Kansai chiho literally means the west region of Honshu Island, it includes several cities like Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe etc. While Tokyo, Chiba, Gunma, Kanagawa, Tochigi etc are of Kanto chiho, the East region.
Kyoto was formerly the imperial capital of Japan. It is also called 'The City of Ten Thousand Shrines'. because it has THAT many of shrines (how do i put this.. err japanese temple hahaha!)
We only allocated 1 day for Kyoto in this trip, because my sister and i thought that it would be boring, as there's nowhere to go, but Ten Thousands of Shrines. HAHAHA! However at the end of the trip, the place i miss the most is Kyoto. It's such a beautiful city. They don't have wide metro coverage, because Kyoto is somehow like a 'preserved city' in Japan. It is old (but still city-er than most of the places in KL), they don't have metro coverage all around the city, their main transportation is by bus, or cycling.
cold but sunny day :)
We left my sister's apartment at 6am, board the Shinkansen (aka the bullet train) at Shinjuku.
ahh, everyone's first time on shinkansen, including my sister. because the fare is soooooo WOW. expensive. i forgot how much it costs, but it is cheaper to take their domestic flights than to take the train. Japan railways (JR) has offered some foreigner/tourist passes which are definitely worth-the-price for people who will be travelling across japan in 2-3 weeks. (you get it back if you travel 3-4 times on shinkansen)
>>> JR Pass
*Pass must be purchased before the arrival to Japan (thru travel agencies)
*Pass cannot be used for Shinkansen- Nozomi trains (the fastest train among the 3 types of shinkansen Train)
Walao, i have crapped so much on just Shinkansen as if im really giving travelling advice.. LOL back to our day in Kyoto.
but Shinkansen is really fast and comfortable and punctual. (well, all transports in japan are punctual).
[Tip : you can choose numbered seating / free seating in the train, number seating costs around 5000yen (~RM100) extra.]
[Tip : there's vending machine in the train =P ]
Arrived at Kyoto station at around 10am? met up with Chia Sik, my sister's senior who's studying in Kyoto. He's our tour guide for the day. Put down our bags in the hotel and started the day.
First thing, EAT. We have to eat. HAHAHHAA WE ARE HUNGRY BECAUSE IT'S COLD and WE NEED TO EAT ALL THE TIME. yeah. especially my dad.
so we headed back to Kyoto Station and find food there. There's a hugeeeee Shopping street/mall inside/beside/linked/opposite to the station. Headed to the JR Kyoto Isetan, at the 10th floor, there's this "Ramen Street" which serves 8 types of different Ramen from different region in Japan.
Kyoto Ramen Koji address :
10F Kyoto Station Bldg., Higashi Shiokoji-cho, Karasuma-dori, Shiokoji sagaru, Shimogyo-ku
Official Website ( Japanese)
Simply asked Uncle Google and got this short Review
we've always been fans of tonkatsu ramen, but this time we chose to try the Tokushima style (don't know what, we just eenie-meenie-miney-mo)
camwhore spotted :P hahhah
i was trying to photobomb him at the back and he scolded me :(
the signature looooooooong staircase and escalators leading to a garden on the 11th floor
First stop after lunch is.....
Fushimi Inari Taisha
>> (伏見稲荷大社)
basically our trip to Kyoto is to visit some of the interesting shrines, where Chia Sik thought that we should be seeing. As sister has asked him to guided us and so we were too lazy (and busy) to do research like we always do for our family trips.
this could be a better family picture..but it's okay haha not too bad.
(like those i had with Doraemon wtf yes i still couldn't let it go)
the Kitsune (Fox) around the shrine. Read from the net, the Fox is believed to be the Shinto (God of Rice)'s messengers. and yes this is one of the shrines dedicated to Shinto (aka inari.)
im thinking of the inari sushi.
here's the main thing about the Taisha. they have alot (seriously) of these orange thingy called the torii gates donated by the people.
in the Japanese temple/ shrines, people get the 'divination', nehh, those numbered stick in a container, and you shake until one of the stick falls, and get a note according to the number.
In Japan, if people get a 'bad note', they tie it up and left it at the temple.
If it's a 'good note', bring it home.
rather than having the normal wishing card, the Taisha has this cute fox face wooden board.
who posed better? :P
or who took a better picture/ hahaah
tried to do what the local people do for prayers and lucks.
Most of the temples have put up an "instructions board" nearby where tourists/visitors can do it by following the instructions.
it involves just rinsing your hands separately (in correct order, i forgot, left then right if not right then left. HAHAHHA), then pour some water on your hand and drink it.
a random shot on our way out.
it was a huge shrine, where you can actually 'hike' your way up to the hill. but of course we didn't do that. hahhaha
SEE WHAT I FOUND ON THE STREET OUTSIDE THE SHRINE!!!
i'm always in love with this taiyaki also it's variation. but this is the first time seeing this :D
he 'opened' the yaki's mouth so that he can stuff in ingredients later. haha
the stall offers a few different ice cream flavor and fruits.
we had matcha + redbean and banana + chocolate
(these combinations are about perfect for me. hehehe)
however, it tastes just so-so. ngek. nvm, worth a try. for it's cute figure.
hello everyone, im on the bus! =D
their bus has very limited legs room. the spacious ones are the very last row, and priority seats
my knees hurt so bad after the ride.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)
>> 金閣寺
To enter the temple, visitors are required to 'buy' a 'charm', which make it more or less like the admission fee instead. It costs 400 yen per person, they offered student price for high school students also.
Nothing much about this, just that the upper 2 floors, are covered by golden leaf. (real gold)
We can only see it from far, which means we can't get to see the interior ourselves.
Instead of looking at the building, i find myself enjoyed spending time at the 'park' more. It is a very beautiful park for me. hahaha! all the pinaceae + chilling weather.
No one gets a good picture at this place because it's either we'll be too dark, or the kinkakuji being overexposed at the back. hahahah!
they named this plant(s) as "Boat of the Land"
im just ..LOL-ed
oh btw there's also a Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion in kyoto, we didn't go :P
Headed to Kiyomizu-dera straight because we were running out of time, the temple closes at 5pm!
Again, we took a bus and then walk up a steep road/walkway. Looooong and steeeep no kidding. It's exactly like walking up in FRIM. but you have food stalls around.
You confirm get to try their signature & traditional food in Kyoto, the Yatsuhashi, a soft and mochi-like snacks.
and here we are, the Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺)
right timing for the beautiful sunset.
The thing to see in Kiyomizu-dera is their architecture. It's on the hill side and yeah, brilliant architecture using some kind of wood that only YX can spell them out.
And that's the end of the temples hopping trip in Kyoto.
We can't visit more because most of the temple close around 5-6pm.
So after Kiyomizu-dera, we squeezed in a very very crowded bus and went to the maiko experience place.
You know maiko...?
yeah...... we did that. HAHAHHA
After the maiko experience, time for dinner! we were really hungry after the maiko thingy.
Went back to the station and looking for restaurants at the underground streets.
i am that kind of person, who can't decide what to eat all the time. So i'm always happy if i see something like 'mix plate' etc on the menu i.e. i get to eat a few different things. HAHAHAH im a pigggg
The restaurant serves mainly pork, but their pork has got NO pork taste, at all. i swear, NOT AT ALL. yums :D
sister's Galaxy S3 has got this receiver for streaming TV.
hahahahha it's cute but funny! but most of the phones in japan has got this additional receiver.
Buhbye Chia Sik. Thank you so much for your time =)
Before and when i was in Kyoto, i never thought that this city would give me this much impact. I don't know anymore words i can use to describe the city, and also the feeling it gave me. The people in Kyoto are different from the people in Osaka & Tokyo, they are more friendly. The whole environment & ambiance are like nowhere to compare. It's peaceful. I feel the peace inside out. It probably has got some power/magic that makes me fall in love with the city, so hard. and I told myself, i'll be there again.
***Next up >> Japan Season 2 Ep 03 : 関西の旅 · 大阪
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