending machine near the exit! *heart eyes* <3
Next stop, Arashiyama
Took a bus to Ryoanji station and transferred to the Keifuku Electric Railroad to Arashiyama Station.
There are several tourist spots to go to in Arashiyama and we went to two : The Bamboo Forest and the Togetsu-kyo Bridge (渡月橋 ).
Retro train station
The railway passing through the densely populated japanese homes.
Finally arriving in Arashiyama
Walked past Tenryu-ji but didn't really go in to look at the temple.
20 minutes walk to the Bamboo Forest
Bamboo forest
Exquisite view
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Photo by Shun Yu :) She takes really great photos of sceneries!
After leaving the forest, we walked approximately 5-10 minutes towards the direction of the Togetsu-kyu Bridge. There were rows of traditional shops along the main road to the bridge. We shopped quite a lot there (Bought cute hand stitched owls, matcha mochi, and many key chains). Talking about owls, Owls, also called Fukuro in Japanese are symbols of good fortune and luck in Japan. You'll see loads of Owl ornaments when you're in Japan!
Rows of shops
On the Togetsu-kyu Bridge
Serenity
By the river bank
Yoshinoya for dinner
There was a supermarket near our ryokan and we bought food for breakfast before heading back to our ryokan.
Back to the Ryokan
Jacq, RY, Marilyn and I stayed on the second floor. There was a small "living room" (where we placed our luggages) before our actual room.
Day 2 : 14 December 2014 (Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu dera, Higashiyama District)
Breakfast! Wanted to go on a diet but blerghh the juice tastes awful. Tastes like diluted ketchup...
Visited Fushimi Inari Taisha, well known for their red thousand torii gates, by train. It was quite a hike to get up to the attraction from the main gate.
Main gate
Looks like a tiny city within the temple
Thousand torii gates - look a little orange here
Cute fox good luck charms to be customized
Leaving the bad fortunes behind by tying them here
Back to Kyoto Station
Kyoto Tower
Took a bus to the Kiyomuzu-michi bus stop. Ate lunch at the bottom of the hill.
UdonAfter lunch, we took a short stroll uphill to reach Kiyomizu-dera. The Kiyomizu-dera temple is my favorite temple out of all the others that we went to. The scenery was extremely breathtaking, everything there is easily photogenic.
3-staged Pagoda
Temple Charms
The place is really worth coming by. Not only does it have such amazing views, but is also a good place to buy traditional souvenirs and street snacks.
Shopping street connecting the temple
700 Yen Fish cake with Octopus and Shiso leaf.
Ninnen-saka
Took a few hours walk exploring Ninnen-saka, Sannen-saka, and Gion.
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Geisha
After sunset, we visited Yasaka Shrine, also known as Gion shrine. We witnessed one of the most beautiful scenes with lanterns lighting up the central stage. It was said that some of the lanterns once belonged to local geishas.
Lanterns of Yasaka Shrine
Cute Hellokitty cake!
Day 3 : 15 December 2014 (Kyoto - Osaka)
Checked out of our Ryokan at around 11 in the morning. Ate traditional breakfast and took pictures in our Yukata (Japanese Garment) before leaving.
Our Futon beds
Japanese traditional breakfast
The Ryokan did not give us the nicest traditional breakfast. The only source of meat there was the mere two slices of tako (octopus). Since it was the second time I've been to Japan, I've tried other traditional breakfasts provided by other ryokans - which are way better.
Leaving Gojo
Ice Cream Vending machine in the train station!
Crazy dry hands. The back of my hands were already filled with scars by the end of the Japan trip..
Read about the 4 Days 3 Nights Osaka trip here!
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