| Guide to Kyoto |
Kyoto is rounded by mountains, and there are lot of nature in it. Also,
the scenery which mixes streem of Kamo-river and historical housing "Machi-Ya"( ) at Ponto-cho( )can be one of the symbolic one in Kyoto.
In this part, I will introduce som seanery, which can typically indicate
characteristics in Kyoto.
The first is the mixture between streem of Kamo-river at Ponto-cho and
historical housing. You can image the seane of typical Kyoto !!
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This is a Kamo-river at the bridge near Kamigamo-Shrine ( ) and surrounding mountains.
It can show the wealth of nature in Kyoto. |
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This is Tatazu-No-Mori(糺の森), where is located along the street in Shimogamo-Shiorine( )
Walking and feeling that long time ago, such a small forest can be found anywhere in Japan, but...., your mind would become pure by natural smell by woods and calm sound by the stream of small river. |
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This is a Three-Flour Temple( ) and surronding mountains looking at Kiyomizu-Dera-Temple( ). You can find that temples in Kyoto have been estabvlished in harmony with surrounding nature. |
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This is Tofukuji-Temple( ), where is very famous for autumnal tints, and surrounding marple trees
When I visit there, it is at the beginning of spring, so it is impossible to see very beautiful autum leaves. But, the seanery convined by the temples and marple trees is of great, so you can expect to see amazingly beautiful scenery here in autumn. |
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This is Hozu-river( ) and Arashi-yama( ), looking at very famous Togetsu-bridge( ).It is one of Kyoto's good points that can access such a scenic areas
in only 15 minutes by train. |
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This is a Road surrounding Bamboo-Woods( ) near Tenryuuji-Temple( ) in Arashi-Yama( ) area. If you walk along this road and hear the sound created by winds
and bamboo leaves, you also experience Japanese beauty !! |
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Here is Hidari-Daimonji-mountain( ) near KInkakuji-Temple( ) and "Dai( )"'s mark of fire. Every August, fire is set on, and create a letter "Dai". This fire can be seen on the terrace of Orange Inn !! |
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One of the most attractive resources for sight-seeing would be town-scape,
which you can find a lot of historical wood-made buildings along streets.
In this part I will introduce some areas or streets where you can feel
the history of Kyoto.
Here is Ponto-Cho( )'s eating and drinking district. There are ample amount of machiya( )-housings and those are converted into restaurants or bars. Its price
is from top to middle, so if you are not so lucky you might have to pay
relatively more. However, some restaurants offer foods and beverages in
a reasonable price, so you had better check one by one.
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This is a town-scape in Gion( ) area. Gion is famous of its high class, which leads to extremly expensiveness,
so travelers might hesitate to go one of the restaurants or cafes. It is
true that most of restaurants or cafes in Gion area would be off the target,
but some can be on the target and experience staying Machiya-Housing.
That is Cafe C.A.D. It open between 11am and 5pm of every Friday, Saturday
and Sunday. It offer many kinds of beverages on 500 Yen each, which is
very rasonable in Gion area. Also, it offers very original menue, such
as Maccha ( ) Styled coffee. Location is the centre of Gion, so let's look for it !! |
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This is a town-scape of Kami-sichiken( ) near Kitano-tenmanguu-Shrine. Here is a town of Gofuku
( ), which is traditional Japanese clothes, factories and stores, and one of the five Hana-machi( ) in Kyoto. Even now, there are some housings remnants, and you can feel
its strong energy at that time.
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This is a town-scape surrounding the north of Kyoto station. In this area,
considerable number of historical housings are still remained, and gathered
surrounding small streets, whose width is only three meter. If you have
spare time surrounding Kyoto station, it might be a place to go and walk
around.
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This is Nishiki-Market( ), which deals many kind of foods of Kyoto.
It was in the morning that I visited, so there are not so much crowd. However,
there were considerable number of tourists there.
Though this place has been closed by roof, still you can find a number
of original Machiya( ).
If you visit there, you can recognise traditional style of Japanese stores
and shops.
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This is a townscape surrounding Kiyomizu-Dera- temple ( ).There are some number of new houses, which has been build on the basis
of traditional Machiya( )-style. So, currently and in the future, traditional towns-cape of Kyoto will be conserved here, at least.
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| Three、Normal stores where you can feel Kyoto's culture |
In Kyoto, typivcal Japanese traditional gifts, such as a Kimono( ), a fan( ), Japanese sweets( ), and Japanese picles(お漬物), can be bought anywhere, and you wonder where
and what to buy!! But, you can feel and experience Kyoto-ness in very normal
stores, cafes or resaurants. I will introduce some such places here.
This is Ogawa Coffee cafe( ), which have cafes mainly in Kyoto city. Its coffee tastes very mild,
so there are ample fans all over Japan. It is a Japanese cloth that cover
receipt, which indicate a reality of Money. Usage of such a cloth can mind
you Kyoto-People's thoughtfulness.
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This is a bar in Gion( ), which is established in Machiya-housing.
In general, eating and drinking in Gion area is regarded as extremely expensive,
so no intention to eat and drink there, but its menu shows that its price
is not so expensive, the same level as bars in other areas.
It might be good for you to have your favorite bar in Gion !!。
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This is a restaurant at Shijyo-Karasuma( ).
I went here in lunch time, and then they offer Japanese cuisine with all-you-can-eat
buffet style. Its price is Only 700 YEN !! taste is very good and variety
of food is also great.
Here would be good to go for the person who go to NIshiki-Market( ) in the morning. But, if you decide to do so, be hurry !! Because the
person who can get this will be limited upto 100.
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This is a sweets store, where is very close to Orange Inn. It open in very
historical housing and in very traditional management style. It sells very
dear old sweets. Shop owner says that there are few shops where sell these
in this style. I feel that it is one of the stores which remind traditon
of Japanese.
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This is a cafe located very near to Orange Inn. Here is one of the original
for Japanese cafe( ) in 1950s, with the same building and a same menu. In here, you can order
"Dashimaki-TEISYOKU"( ), which is Japanese style of egg fry, and very characteristics of Kyoto.
This kind of cafes can be found anywhere in Kyoto, so it might be of great
experience to get those, not going to Starbucks !!
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| Four. Kyoto's famous Temples and Shrines |
According to any guide books, Kyoto is very famous for temples and shrines,
and more detaied contents can be read in those. So in here, I will introduce
some pictures and main points to understand main temples and shrines.
At first, this is Ginkakuji-Temple( ), which is of great famous amonf foreign people. It represents HIgashiyama
culture( ) in Muromachi-era( ), and it would be the one to represent Kyoto's temples and shrires. Ginkakuji-Temple
itself is of great, and well-managed bamboo-woods, Japanese ceder woods
and a moss represent the origin of traditonal Kyoto culture, that means
traditional Japanese culture. It wold be the one for foreign travelers
to see and understand Japanese culture relatively easily.
If my foreign friends tell me "there is only time to go one place,
I will recomend them to go to Ginkkuji-Temple.
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This is Nanzenji-Temple( ). It is said that it is good to go there in a rainy day, but it is still
good even if you go in a fine day, and you can feel dignited atmosphere.
In here, you can see both temples and a old water-bridge, which is establishied in Meiji-era, so you might feel very reasonable in money and time. |
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This is Kitano-Tenmangu-Shrine( ). It enshine Michizane Sugawara( ), who is a good of studying. It was the season for examination to get
into the Universities, so there were a lot of high school students in here.
There were a lot of plum-blossom at that time, also you can experience
very beautiful cherry-blossom. |
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This is Yasaka-Shrine( ) close to Gion area. In Kyoto, it is nick-named "Yasaka-san".( )and very familiar among Kyoto people. Shrine's buildings, coloured with
red and white, are very impressive, also it is free of charge to go anywhere
in it. |
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This is Chionin-Temple( ).
When we visit there, it is possible to see real scene of dedication, so
you can experience not only temples itself but also activities of temples
in Japan.
It is necessary to go upstirs when you go anywhere in Chionin-Temple, so
it would be one kind of exercises !!
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This is Kamigamo-Shrine( ).
Not only very famous "Tachisuna"( ), which is a circular conic made by sand, but also simple and historic
buildings are so impressive.
Also in here, you can relax yourself by staying in the woods, where you
can listen natural sound of streams by Myoujin-river( ).
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This is Shimogamo-Shrine( ).
On the way to go to the shrine, you can cross woods, where create very quiet atmousphere. Also, its buildings seem to be dignified, and show one of characteristics of Japanese culture.
In here, it would be possible to show wonderfulness of Japanese culture,
which might be a little different from Ginkakuji-Temple, to foreign travelers.
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This is Tenryuuji-Temple( ) in Arasiyama area.
Its attractiveness is dignified atmosphere as a Zen( )-temples. There is a garden, where is very wide, and whose natural scenery is also very attractive. Furthermore, bamboo-woods surrounding it can show Kyoto's and Japanese attractiveness. |
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From now on, I will introduce the temples and shrines, where you can easily
access from Orange Inn.
The first to see is Kinkakuji-Temple( ). Golden coloured temple is so impressive that not only Japanese travelers
but also foreign travelers like it very much. It would represent "Gorgeousness"
in Kyoto.
Also, harmony between temple and its traditional garden is of great impact,
so I recommend you to go here as the beginning to understand Japanese culture. |
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This is Ryoanji-Temple( ), where is very famous by "Stone-Garden"( )
Obviously, the first to see is "Stone-Garden". In sitting next
to Stone-Garden, we can naturally relax oueselves.
Howver, not only "Stone-Garden", but also surrounding garden,
where highly planned in Japanese style has been adoptted, is the other
very attractive point. It would represent "closeness" in Kyoto.
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This is Ninnaji-Temple( )and its symbol would be five-story temple( ).
Its characteristics seems to be "familiarity". In it, it is possible
to access very close to any buildings, including historical private housings.
Also, when I visited, I could bask in the sun on the Japanese terrace.
When I visited there, it was the beginning of March, so it was impossible
to see cherry-blossoms, which can be seen in the last of April, and which
is one of the most famous in Kyoto. I have strongly felt that I should
return then.
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This is Myoushinji-Temple( ), which seems to be plain in comparison with Kinkakuji-Temple, Ryuuannji-Temple
and Ninnaji-Temple, but it is also very attractive.
Its characteristics seems to be reasonable. The size of temple seems to
be No1, larger than other three, but entrance fee is free!! It would be
natural that it is especially very popular among foreign tourists.
However, buildings inside is of great, every building show its long history,
so I named here as ""Theme-Park of Temple-buildings. If Myousinnji-Temple
is located in other than Kyoto, it would be No1 sightseeing spot in there!!
There is one advice. There is one temple, called "Taizouin"( ). It costs 500 YEN, but inside is not worth for it. So, I recommend that
you spend 500 YEN not for it but for a cup of coffee. |
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This is HIgashi-Honganji-Temple( ) and NIshi-Honganji-Temple( ) located in front of Kyoto station. Currently, both temple's main buildings are under refurbishment, so there are not so tourists there. Howver, you can experience gigantic scale of Kyoto's temple.
In both temples, it is possible to see inside some of the buildings, and you can see the person who prays, so you can experience activity of temples in Japan.
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This is Thirty-Three Temple( ), which is famous by statue of budda with thousands of arms(千手観音).
The first thing which I was impressed is the length of building, which
is about 50 metre. Also, it is originaly built about 700 years ago and
its basic materials are still survived !! I , who are very keen on historical
buildings, are very satisfied with it.
In going inside, another surprise will come up!! There are thousands of
statues with a thoudsand of arms. This will offer any foreign people big
surprise !!
Here is a good place to surprise !! But it might be not so good to experience the core of Japanese culture, Wabi-Sabi( ).
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This is Toufukuji-Temple( ), where is famous by marple leaves in autum.
Its impression is that it has the hIstorical buildings which famous temples
in Kyoto should have, and these are established in good harmony with surrouding
landscape. Especially, I am favorite with the dignity of main-hall of temple
and Kaisann-do( ).
If you are interested in Japanese garden, and you have some money to spend,
the garden here is good, and worth for it.
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This is Toji-Temple( ), which you can see its Five- Floor-Temple( ）from Sinkansen train.
It is the head temple of Shingon-Shu( ), that is the reason why the dignity of each buildings are of great. Especially,
"Golden Hall", "Auditorium" and "Five-story temple"
are located in line with great existence, and that will make anyone so
impressed !!
Personally, even if you have not so much time to stay in Kyoto, you must
go here at least!!
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