Kyoto!

(I apologise in advance if this blog is boring/ confusing. I should warn readers in advance that you may become templed-out by the second paragraph).

Day 1 - It took us a long time to find the hostel as all the signs were in Japanese and we came out of the wrong exit at the subway. We got to the hostel and it was the first one we've stayed in where we had to take our shoes off at the door and put on the slippers they provided to walk around in. I found this novel and cosy at first, but after a week of slipping my shoes on and off at the hostel and various temples I had broken the heel on my walking shoe (it held up for 6 months through Amazon and Inca treks and broke at a hostel in Japan). Now I have to slip a bit of cardboard down the back when I put my shoe on otherwise the plastic sticking out of the heel really hurts my foot. I had considered throwing them away and just continuing on for the rest of the trip in walking sandals (the rest of the countries are, after all all hot ones). However, I have been advised that I might need them for a trek in Changmai so I will have to hold onto them until then.

Computers in hostel

Back onto the subject of Kyoto...
We got to our hostel, slipped our shoes off and were told that we couldn't check in until 4pm. It was 3.30 so we just sat down on the computers in reception (or rather knelt down on the little cushions in front of them) and went online for a bit. We then checked into our room and were pleasantly surprised to hear that we had been upgraded to a twin for one night. We dumped our bags and went to explore the local area. The area where our hostel was, was a lively area with lots going on – lots of cafes, restaurants and shops. We looked around for something cheap to eat and ended up eating Octopus balls (Taki-yaki) by accident (Balls of soft potato with octopus inside them that are so piping hot they burn your throat). In the end, I had to have a subway to fill me up because I couldn't finish the Tako-yaki.

Tako-yaki

We went back to the cosy hostel and spent the night chatting to two English girls who are doing a ski season here.

Day 2 – The second day was the day we visited the Heian temple, gardens and Silver Pavillion (Ginkaku-ji) (as mentioned in my previous post). On our way back from the Silver Pavillion, we walked back through residential side streets, and came upon another temple tucked away which was free called (Shinnyo-do). It was a beatutiful temple, with nobody around which made it more appealing than the others. On the way home, we walked through Japanese grave yard, and then through a residential area. That night I cooked myself spaghetti for tea and Jemma had a pot noodle.

Crossing the pond at the Heian temple as Scarlett did in Lost in Translation

Day 3 – On the third day we visited Nijo-jo (Nijo castle) and went inside. Inside they had put models of the people who would have lived there e.g. Shoguns to make it easier to visualise how the castle would have functioned. The floors were squeaky but not because of loose floorboards – they purposely made them that way when it was built so that they could here intruders approaching. After the castle, we caught a free train using our JR railpasses and visited a 12^th century temple Tenryu-ji and walked through the gardens. There were lots of colourful carp in the ponds. We then went to the bamboo grove which we had seen in the Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet calls it 'a unique once in a life time experience'. It is certainly a unique experience as you walk through the forest surrounded by miles and miles of bamboo trees. Later in the afternoon, we walked down past the river and saw people on boats. We then walked three kilometres to a bamboo temple through residential area but it was closed.

Bamboo grove

Day 4 – On day 4 we took the Shinkansen (high speed bullet train) to Osaka. It took us a while to get out of Osaka station as it was so big. When we finally got out, we found Osaka to be a standard, unimpressive modern city so we decided not to linger too long in the city and went straight to the main attraction in Osaka – Osaka-jo castle. It was a nice day and we stayed there for a while taking photos and walking amongst the plum blossoms. At night we returned to Kyoto where we walked around for ages looking for something cheap to eat and were eventually enticed into a restaurant offering cheap meal prices. We went in, took our shoes off and were shown to a little cubicle with a curtain and a table and chairs inside. In the cubicle there was a computer screen where you pressed on what you wanted to order and then clicked send to order your meal. Even though it was all in Japanese, we managed to order a table of tasty dishes thanks to the pictures that were on the screen. At the end I got the bill by pointing to a phrase in the guide book.

Ordering dinner

Day 5 – We went to Kiyomizu-dera shrine overlooking Kyoto and took in some amazing views of Kyoto. We then walked to Sanjusangen-do a shrine: a shrine with 1001 Buddhas and 28 guardian statues. It was a remarkable sight but cameras weren't allowed so I have posted a picture I found on google. We ended the day by walking to Fushin-inari taisha: thousands of red tori (orange gates). Basically, it is 4km of gates leading up a mountain but when we first set off we didn't realise how far it would go on. As neither of us wanted to give up, we ended up trekking 4km up a mountain on a whim just as the sun was setting. That night we treated ourselves to a Burger King for tea as a reward (not that fast food is a treat any more – we seem to eat it every other day. Yesterday we had a sausage donut, fried chicken fat on a stick and a McDonald's just because we have found ordering Japanese food to be so confusing. Although I have gotten quite into MOSBurger, which is the Japanese equivalent of McDonald's except they put a lovely spicy curry sauce on the burger. I feel healthy eating MOSBurger because it is Japanese.

1001 Buddhas 

Day 6 – We visited the Imperial Temple, ex-home of the Emperor. It was pouring with rain and we got absolutely drenched, however the tour was free and it was taken by an English speaking tour guide! Somewhat of a novelty in Japan! After the tour, we dried out in the hostel and went for dinner at an Italian round the corner with an Ozzie from our hostel called Steve. We had a carafe of wine each for about £2.50!

Templing in the rain

Day 7 – On our last day in Kyoto we went on a day trip to Nara, home of the giant golden Buddha statue. Again, it was heavy rain, but we didn't let this deter us. Instead, we squelched around the city and went to the temple where the giant Buddha was. We also saw lots of deer dotted about around the temple with their antlers cut off. I am not sure whether the tourist board has planted them there or if that is their natural habitat. Jemma was keen on stroking them and ended up dropping her glove in a muddy puddle of deer water. By the end of the day we were so cold and soaking wet. We went for a McDonald's and then tucked ourself up in the hostel living room.

Giant Buddha in Nara

By the end of Kyoto we were really sad to leave. The hostel we were in was definitely the best I have ever come across and Kyoto its self is 'what people think of when they think of Japan'. If anyone is thinking of visiting Japan, I would highly recommend basing yourself in Kyoto for the majority of your trip.