The Old Capital Kyoto -Part II

Our short, organised tours of significant sights and sites around Kyoto have turned out to be really enjoyable. Today was our second morning tour but this time it was a “walking tour” which meant that we met our group, got organised and headed off to the station on foot with our little Japanese gentleman guide holding his flag and leading the way. Herding 20 people is difficult at the best of times but walking around streets and on and off trains adds another level of excitement. 

These are typical private houses in the local streets we walked through. Compact and tidy.

Our main purpose was to see the famous Arashiyama bamboo grove but on the way we were treated to some beautiful temple gardens…the first of which was Jojakko-ji, a Buddhist temple from the 14th Century. And it was a tranquil experience. Manicured and managed to within an inch of its life (it’s not unusual to see gardeners sweeping and picking at the moss to keep it pristine) ….. and it’s a active temple still inhabited by monks. Our guide (who was quite elderly himself) did say however that he’s never seen them and wondered if they spent their time out on the golf course!😂 

The moss is all over the ground and much treasured.
Gardeners maintain it impeccably.

By now we were getting to know a few people. Walking around together in groups allows time to chat (unlike on a bus) and there were six baby boomers ….us, a Canadian expat Welshman and his Canadian wife and a Danish couple. The others were a large group from Mexico (I thought they were Spanish but they assured us that Mexican Spanish speakers are the “happy” ones….and they were) who were all wine producers from Mexico promoting their product in Japan. It was an off handed comment from me that started the ball rolling when I wondered out loud why a woman taking pictures of plants and scenes was holding a bottle of wine at arm’s length out in front of her. It was like a reverse “selfie”…a bit strange. Turned out it was for “product promotion” for her wines from Mexico.

They were young, happy and scatty but the Oldies (who could follow directions) kept things on track and their “organiser” (the chairman of their Chamber of Commerce who organised their whole trip) kept  “rounding them up” like a cattle dog. But they were fun.

We then wound our way through some lanes and back streets with private residences to the bamboo grove ….and then the crowds started. But it was impressive and worth the effort to see. 

As the Welshman said (with cheeky grin) while we were discussing Japanese punctuality “ If you’re  not able to cope with crowds and lining up….you’re in the wrong place!’

The famous “Bamboo Grove” was crowded…but still impressive.

We also visited a very attractive Zen garden…part of another monastery (our guide told us that there are about ten versions of Buddhism)  before we were treated to an unexpected surprise, a punt ride on the local river. By this time we had moved out of the gardens to the streets of Arashiyama where the locals were gathering in force. Being a Saturday  everyone was out and about and, like in most parts of the world,  the young people were out “promenading”. The only difference here was that they love to get dressed up in traditional costume, and it is quite a scene. Wendy and I did ask a couple of times about taking photos but they are understandably a bit shy about it.

This was a party or wedding or something but there were lots of
locals dressed up for their Saturday outing.

The Zen gardens were impressive…which is why we went back for a second look after the tour.

We had a wonderful boating  experience on the river and, when a small boat with snacks and drinks came along side, the Mexicans got stuck right into the beer and saki….and then got even louder😂

This is one of the flat bottomed punts we were on. Sitting cross legged on mats.

The Autumn foliage and scenery has been spectacular in places. Arashiyama is one of them.

By the end of the tour we had quite a time together but Wendy and I decided to stay a while longer and have a close look at the bamboo grove and temple gardens whilst the others were heading back to Kyoto.

As we were saying our goodbyes and …..“it was nice meeting and getting to know you a bit” and shaking hands etc…..I felt a weight delivered into my backpack. It was the Mexican lady with her last promotional bottle of wine (the one taking pictures of it in her outstretched hand) who put it in there and said…

“Enjoy some Mexican wine…Australian”. Lovely gesture ….. and we sure intend to!

So here we are,  at the end of our Japan journey and wondering just where the days all went. Wendy has stayed back to do some last minute shopping and packing and I have gone to one last temple a few K’s out of Kyoto to try for some more Autumnal shots. I read about this place when researching our trip and it seemed like one that could offer some good Autumn shots.

And wasn’t I glad that I made the effort (two trains and a 15 minute walk up hill) to visit the Daigo-ji temple and working monastery. The whole complex was impressive and being a bit off the tourist track pretty quiet as well.

Interestingly, I was befriended by an elderly Japanese man named Shiro who showed me through the whole complex which I really appreciated. He is a retired engineer who worked in the motor development section of Mitsubishi and spent time in America. When he enquired why we were in Japan I showed him a picture of Wendy’s garden…..and he smiled and nodded. We had a very pleasant couple of hours together.

My new friend Shiro. We have found the people really friendly and helpful.

Shiro explained that the three rocks in the pebbles represent (L to R) flowing water, still water and rushing water. There is much symbolism in Japanese gardens and I was glad he took the time to explain.

The temple buildings and interiors are interesting in themselves but the magnificent Zen garden…..rocks, water and raked pebbles was quite the fine example of the art. 

But I was really keen to go further up the hill to the Bentendo pond….which I hoped would be in its Autumn finery. It was ….. and this was the scene that greeted me. Quite spectacular!

No words necessary here but I was reminded of Monet’s garden for some reason. Autumn is so attractive.

Tomorrow is  our last Shinkansen trip (they’ve all been excellent) back to Tokyo to catch our overnight flight back to good old Oz. It’s been a busy, sometimes intense, action-packed visit that we have thoroughly enjoyed. We’ll certainly be returning with many memories, experiences and stories to enjoy for years to come.

So from us it’s ……“sayonara” Japan…..over and out!

The old capital…Kyoto (Part 1)

Lazier start to the day than usual on Thursday as our train wasn’t leaving until 10.30 and it is all of 4 minutes to get to the station. The Shinkansen system continues to amaze and impress…as does the luggage forwarding system, both of which are easy, seamless and effective. Ourselves and our bags, although separated, always arrived at the same place at about the same time without incident. So impressive.

With our vast distances, we need this type of travel in Australia 

Arrived at Kyoto about 1pm and to our amazement found that the Hotel Granvia is actually “in” the station. Yes the hotel straddles the whole station which is another example of a shopping mall with trains in it…but this time a luxury hotel as well!!! And it is plush.

Our hotel is in here. The lobby is on the first level up the escalators.
The ticket machines are on the right and the people are the commuters.

From a walkway to the lobby.  The ticket gates are underneath us.

Spent the afternoon before we could get into our room orienting ourselves and finding some shopping spots for Wendy. Google maps is a wonderful app and she was able to find an OK craft/sewing store in another mall down the street. These Japanese like to eat and shop!

We were seated, Japanese style, around the kitchen of this restaurant.
It was fascinating to watch them at work. Hot, noisy and frantic.

Kyoto Tower is a clear land mark that helps us navigate around.

There is much to see in Kyoto and we had to be selective, so the first “sightseeing” day was a morning tour of Nijo-Jo Castle, Kinkaku-ji Temple and the Imperial Palace from the time when Kyoto was the capital. We opted for morning tours as our stamina is not what it was, and also, it’s hard to process everything you are experiencing. 

At the castle we learned about the Tokugawa shogunate that dominated the area in the 17th Century. It was huge, ornate and very impressive….especially the decoration of the walls inside. We were fascinated by the story of “Nightingale Floors” which made a sort of bird like chirping sound as we walked along the corridors. It is actually made by nails and clamps rubbing together under the floor but, it took us back very quickly to the 60’s when the guide said the sound was deliberate so the residents knew when the “Ninjas” were sneaking in! 

Who’d have thought that Shintaro, Ega Ninjas and star knives would enter our thoughts after all these years.

The Kinkaku-ji temple is dominated by a golden pavilion, on a lake and in a beautiful garden. The gold is real gold leaf applied to the building and I can’t remember the weight of gold applied….but it was quite a bit. 

It was an early Shogun’s folly and when he died his son had it made into a Buddhist temple as per his father’s wishes. Buddhism and Shintoism place great emphasis on the natural world and it is more than evident in the way they they anchor their shrines, castles and palaces in beautiful surroundings.

But the most beautiful gardens were in the Imperial Palace. It was large (acres) and imposing but the gardens were what made it a special place to visit for us.

Water, pines, rocks and Autumn foliage…all the elements.

Timeless.

Hiroshima

I think that most people in the world today would know about Hiroshima……there has even been a movie about it recently (far too long in my opinion, the movie that is). 

And that is where we are. We left lovely Takayama on the Haida Express then three changes of Shinkansen to Hiroshima. The room at the Sheraton Grand, right on the station, is grand indeed. Japan is renowned for small hotel rooms but we have had all very new, spacious and well appointed ones (except Horokoku) all the way.

This is for Wendy A. The view from our window.
Hiroshima is now a modern, vibrant city.

Not too shabby!

Dinner was early after a long travelling day and we went searching for a local delicacy, “Okinomiyaki”…. Which wasn’t hard to find ….. and was delicious.

It’s a sort of fried pancake with noodles veggies and meat inside.
Wendy’s chopstick skills are better than mine

But it was the dome and the Peace Park that we had come out of our way to see. Originally we were going to return a silk Japanese flag that my grandfather “liberated” during the war on the Kokoda track, but it turned out to be more complicated than we had imagined…something like….”here you go…this belongs to you, we thought you might like it back.” But no. After contacting the Embassy in Australia and finding that it takes six months…and there are multiple pages of documents to complete, we decided that this probably was not the time.

It was a sobering experience and, even though we both know about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the museum was confronting. There are signs on the entry wall for parents of small children to watch for indicators of distress whilst experiencing the exhibits. The warning was justified.

We sort of hurried though the last part…it was evidence of pain and misery over and over and we both came to the conclusion that it would probably be much more beneficial for some of our world leaders to visit this place.

August 6th 1945

And the memorial today….through my lense.

The way Hiroshima has risen, phoenix like, from the ashes of that incredible blast in just 80 years is quite amazing.

Lots of visitors and school groups visit the museum and memorial.

And a deep bell or gong rings regularly….sets a tone for the visit.

An experience on the way out of the park however just reinforced for us the notion that essentially…we are all the same…generations of people just trying to do their best in the world, with the same needs, wants and fears. And also simple things …like school lunches…yes lunches…..how do they organise such a basic thing?

There were groups of school kids visiting the museum (they are all dressed to the nine’s in their very snappy but a bit militaristic school uniforms- think Kings School) and they were having lunch in the park…as school groups do on excursions. But we were fascinated that they all had individual “bento boxes”, and very nice they looked too. So we stopped and asked them (through that marvellous translator app again) if the school provided the lunches like in France or did they buy them from the shop? No….turns out that some things are universal…… their mothers’ made them ….and they sure beat a Vegemite sandwich!

Wendy happened to have some little gifts from Australia ( boomerang fridge magnet and kangaroo pins) which she gave to them…and they were chuffed. As we were wandering off we wondered how the conversation over dinner for those families would go that night🙂

Speaking of sandwiches, we were going to try “bento” boxes when travelling on the Shinkansen legs of our trip but the contents, understandably, are quite Japanese. However, we found a great alternative in the ubiquitous 7/11 stores …..they do great packaged sandwiches! Actually the amount of packaged food here in Japan is mind blowing.

Takayama and the UNESCO listed villages of Ainokura and Shirakawa-go

We’ve tried to have Japanese meals of an evening and we’re yet to be disappointed. Western breakfasts at the hotel are substantial so we are more than happy to have a lighter evening meal…and so far they have been tasty, interesting and different. There is no shortage of eating establishments in Japanese cities…from bars with benches to tiny, dingy little places catering for local businessmen ….. and last night we found a Gyukatsu place, that was lots of fun.

Hard to say….easy to eat!

Our journey to Takayama in the mountains required a fairly tight change of trains at Toyama (read 12 minutes) to catch the Haida Express…a more local train than the Shinkansen. I was a bit concerned, but it all went smoothly and after rushing to the gate found a “few “ others lined up for the same train….all travellers! But we enjoyed the rural scenery and mountains covered in pines and Autumn colours with aqua, fast flowing rivers rushing through gorges and pebbly river beds.

Did I say that the Shinkansen is fast!

The Haida Express is slower but panoramic

At last we are in more remote areas of Japan…the mountains.

Takayama is smaller but still a city, and our taxi driver pointed out the “Old Town” as we headed to our digs…this time (and for the experience) a Japanese Ryoken or guest house. There are tatami mats over all the floors (so shoes off at the door - heels backwards) staff dressed in traditional garb and the corridors are low with screens separating rooms. It’s very traditional…which is why we elected to go there ….with special socks and “pyjamas” (called samue) to wear around the place and special slippers to go in the bathroom. (that may be an issue in the middle of the night!) We didn’t partake of the communal bath though.

Hoshokoku ryoken located just up from the old town.
Staff all dressed up, shoes off at the door and much bowing and nodding. 

This was part of a park 5 minutes up the hill from our ryoken.
We were told by a shopkeeper (that Wendy made friends with and bought nice stuff from)
that the locals go up there to drink beer and eat grilled chicken skewers from a little cafe.
So we did as well!

Wendy actually found a classy little piece of woodwork to enhance her bathroom.

Our heads were on swivels trying to take it all in.

And there were tourists…..quite a few but not outrageous.

I went back in the evening when the crowds were gone.
It was harder to get shots…but I reckon that they looked better.

Just a streetscape. So old style Japanese!

I think this is a small Ryoken down a  side street.
I was taken with the beautiful maple in the front courtyard.

The Japanese like to light their gardens and features at night.
I think it looks speccy!

The accommodation deal we had includes dinner and breakfast in traditional little eating rooms just for two, with privacy screens that make for quite intimate dining. The ryoken places a greater emphasis on a more authentic traditional experience for their guests…..and  our first meal there was just spectacular. Presentation is paramount in Japanese cuisine and the Hoshokaku Ryokan was really authentic. Waitresses dressed in traditional kimanos  served the courses like a degustation with elegance and poise….which is more than I can say about me in those Pyjamas! All in all it was very Japanese , yes with fish dishes that I did try…..a little. We were really glad we chose to experience this aspect of Japanese culture…..but really glad we also opted for traditional Western beds and toilet!

Second night’s dinner…Haider beef hot pot with veges. It was really very good…and filling.

Not much left!

This was entre and yes I ate sushi 🥴

First night’s dinner….fish on a griddle…but other things as well.

But a central theme of coming all the way up to the mountain region of Japan was to experience some of their preserved history and culture. Hence the choice of a ryoken stay…..but also our organised group tour of the UNESCO listed sites of Ainokura and Shirakawa-go. These villages are feudal style villages…rural, agricultural and rustic. They have some mod cons but essentially have preserved the architecture and ways life from  the time of the shoguns.

So after a breakfast of raw fish, tofu and green tea 🥴 (beautifully presented however) we set off  to those famous feudal villages….but not before deciding that we might skip the traditional Japanese breakfast the following morning and opt for croissants and coffee at the station instead. Traditional dinner is one thing but sardines for breakfast is not a welcome sight or experience!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Autumn is a bit delayed this year in Japan but when we got into the high mountains it was in full swing….and brilliant colour. Japan is a very urbanised country but there are wild areas also and the mountains we travelled through were just ablaze with colour….mostly birch yellow but also splashes of red contrasted with the dark green of the pines. It is not unlike the high alpine areas of Europe….and quite mesmerising for an Australian.

Ainokura is a pretty, small and  preserved working village with thatched houses and people who still work the land. It is a bit out of the way and not many tourists visit there which makes it quite special. Shirakawa-go however is still a working village where people live their normal lives….. but the locals have tapped into the tourist trade and it is much more commercial…but still interesting. 

It was a real treat to be able to glimpse a part of their culture, history and beautiful Autumnal landscape.

On the way out of Takayama we were treated to some spectacular scenery.

I climbed to the hill to get a view of the village. Totally worth it.

They cultivate every available plot of soil.

The suspension bridge across to the village across the wide, rocky snow melt rivers reminded me a bit of Nepal although without the “beasts of burden” causing them to rock and sway.

Gorgeous time of year…specially up here.

There were mountain trout in those drains…..damn big ones!

It a was quite a long day for a couple of retirees (and there are a few about over here) but after another magnificent traditional meal (this time Haida beef hot pot) in our Japanese “pyjamas” we have turned our attention to the next leg of our journey…..Hiroshima.

And we have our fingers crossed that our bags will be there when we arrive!