Region: Kansai
Prefecture: Kyoto
Population: 1,470,159 (Febr. 2005)
Kyoto is located on the middle-western portion of the island of Honshu. Due to the surrounding mountains on all sides, Kyoto is famous
for its stifling summer nights with no air movement.
Fortunately for the tourist, the city is laid out in a grid pattern in accordance with traditional Chinese geomancy, making it easier to navigate.
The fact that Kyoto and the temples, gardens, palaces and shrines were spared during the bombing of WWII, is an important element in why Kyoto today can be called the cultural capital of Japan/The Heartland of Japan.
We had done thorough research on what Kyoto had to offer, and the plan for those 5-6 days was more or less ready when we got there.
Kyoto has more than
2000 temples and shrines and can easily be called the cultural capital of Japan. Therefore, what we came to Kyoto for, was of course the traditional Japan! As this subject was
the soul of this journey, the days were spent walking from early morning until the afternoon, when the sights closed. We did, however, not run through the wonderful gardens
and temples without stopping to look, to feel and reflect. Even if we didn't understand what was written about the places, we tried to gain some sort of understanding.
Throughout this trip we have taken a lot of pictures, and this is also a way of seeing things differently. You get several unusual angles of looking, even if the pictures themselves
amount to nothing.
So, when the temples closed and darkness was forthcoming, we went (usually sweating and tired) back to Crossroads for a shower, before heading to the downtown area for nice food and
shopping. If you head to the intersecton of Shijo-dori & Kawaramachi-dori, you will soon find a network of shops, as well as department stores, selling just
about everything!
Okey, this is a difficult one, as this depends on what you like and how much time you have. From my viewpoint, if you have two days, try seeing the castle (Nijo-jo)
and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavillion) on one day, and do the Arashiyama - Sagano walking tour the next day. This will leavy with plenty of nice memories and a touch of the old Japan.
If you have more time, as we had, include Nanzen-ji and the subtemples there. Be prepared to spend some time here, as there is more to this place than meets the apparent eye.
Arashiyama - Sagano walking tour: You can read about this walk in Lonely Planet, but in retrospect this is one of the highlights. We spent more than four hours on this, I think, and along the way we visited several famous and not so famous temples and shrines. Also, the bonus had to be the bamboo forest, which is wonderful!
Saiho-ji: I believed this was to be a highlight on this trip, and in some perspective is was. But not simply the moss garden itself. We really enjoyed writing Japanese calligraphy in the temple. Even if it wasn't necessary to go in, I would recommend doing it! A great way of finding peace and concentration. The moss garden is probably at its best at another time of year, but it is still a wonder from the "old days". If you have the time, make the effort of going here!
Getting up early is necessary if you want to avoid the worst heards of people, coming in on buses. The hour before closing time is also an alternative, and the sun is also lower at this point, which helps photography. The only opening hour we could not control was of course Saiho-ji, which we unfortunately experienced at 13.00. This time of day is not excellent for pictures, but then again, there is more to traveling than having your camera on "rapid fire"!
One last thing: Some people make a fuzz about the entry fees. Don't go cheap on this! It is usually worth it, and 500 yen is not a lot of money. How many times are you planning a trip
to Japan...?
Before we left Trondheim/London, we had already booked our nights at Crossroads. Of course, this can always be a risk, but we soon discovered that
Crossroads had everything we needed. Great location: Central but still quite, and cheap. There are only three rooms, so it is wise to book ahead. The landlady is very
friendly and speaks good English, and she writes on her webpage that she herself has done a lot of traveling. There is a curfew, but if you ask nicely, things might work out,
as long as you behave in a respectful manner! Highly recommended.
She even made arrangements for us at Saiho-ji before we arrived! To be allowed into Saiho-ji, you need to make an appointment ahead, at least one week,
and she sent them a postcard with our details, making sure this was ready way ahead of our arrival.
Having left Kyoto, a cityname often reminding people of tradition, temples, Buddhism, zen and "Japan", I found myself needing time to digest it all.
When you spend 5-6 days in a city that can bring months, and even years, of cultural experiences and surprises, it goes without saying there is a fine balance between stress
and peace.
For me, it was important to see a prioritized list of historical value, and not trying to see everything. In order to actually see them! This is what I came to Japan for!!
I knew ther would be
a lot of people around, and if you got to a place during peak hours, you had to focus not to get annoyed at the busloads...
As it is written in the Lonely Planet, when you first get to
Kyoto, it looks like any other big city, with traffic, people, noise and rush. However, a short ride on the effective bus system (buy day pass) can take you anywhere - to peaceful areas.
My conclusion is that Kyoto is like nowhere else. If you manage to remove focus from the crowds and concentrate on what is here, you will have an endless list possibilities.