Kyoto and Nara Deer Park

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Kyoto:

Let me start by saying that I’ve never been to a place that preserves its history as well as Kyoto has. The closest place would be Athens, where ancient ruins are in perfect harmony with traffic-lined streets and skyscrapers. Kyoto is very similar; Alex joked that you can throw a stone anywhere in Kyoto and hit a temple or shrine. That’s basically true. Although we had a list of places we wanted to go, we definitely ran across a lot of great things along the way.

Overall, Kyoto was very different from Tokyo in every way. Kyoto was much less tiring, and much less of sensory overload. We were tired, but in a different (better?)way. We were tired from exploring temples and shrines, not from the overwhelming display of neon. I also found Kyoto much easier to navigate, probably due to the smaller size. The buses were much more accessible and tourist-friendly, and the subway was less of a mess than Tokyo (although still privately owned). The smaller size of the city made everything much more accessible, in fact we were able to walk through many districts that looked to be far apart on the map.

We arrived in Kyoto on January 2nd. Many stores and restaurants were still closed, and we were staying right by a university, which was also closed, so our immediate area was definitely deserted. It was difficult to find a place to eat or get a cup of coffee. All of this changed on the 5th when all establishments reopened. Kyoto was also my first experience staying in a hostel, and I do admit I was a little prissy at first and HATED the place. It actually wasn’t too bad. It’s called Kyoto Guest House the Earthship (not quite sure why). We had a private room, with our own shower and shared bathroom which was right next door. The common room was filthy and the entire place reeked of cigarettes, but aside from that it was a great experience. The staff was friendly, and as far as hostels go, I’m sure it could have been worse. Oh yes, we had bunk beds and the place was freeeeeezing, so I slept on the top to be closer to the heater.

Now, on to the sites. Although we visited many temples and shrines, this a short list of my favorites.

TEMPLES and SHRINES

Kiyomizu temple:

Kiyomizu means “temple of pure water” because there is a spring running through the grounds of the temple. Kiyomizu is a gorgeous wooden structure built in the hills of Kyoto and overlooking a large portion of the city. The views are beautiful, veranda allows people to see a beautiful panoramic view of Kyoto. On the grounds of the temple is the three storied pagoda, which houses a statue of Koyasu Kannon, which is a goddess responsible for the safe delivery of babies. Many women come to pray here for the safe delivery of their own children, as well as that of family members. The views here are gorgeous and the construction of this temple is unbelievable; a massive wooden structure built into the side of a mountain—amazing!

Ginkakuji Temple:

The “temple of the silver pavilion,” although it is not actually made of silver, this is also a beautiful place to visit. It is currently under a lot of construction, but the garden surrounding the temple is tranquil and lush. In the garden is the “kogetsudai” which is a cone constructed out of white sand. This was constructed so that the moonlight could reflect off of it to make the garden appear more beautiful at night. The white sand area surrounding the kogetsudai represents a Chinese lake. There is also a labyrinth of sorts that serves as the entrance to the temple, and the framework for the hedges is made out of bamboo. Like I said, the temple is under massive construction, but the grounds are still beautiful, and even the temple is worth a look. There are several areas that explain why the construction is necessary, and allow visitors to see the type of work that is being done.

Kinkakuji Temple:

The “golden pavilion” is a three-storied villa that was decorated with gold leaf. The temple is surrounded by the “mirror pond,” which beautifully mirrors the gorgeous temple in the calm waters. Aside from the temple, there isn’t much to see on the grounds, but the temple is beautiful so it is worth a visit. It is also near many other sites, so a trip to this part is not wasted by any means.

Eikando (Zenrinji-ji) Temple:

This temple houses the “Looking back Amida” which is a gorgeous statue of the Amida turning back. This could be interpreted in various ways, the 2 most famous of which are: Amida is looking back to his followers, or Amida is looking back at Eikan. As with the other temples, the garden is gorgeous so take a stroll.

Heian Shrine:

This is one of the newer shrines in Kyoto, built in 1895, it definitely cannot be missed due to its massive size and bright red coloring. Inside the shrine gates are 8 buildings, many of which hold ceremonies. The Heian shrine is beautiful! It costs extra to be admitted but it is definitely worth it. Even in the winter the garden was lush and green. There are many ponds, stone pagodas, and a wooden bridge.

Nanzenji Temple:

The grounds of this temple are massive. In fact, we were unsure as to where the actual temple was. There is a large forested area surrounding the temple, as well as a large aqueduct shaped like a large, brick bridge. If you have a half-day to spend wandering around, I highly recommend this place. There are many paths leading into the forest, as well as smaller temples on the grounds. Absolutely gorgeous!

Tribute to the Unknown Soldier of WWII:

A monument built to remember over 48,000 soldiers who were killed on Japanese territory during WWII. This monument is an 80ft statue of Bodhasattva Avolokitesvara (Kwannon). It can be seen from quite a ways away. In fact, we didn’t even know about this monument until we were at a neighboring temple and caught a glimpse of the massive head peeking out from in front of the mountain range.

Koryuji Temple:

One of my top 3 favorite places in Kyoto, and that’s saying a lot! The grounds are small and at first glance this place seems uninteresting and rather puny. It pays to know the history prior to going so you can really appreciate it. This is the oldest temple in Kyoto. It was founded in 603. The massive lecture hall is the oldest building in Kyoto, constructed in 1165. Housed inside the hall are a collection of statues that are all deemed national treasures. The most impressive are an 8-ft high wooden statue of Amida Nyorai, a statue of Jizo-Basatsu, and a statue of Kokuzo-Bosatsu. Along with these national treasures are other smaller (mostly wooden) statues that represent some of the oldest and most well preserved wooden statues in all of Japan. Koryuji should definitely be on every visitors top 5 list of places to visit.

OTHER ACTIVITES/SITES

Along with hundreds of beautiful temples, Kyoto offers other forms of delightful entertainment. One of the most obscure and strange sights to see is the Toei Kyoto Studio Park, or as I like to refer to it, “photo op central.” This is a large plot of land that is and was used for filming of some influential Japanese films. This is now a rather deserted tourist attraction. I highly recommend getting the combo ticket, which allows you to gain admission, as well as a 3D ride and a walk through the haunted house. The 3D ride is hilariously awful. We were the only 2 people on the ride at the time we went, and I laughed so hard my vision was blurry. The entire ride is about a bunch of superheroes (eerily similar to the Power Rangers) who have to save something from something else. Keep in mind, it was all in Japanese. Anyhow, the animation was hilarious, and the random puffs of air definitely kept us alert and awake (along with mildly irritated). The haunted house was funny in a depressing, lazy sorta way. Again, no one else was around, so the girl at the front desk had to call to the back to alert the ghosts and goblins (who were most likely smoking and drinking and discussing life). A total of 3 people jumped out at us, and the scenery was definitely more gruesome than one would find at a haunted house in America.

We also watched a live performance of ninjas versus (I’m not quite sure who) which was also quite entertaining. Overall the entire afternoon kept us laughing. If you have about $25 to spare, visit this place for a good laugh.

Gion:

This is an area that was originally developed to be the “entertainment district” of Kyoto. It was later given permission to add a red light district. Well, little has changed. It is definitely entertaining on a small scale, and apparently geishas can be seen walking to and from work (if you happen to know their working hours, which we did not). This is a fun little area to walk around in, grab dinner, and see several lit up temples and theaters.

Kiyamachi:

This is supposedly the “party area” of Kyoto. Lots of bars and restaurants surround an offshoot of a major river. It’s definitely a fun place to be at night. We ended up in a bar that promised to be some sort of underwater motif. However, it was an empty bar with empty fish tanks. We did end up sitting with an investor of the bar, and the bartender and had an amazing conversation about sights to see in Japan (among other things). The bartender is an avid scuba diver, artist, and womanizer so his stories were definitely interesting to hear (especially once they’ve passed the translation of the drunken owner).

NARA DEER PARK

Anyone, and I mean anyone, that makes it out to Kyoto must also make the extra 45 minute train trip to Nara Park. If you do not, you’re missing out on one of the greatest sights you may ever see. I know that’s quite a statement, but I loved this place. We spent an entire day there and could not have been happier. I am only going to highlight 2 of the sites but the entire park is massive and beautiful. It is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer that you can feed (and then be attacked by once you run out of food). These are known as sika deer, and are known as messengers of the gods according to the Shinto religion. The park is also home to many ponds, restaurants, street food stands, and forested walking paths. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited, and I am not exaggerating.

At some point in the day we took a break for a little matcha green tea and jelly desert at a tea house. We were put into a room with other people and enjoyed a calm, peaceful, and simple tea break. I also could not refrain from purchasing a giant baked potato (Korea does not incorporate potatoes into the cuisine, so I definitely felt deprived).

Todai-ji temple:

Todaiji is the Eastern Great Temple, which is the world’s largest wooden building, that happens to house the world’s largest statue of the Buddha Vairocana. The statue is quite large, and the hall that it is housed in is very crowded. The statue is kept company by two other Buddha statues, one on either side, that appear to be gold leaf. These, too, are massive, but pale in comparison to the great statue in the center.

The temple grounds are also home to beautiful gardens, and a large area that people could freely stroll in. From what I understand, there are seven great temples of Nara, many of which are under the umbrella name of Todai-ji. One of these is Hokke-do, the Lotus Hall, which is the oldest structure of the Todai-ji temple. Inside the Hokke-do is a large, centrally located statue of the Fukukensaku Kannon. This is also the site of the reading of the Lotus Sutra.

Kofuku-ji temple:

This temple was founded in 669 and is also a complex of various important buildings. Three halls remain: the Tokondo (East Golden Hall), Hokuendo (North octagonal Hall), and the Nanendo (South octagonal hall). There is also a three-storied pagoda and a five-storied pagoda.

I have exhausted myself with this blog entry. If you walk away with anything after reading it, it should be “visit Kyoto!”

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