Finally made it to Japan

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There was a typhoon between Manila and Hong Kong on the flight from KL to Osaka so the flight was a bit bumpy most of the time. Kansai airort is interesting but like millions of other passengers I made a quick exit to Kyoto without exploring the environs of the airport further. As the train departed from the airport station the railway staff waved goodbye to the train. There are signs on the train that you must not use your mobile phones and that they must be switched on to silent mode. How very civilised.

The view from the train was that of the urban sprawl of the east coast of central Honshu. Everywhere along the train route from Kansai airport to Kyoto was human habitation and every bit of land was precious and what was not used for housing was used to plant food crops. One could see small patches of rice fields no bigger than 50 square metres.

Kyoto station was impressive. The new central section is beautifully designed with a grand staircase which affords a rooftop view of the city. This was my first experience of a major Japanese station and now, four days later, I think I know what to expect of such stations. They are huge, confusing and extend several floors above and below ground. I wonder what would happen in an earthquake and you're somewhere undergound. And of course there are warrens upon warrens of shops in the station.

The next challenge was to escape the station and learn how to use the bus. Lesson 1: you enter a bus from the rear door and exit from the front. Lesson 2: you pay the driver on your way out. Lesson 3: Just get a day pass and save yourself the bother of working out how much to pay.

On to Kiyomizu-dera - a Buddhist temple in the hills with a view of Kyoto in the distance. Here you get to see lots of people partaking of rituals asking for good fortune and finding the loves of their lives. Somehow the whole thing is so commercialised (and tacky in my opinion) that the spiritual aspects befitting of such a place and surroundings are sadly lost. Nevertheless the complex of buildings within the hills are truly beautiful.

And that brings the end of day 1 in Japan which has been fun and surprisingly easy in spite of the fact that I can neither speak nor read Japanese. Oh yes - unsual food of the day: a doughnut with ... wait for it ... curry filling!

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Photos

Kyoto station
View of the concourse from the grand staircase

Kyoto Station 2
The roof-top garden.

Kyoto Station 3
The grand staircase

Kiyomizu-dera
Entrance gate.

Kiyomizu-dera 2
Little girl carrying her younger brother up the steps
of the temple as father looks on anxiously.

Kiyomizu-dera 3
Pagoda

Kiyomizu-dera 5
What they wish for.

Kiyomizu-dera 7
View of Kyoto in the distance.

Kiyomizu-dera 10
Ringing the bell - part of the ritual.