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Published: November 12th 2007
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Kyoto
The Golden Pavillion
Tokyo is addictive, and even after an extra two days there, I had to be dragged away kicking and screaming, much to Alan's annoyance, he said that carrying our two-back packs was fine but I was just too heavy.
Sulking in the Shinkansen was only temporary however, as we were blessed with a magnificent clear view of Mount Fuji. The height of the snow-topped mountain is exaggerated by the relative flatness of the surrounding land, and we both felt that we really were in picture-postcard Japan.
Another perk of the journey was the Bento boxes we bought in Tokyo station - these amazing neat little compartmentalised boxes with their tantalising bite-sized portions of exotic mysterious foods are so pretty that you almost don't want to apply chop-sticks to them, but needless to say we did.
It must be amusing though, as a Japanese person, to watch two tourists taking photographs of their packed lunch (see photographs).
Following the intense research that goes into travelling in Tokyo - their subway system is so comprehensive that it resembles a Magic-Eye picture - we barely remember how we got to the hotel, so little effort was involved.
The hotel
Mount Fuji
As seen from the Shinkansen - looming majestically on the horizon is really close to the castle so we ambled around its walls that evening, and had a nice stroll around central Kyoto.
Our room was quite swish compared to our teeny room in the hostel in Tokyo, and we were able to afford this due to a wonderful Japanese invention - 'the semi-double room'.
Translated, this means: a double room that is a bit smaller than a double room - and substantially cheaper! Just a couple of euro dearer than a room in a hostel, and with its own bathroom, heaven! Speaking of Japanese bathrooms, our toilet had a remote control, heated seat, and many other features besides (features I was too scared to try!).
On another note, we were surprised (and a bit disappointed) about vending machines here - the Rough Guide said that they sell everything you want and more but I think that's a bit of an overstatement - sure there are tonnes of vending machines, but most of them just dispense drinks. That said, the vending machines do hot and cold drinks - which is great once you figure out that 'red' is for hot and 'blue' is for cold. Until we did,
there were a few hot coca-colas and cold coffees. Also, we discovered a new favourite drink (available hot and cold) called 'GOO' - we tried it for it's name, but loved it for its taste. In an earlier blog, Alan can be seen dressed in his dressing-gown brandishing a bottle of 'Goo'.
What we have noticed everywhere are amusement arcades and in particular this game 'Pachinko' that lots of people seem to play rather a lot of - I'm not sure what happens in it, but it looks like a poker machine and involves loads of ball-bearings that people (the winners I imagine) have stacked around their machine in little baskets.
But enough musing, and back to Kyoto:
Kyoto is of course home to so many shrines that its place in divinity is assured. Also, it's famous for Geishas and Maikos (trainee Geishas) who are most often spotted around the streets. It's also a thriving city, home to over a million residents. Arguably less trendy than Tokyo or Osaka, it was a pleasant base for a few days.
Just one thing of interest to note if anyone is thinking of visiting Osaka / Kyoto - I
Kyoto
Kinkaku-Ji gardens prepared for a lengthy train ride (thinking Dublin to Cork with Iarnróid Eireann) but travelling between the cities takes fifteen minutes by Shinkansen - so if you have a short stay in Osaka, you could also take an afternoon/morning trip to Kyoto easily.
Our first full day was a Sunday, so we ambled through the hustle and bustle of steep side streets heaving with tourists and traditional craftsmen and women selling their wares and waving samples of tasty snacks in our faces. The air was scented with savoury and sweet foods and children licked green and brown tea-flavoured ice-cream.
Eventually we found ourselves at Kiyomizu-dera, a beautiful wooden temple and pagoda, situated at a height above the city, so that on one side you see a sprawling metropolis while on the other wooded hills stretch across the view. There's a waterfall below, and apparently taking a sup cures any illness - there were hordes queuing to drink though, so we decided that we'll just rely on the old Uisce Beatha to cure our ills.
The temple also houses a series of shrines dedicated to love - so you see young couples flirting and crowding together making wishes
Bento boxes!
Lunchtime on the train - Japan is all about the packaging that their relationship will last. There are also two stones set apart that you are supposed to cover your eyes and try to walk in a straight line between to 'test the strength of your love'.
The only person I saw doing this ended up wandering off to the right and missing the second stone altogether much to the crowd's amusement. Before it was my turn, I was rescued by a group of school-kids who wanted to test their English on me. Of course, I'm sure I would have been fine with the stones walking, had it come to it (!)
Later we wandered around the shops and found other shrines, the beautiful gardens of Kodai-Ji, an enormous statue of Buddha (he's been following us around since Mongolia) and watched a balloon blower making fancy Viking swords and hats for Japanese kids who were loving playing at being Vikings for the day.
In between we people watched, and Alan snooped around Maikos (trainee Geishas) taking their photographs, and we watched Japanese ladies dressed up as Geishas being photographed - this is a thriving business here and I was a bit tempted to get it done, but it
A dream fulfilled
Aoife prepares to tuck in to her Bento is serious business and we didn't have enough time (nor do I imagine any of the kimonos would have fit my western frame).
The next day we went to the beautiful Golden Pavillion (Kinkaku-ji), originally the retirement home of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (lucky guy) and Ryoan-ji, an amazing and very famous Zen garden.
This Zen garden is an enigma or a Zen 'Koan' or riddle - nobody is sure what it means, although there are lots of theories. Everyone is in agreement though that of the fifteen stones in the garden, from any vantage point only fourteen can be seen with the naked eye.
We did put this theory to test, hoping for enlightenment but unfortunately could only ever count fourteen at the most. That said the garden was very peaceful and it was a real privilege to sit there in contemplation of its ancient meaning.
That night we ate locally in a noodle-bar where we slurped with the best of them, also tucking into our tempura vegetables.
All of the sightseeing was exhausting, so we spent the rest of the evening strolling around Kyoto's fantastic modern train-station looking at the architecture, and rather bizarrely
Kyoto
Kinkaku-ji gardens. their enormous Christmas-tree which proudly stood central stage.
Young couples and groups of teenagers sat taking photographs of the tree with their camera phones as strange Tim Burton-esque spooky Christmas music played in the background.
The station is pretty amazing - and really high, with a 'sky-walk' and roof-top garden.
After a coffee overlooking all the excitement of the station, we picked up our tickets to Hiroshima for the next morning and headed back to the 'semi-double room' to grab a few hours sleep.
xx
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aoife
non-member comment
you and your rabbits
that donnie darko love god could be one of alans beer drinking kilashee bunnies, how apt!