Kyoto, Japan
'We'll have breakfast with you in the morning. Promise'
Temples made of gold and streets paved with sushi!
Kyoto is a city ExJack went to as both a youngster and an older, more experienced traveler. He roughed through the city once with just a dirty backpack for a pillow and then came back again years later by bullet train with a beautiful Japanese girl as a guide. It's a city of temples: gorgeous (almost gaudy) decoration on some, stoic beauty defining others, and soul-calming Zen-ness for the rest. No trip to Japan should be undertaken without stopping in Kyoto. But what to do? Well, there's dai takusen! That's broken Japanese for a #*@-ton.
How to Get There
Depending on where you fly in, you might need to take a bullet train to get to Kyoto quickly enough. If you're an hour or so away, though, consider the cheapness of a bus. If you're rolling in dough or pressed for time, being Mr. Moneybags and riding the Shinkansen is an experience, though! Once you're in Kyoto, figure out the bus lines and hop on/hop off all day long!
Wallet Roll
Japan is an expensive country and Kyoto is one of their top tourism spots. Don't buy souvenirs here (ouch), unless they are temple-specific. With that in mind, many temples are free or reasonably cheap and you can find good deals on food.
Accommodations will hurt, though! ExJack found a possible solution himself. . .
Depending on where you fly in, you might need to take a bullet train to get to Kyoto quickly enough. If you're an hour or so away, though, consider the cheapness of a bus. If you're rolling in dough or pressed for time, being Mr. Moneybags and riding the Shinkansen is an experience, though! Once you're in Kyoto, figure out the bus lines and hop on/hop off all day long!
Wallet Roll
Japan is an expensive country and Kyoto is one of their top tourism spots. Don't buy souvenirs here (ouch), unless they are temple-specific. With that in mind, many temples are free or reasonably cheap and you can find good deals on food.
Accommodations will hurt, though! ExJack found a possible solution himself. . .
Traditional boat tour in Arashiyama
What to do
There's so much, but ExJack's prime recommendations are: Go see the Golden Temple, it's very pretty. If the sky is clear, you will have some pictures that others will claim are photo-shopped.
Make sure you stop in at Sanjusangedo (also known as Temple of 1000 Buddhas) to see the endless rows of statues.
If you're a fan of martial arts, samurai, or history, make sure you look up Miyamoto Musashi and do a little Musashi tour of Kyoto! (Hint: he was the most badass swordsman ever and he fought a bunch of duels in Kyoto).
For more history and a possible geisha sighting, head over to Gion district and walk the traditional stone streets.
There's so much, but ExJack's prime recommendations are: Go see the Golden Temple, it's very pretty. If the sky is clear, you will have some pictures that others will claim are photo-shopped.
Make sure you stop in at Sanjusangedo (also known as Temple of 1000 Buddhas) to see the endless rows of statues.
If you're a fan of martial arts, samurai, or history, make sure you look up Miyamoto Musashi and do a little Musashi tour of Kyoto! (Hint: he was the most badass swordsman ever and he fought a bunch of duels in Kyoto).
For more history and a possible geisha sighting, head over to Gion district and walk the traditional stone streets.
Fushimi Inari Shrine. Keeps going and going. . .
What to do part 2:
You must see the Ryoan-ji zen rock garden. At first, it is quite unimpressive, but you need to fulfill the experience. Just sit and look, focus on the rocks and on nothing at all, and you will find absolute stillness. Or something.
Many people like the bamboo forest at Arashiyama (beware the monkeys, they will steal your camera) and they had an international Jazz fest when I was there. Free music is a welcome addition to any visit.
The Fushimi Inari Shrine is a stunning and mesmerizing sight. Imagine thousands upon thousands of red, wooden arches lined up to create a tunnel through rolling hills and forests. Walk along and enjoy!
You must see the Ryoan-ji zen rock garden. At first, it is quite unimpressive, but you need to fulfill the experience. Just sit and look, focus on the rocks and on nothing at all, and you will find absolute stillness. Or something.
Many people like the bamboo forest at Arashiyama (beware the monkeys, they will steal your camera) and they had an international Jazz fest when I was there. Free music is a welcome addition to any visit.
The Fushimi Inari Shrine is a stunning and mesmerizing sight. Imagine thousands upon thousands of red, wooden arches lined up to create a tunnel through rolling hills and forests. Walk along and enjoy!
(Not Geishas), but rent a Yukata of your own!
Party Time
There are a ton of travelers in this city and there are many nice, young Japanese college students on a little trip. Some will chat you up, you should offer to treat them to dinner at a good restaurant (their choice) then do karaoke. No promises for nookie, but you will have a great night and make a good friend!
Adventuring
Kyoto is not a wild city, but you never know when you will stumble across a Jazz festival or a group of Geisha-style girls. Be polite for both.
Jack highly recommends hiking the Fushmi Inari shrine if you like temples or nature or symmetry. It's awesome. If you're there as a couple, visit the love temple, Kiyomizu-dera!
There are a ton of travelers in this city and there are many nice, young Japanese college students on a little trip. Some will chat you up, you should offer to treat them to dinner at a good restaurant (their choice) then do karaoke. No promises for nookie, but you will have a great night and make a good friend!
Adventuring
Kyoto is not a wild city, but you never know when you will stumble across a Jazz festival or a group of Geisha-style girls. Be polite for both.
Jack highly recommends hiking the Fushmi Inari shrine if you like temples or nature or symmetry. It's awesome. If you're there as a couple, visit the love temple, Kiyomizu-dera!
Exposure experiment: Ghosts in Kyoto Station
Photo Shop
If the weather is cooperating and the crowds aren't too heavy you will come away with some jaw-dropping shots. Remember that it's okay to take pictures outside all temples (and inside some) so get your shots and don't be shy. If you overstep, someone will very politely inform you of this.
If the weather is cooperating and the crowds aren't too heavy you will come away with some jaw-dropping shots. Remember that it's okay to take pictures outside all temples (and inside some) so get your shots and don't be shy. If you overstep, someone will very politely inform you of this.
Can you bear to miss something?
Food or Footsteps?
Walk and ride the bus, all day. Don't stop for lunch! There is too much to see! Take food and water in your backpack. Keep moving!Then, for dinner, go eat Ramen. Kyoto is famous for their incredible ramen restaurants. Forget your college preconceptions, it's delicious and filling!
Walk and ride the bus, all day. Don't stop for lunch! There is too much to see! Take food and water in your backpack. Keep moving!Then, for dinner, go eat Ramen. Kyoto is famous for their incredible ramen restaurants. Forget your college preconceptions, it's delicious and filling!
Go explore!
The Seal Club
Kyoto is a striking bit of cultural heritage. Even if you think you're just coming to Japan for Tokyo, make time to get here, too! It has the official TWT Seal of Approval!
Kyoto is a striking bit of cultural heritage. Even if you think you're just coming to Japan for Tokyo, make time to get here, too! It has the official TWT Seal of Approval!
Travel Tip #166: Take that same photo from ground level, slightly behind a foreground decoration, or ten steps to the right.
Travel Well Traveled 感想
Yep, right where those people are standing
A Mild Adventure, in a Safe City, Within a Polite Country
When Jack went to Kyoto the first time he was a bright-tailed and bushy-eyed kid in his early twenties. He was still too much into streaking at barbecues for rationality to rule too much of his life. I think that I also wanted to experience an adventure, albeit a mild one. I've always been curious about the idea of heading into a city with nothing but the clothes on my back and some change in my wallet, spending the entire day and most of the night exploring, then just crashing in the street during the night.
Now, undertaking such an adventure in Detroit, Moscow, Bangkok, or even Branson, MI would not be advisable, I think we'll all agree. But, good ol' ridiculously safe Japan? A couple of fellow travelers hitchhiked all across the country without a second thought. Japan is the place where my girlfriend once warned me that our city was dangerous because 'four years ago there was a murder'? Well, our city had a population of about 90,000 people. So, it's pretty damn safe.
This is why I decided to spend my nights on the streets of Kyoto. I don't mean to denigrate the fact that actual homeless people have to do this, that wasn't the adventuring part. It was that I wanted to really rough it in the city (surviving with my wits, some convenience store food and a bus ticket home a few days later). Perhaps this is just First World Problems slumming, but I figured if I was going to be traveling to an expensive tourist city in one of the safest countries in the world why not save a few Yen and experience some urban camping at the same time?
After a very full 14 hour day of roaming the city, I grabbed my backpack from the train station, found a nice spot down near the river, and unrolled my sleeping bag. Nearby were the box houses of homeless Japanese. They set their shoes outside their boxes. This has always struck me as a little remarkable. These men and women were homeless, but that didn't mean they didn't respect their homes and embrace the strict expectations of decorum that the rest of their country did.
I laid my head down and started to drift away right until I heard something rather big making a crunching sound. Sitting up, I glanced about, expecting some of the impressive city rats that I'd previously mistaken for cats. Nope. I put my head back down and once again heard something. What's more, I felt something.
Bolting upright, I threw back my sleeping bag to see several gargantuan roaches had been making a happy home right beneath me. Now, if you've never been to Japan you probably don't know that the inspiration for Godzilla must have been their roaches. Movie makers just scaled Godzilla down because nothing is as big as these damn beasts. Also, did I mention they can fly and enjoy hissing like a snake?
Leaving the river at a brisk pace, I headed back to the train station, wanting to find some ground bathed in light that even these Buick-sized roaches wouldn't dare enter. There were more homeless at the station, this time without boxes. A few stirred when I approached (I gave the apology smile and ducked my head in a bow, they responded and pantomimed offering me a place to sleep nearby).
Using my backpack as a pillow, I settled in for the night and actually had quite a pleasant sleep (the weather was great and the roaches were probably busy eating a battleship or something). I did awake at about 6AM to discover that I was apparently sleeping right in the middle of where a bus line was starting up. True to their culture, the Japanese waiting for the bus didn't give me shocked or disgusted or amused looks. They politely looked away and I politely slunk into the station restrooms to brush my teeth and give myself a quick hand shower with some liquid soap.
I hope it doesn't sound like I'm bragging about my little outdoor sleepover. I'm really trying not to. I've met other travels, those hardcore types, that truly live their lives on the edge of civilization. I'm not one of those guys/gals; I like to be a little adventurous, but I also like to keep my risks to life and limb to a reasonable level. What that level is to me, may be different to you. But if you've ever wanted the mild thrill of doing an international city on the cheap, then walk the temples of Kyoto during the day and spend the night on the streets with just you, your polite company, and all the temple spirits. Also, giant roaches. I really cannot stress enough the size of those damn things. Sleep well tonight.
When Jack went to Kyoto the first time he was a bright-tailed and bushy-eyed kid in his early twenties. He was still too much into streaking at barbecues for rationality to rule too much of his life. I think that I also wanted to experience an adventure, albeit a mild one. I've always been curious about the idea of heading into a city with nothing but the clothes on my back and some change in my wallet, spending the entire day and most of the night exploring, then just crashing in the street during the night.
Now, undertaking such an adventure in Detroit, Moscow, Bangkok, or even Branson, MI would not be advisable, I think we'll all agree. But, good ol' ridiculously safe Japan? A couple of fellow travelers hitchhiked all across the country without a second thought. Japan is the place where my girlfriend once warned me that our city was dangerous because 'four years ago there was a murder'? Well, our city had a population of about 90,000 people. So, it's pretty damn safe.
This is why I decided to spend my nights on the streets of Kyoto. I don't mean to denigrate the fact that actual homeless people have to do this, that wasn't the adventuring part. It was that I wanted to really rough it in the city (surviving with my wits, some convenience store food and a bus ticket home a few days later). Perhaps this is just First World Problems slumming, but I figured if I was going to be traveling to an expensive tourist city in one of the safest countries in the world why not save a few Yen and experience some urban camping at the same time?
After a very full 14 hour day of roaming the city, I grabbed my backpack from the train station, found a nice spot down near the river, and unrolled my sleeping bag. Nearby were the box houses of homeless Japanese. They set their shoes outside their boxes. This has always struck me as a little remarkable. These men and women were homeless, but that didn't mean they didn't respect their homes and embrace the strict expectations of decorum that the rest of their country did.
I laid my head down and started to drift away right until I heard something rather big making a crunching sound. Sitting up, I glanced about, expecting some of the impressive city rats that I'd previously mistaken for cats. Nope. I put my head back down and once again heard something. What's more, I felt something.
Bolting upright, I threw back my sleeping bag to see several gargantuan roaches had been making a happy home right beneath me. Now, if you've never been to Japan you probably don't know that the inspiration for Godzilla must have been their roaches. Movie makers just scaled Godzilla down because nothing is as big as these damn beasts. Also, did I mention they can fly and enjoy hissing like a snake?
Leaving the river at a brisk pace, I headed back to the train station, wanting to find some ground bathed in light that even these Buick-sized roaches wouldn't dare enter. There were more homeless at the station, this time without boxes. A few stirred when I approached (I gave the apology smile and ducked my head in a bow, they responded and pantomimed offering me a place to sleep nearby).
Using my backpack as a pillow, I settled in for the night and actually had quite a pleasant sleep (the weather was great and the roaches were probably busy eating a battleship or something). I did awake at about 6AM to discover that I was apparently sleeping right in the middle of where a bus line was starting up. True to their culture, the Japanese waiting for the bus didn't give me shocked or disgusted or amused looks. They politely looked away and I politely slunk into the station restrooms to brush my teeth and give myself a quick hand shower with some liquid soap.
I hope it doesn't sound like I'm bragging about my little outdoor sleepover. I'm really trying not to. I've met other travels, those hardcore types, that truly live their lives on the edge of civilization. I'm not one of those guys/gals; I like to be a little adventurous, but I also like to keep my risks to life and limb to a reasonable level. What that level is to me, may be different to you. But if you've ever wanted the mild thrill of doing an international city on the cheap, then walk the temples of Kyoto during the day and spend the night on the streets with just you, your polite company, and all the temple spirits. Also, giant roaches. I really cannot stress enough the size of those damn things. Sleep well tonight.
Travel Tip #18: Walk places, you'll see more of the small, unique stuff.
Ryoan-Ji: The Most Famous Rock Garden Around
It may seem silly to get excited about a pile of little rocks all laying about near some big rocks, but the point of a Buddhist rock garden is to help you clear your mind. At first, when you sit down near the little area, you might think 'this is it?' However, if you concentrate and keep looking at the raked, geometric patterns of the small stones as they flow like water around the solid, never-moving, larger stones while the overreaching branches of a cherry blossom tree sways in the background, I promise you will find some measure of inner peace. The garden is a great spot to relax after or during a frantic day of Kyoto sight-seeing. While you're there, make sure you pop inside the empty tatami-mat floors of the temple and check out the beautiful, minimalist ink drawings scattered across the paper walls.
Gion Area
This area contained some large temples long, stone walking paths. Jack spent most of his time there after he woke up, extra early in the morning, so he was there just about by himself. The temple grounds were pleasant to walk around and there were a few places to head off the beaten trail to see some small waterfalls and ponds. Although I'm sure it gets more crowded as the day goes on, the Gion area felt big. The temples are all huge, the gates are massive, the walkways could easily allow two ox carts at the same time. It was fun to see all the different designs of the hand-wash stations.
The Golden Temple: All That Glitters. . .
Perhaps the most famous landmark in Kyoto is the Golden Temple. The setting of the temple would be picturesque enough, along the banks of a small lake, with a few trees set about in a very deliberate, Zen manner. Of course its the color of the walls and roof that makes it truly stand out. On a clear day, the gold will shimmer on the water and the temple resembles something found in a fairy tale. Of course, both times I went there it was overcast so that remains simply a dream to see in other people's pictures. Since this is one of the spots in Kyoto, I'm sure you'll end up here. For best pictures, loop around the lake so you can get the full reflection in the water.
Kiyomizu-dera: The Love Shack
Traveling to Kyoto with your special someone? Why not head over to the official love temple and get good luck for your love life thanks to ancient spirits and a rock? Hey, if Ireland has the Blarney stone, then Kyoto can have the love rock. This little hunk sits there, just waiting for couples, wryly smiling elderly people, and giggling school girls to approach. The temple itself is quite striking, too, hanging off the edge of a cliff and overlooking a section of the city. There is also some kind of love test that you'll have to do, but a Japanese person will need to explain that to you.
Kyoto Station
It may seem funny to include a train station in its own, special entry, but Kyoto Station is a modern awe-inspiring sight. Once you exit your train, you'll come up an escalator and be stunned at how massive it is inside. The station is full of people and a scattering of shops, but the ceilings seem to rise up for a mile and just riding the series of escalators to the top takes quite a while. Once you're at the top, there are a few places to sit (and, at night canoodle with your honey).
Arashiyama
Jack didn't spend as much time here as he should have. He missed out on seeing more of the famous bamboo forest and didn't take a boat ride. Ah well, maybe next time. Anyway, you can see a world famous bamboo forest here, get accosted by monkeys, take a boat ride in a traditional pole boat, relax along the river, have a nice meal sitting on the floor, all the stuff you imagine a Japanese cultural city would offer.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Now we come to Jack's favorite place in Kyoto. The shrine has a pretty, if innocuous entrance, but once you reach the start of the tori (gate) paths you will start to get some ideas. At first you'll think 'oh, neat, there are a bunch of these orange gates out in a forest, I'll just walk down them a little bit'. Then you'll be all 'wow these gates seem to go on forever, I can just keep walking and walking'. Lastly, you'll probably be thinking 'I wonder what happens when I finally come out the other side of this portal. Will I travel back in time, like the turtles?'
The effect of walking through the endless rows that make up the tori tunnels is supposed to be one of self-discovery. The journey itself becomes a form of meditation. I really wanted to find the end, even going so far as to put on a light jog, but to no avail. The tunnel not only seemed infinite, but it branched, too. Since we had to get back on the bullet train that night, there was no way I could spend hours finding the end of this delicious mystery. One of my friends managed to walk all the way to the end of the tunnel and ended up in a forest well outside of Kyoto proper. Or, more likely, he entered another world.
The effect of walking through the endless rows that make up the tori tunnels is supposed to be one of self-discovery. The journey itself becomes a form of meditation. I really wanted to find the end, even going so far as to put on a light jog, but to no avail. The tunnel not only seemed infinite, but it branched, too. Since we had to get back on the bullet train that night, there was no way I could spend hours finding the end of this delicious mystery. One of my friends managed to walk all the way to the end of the tunnel and ended up in a forest well outside of Kyoto proper. Or, more likely, he entered another world.
Random Kyoto
This is a small collection of other temples, places, and sights that Jack couldn't fit anywhere else or has forgotten the names of. When he first visited the city, a group of nice young Japanese women invited him to come hang out with them, explaining the various sights, giving advice on where to go, and even treated him to a traditional meal at a nice restaurant. Since Jack was still new to Japan, this example of kindness made a lasting impression on him. When he returned to the city, years later, he was well-versed in Japan, but still marveled at all the gorgeous sights of the city.
Kyoto Travel Video Part One
Yep, Kyoto is so big and full of stuff to see I had to make two videos! Actually, to keep you from being distracted by changing formats I made one video of the old adventures and one of the more recent. This video comes from a few years ago (the more recent) and focuses on the Golden Temple, The Love Temple, The Zen Rock Garden, and the Fushimi Inari tori tunnel.
Kyoto Video Part 2
30 Seconds of Zen: Inari Walking
Call a Kyoto-truck and take me back
Judging by the mammoth size of this page (sorry it took so long to load), I'm sure you can tell that ol Jack was quite taken with Kyoto. Japan is a little island country that is bursting with culture, gorgeous natural beauty, ancient temples, technological marvels, and lots and lots of raw fish. Kyoto best exemplifies Japan's past and the history of the place puts young countries like The United States in perspective. If you travel to Kyoto you will not regret it. Whether you're there for the history lesson, to take photos, to enjoy a refreshing walk, to meditate, gawk at the geisha girls, or attempt to find the portal through the tori tunnel into a spirit bathhouse, there is something for everyone.
