Kyoto day 4- part 4- lunch and Arashiyama station

As tends to happen rather predictably, hunger eventually found it's way into my awareness and the rumbling of my tummy signaled the time for fueling. I had passed several opportunities for eating along the way, including a small hut that claimed to offer tamagokake gohan, a simple but utterly comforting dish of steaming hot rice topped with a lightly beaten raw egg... while that would have been quite affordable and homey, the hut was seemingly untended when I happened by so I walked until I found this lovely restaurant. For about $20US I had a delicious and well-rounded meal consisting of steamed white rice, thinly sliced raw sea bream in sesame sauce, locally grown Kyoto vegetables, house made pickles, hot tea and even dessert! A truly delicious and wholesome meal to replenish from the morning's sojourn. 

After filling my tank, I resumed walking for a little longer before retreating to the train station. My time in Kyoto was rapidly drawing to a close and I needed to start making my way back to Kyoto station proper to catch my bullet train back to Tokyo. 

Kyoto day 3- part 3- Nyakuouji-jinja

After crossing paths with the kindly stranger and the kittens along my walk, I found myself at a smaller temple. Nestled upon a small hill shrouded in forest, this temple was particularly mysterious with the absence of tourists (who were amply abundant at most other sites throughout the city) and, unfortunately, my less than stupendous grasp on kanji. Smoke billowed lazily from a small smoldering fire near the front, and while an uninterested man tended to the grounds it was quite quiet. I explored the area a bit and found my way to the top of the hill, which offered a wonderful view of the city. A change of perspective is rarely a bad thing, really. 

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, I started making my way back towards the more occupied areas. I walked through many residential streets and enjoyed the small glimpses into daily, normal life for the people here. One of the best parts of traveling is the exposure to other ways of going about the same basic things all civilized humans must tend to, be it architecture or chores. Strolling along on foot provides ample opportunities to notice small details and surprises during your journey. That, perhaps, is why I try to walk as much as I can when I travel. Driving, taxis and trains are all fabulous means of getting to a location, but once you're there try to enjoy it and live in the moment. The smokey charr of the fire as it crackles, the rustling of the wind through the leaves and grasses of the forest, quiet chatter of school children...these provide the tapestry with which we can weave memories. 

Kyoto day 3- part 2- Tetsugaku no Michi

The Philospher's Path.

Just the name itself speaks to me, conjuring images of contemplative souls plodding along the pathway of stones or gravel with heavy concepts tumbling around inside their minds. Threads of thought teased out to their fullest extent on a cool afternoon, or perhaps a revelation on a humid summer day while the sun berates the face of the thinker and beads of sweat roll down their brow. Perhaps the thinker would pause and enjoy a bowl of cool soba garnished with grated daikon, or a warm nabe on chilly days, before resuming their purposeful pacing. It sounds heady, wise, or pretentious depending on the interpreter, I suppose.  I enjoyed my walk along the path, stopping to take in sights or small details along the way. There was an antique kimono shop I would have liked to spend more time in, and a substantial portion of my funds, but time and finances were not on my side this time. I did pick up a couple omiyage (souvenirs) for friends and encountered a quiet, kind-hearted stranger who tended to the stray cats in the area along the way. While I, personally, am not much of a cat person, I always take great joy in seeing humans interacting with animals in a positive and peaceful manner.  It was all the more serendipitous given that the path was really quite a solitary stroll for the vast majority of my excursion.  

Kyoto Day 3- part 1- Ginkakuji temple

After terrorizing Gion by bike the previous night, I hauled myself out of my cozy little capsule and set about the day's adventures as early as I could rouse. To begin with, I made my way to Ginkakuji, another of Kyoto's famous and historic temples. While I must confess a lack of knowledge about the historic import or lore of the temple, it was certainly a beautiful place to take in and was quite popular with tourists from many different countries. There was quite a large, rowdy group that occupied several key photo opportunity spots for the location and confounded my attempts but I did my best to capture the scenery. This may not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with some of my other posts, but I'm not really a huge fan of crowds or loud people despite frequently finding myself in places where they proliferate. Spaces like this, which offer a sanctuary and zen in both their design and style, should resonate with that in their photos... 20-30 tourists having a picnic in the midst of a beautiful and historied place such as this does not sit well with me. In the end, it worked out well enough as the rest of my day was quite peaceful and the photos I did manage to capture turned out well enough for my skill at the time. From Ginkakuji, I made my way along the Philosopher's path. 

But first,  the journay to and resultant Ginkakuji photos!

Kyoto Day 2- Part 3- Heian Jingu

After my adventure to Kiyomizu-dera and zipping back down the steep mountain at dangerous speed on my rental bike from the 9Hours capsule hotel, it was time to appraise my options for the next portion of the day. I stopped at a small kissaten for a cup of coffee and to sit on my phone and research where to go next. It was a lovely break and the small coffee shop was next to a river, providing a serene view by which to sip my caffeine. Once I ventured back out onto the road, I started towards another temple- but grew lost. I asked a jindikushaw (rikshaw) driver if I was heading the right way and he informed me my destination had closed for the day, but suggested my next stop; Heian Jingu!

Back onto my rental bike I hopped, pedaling away happily. Heian Jingu is easy enough to find- you'll know you're close when you see the giant red torii gate looming over the street, making the cars look like wee little toys. After the crowds at Kiyomizu-dera, Heian Jingu was a bit of a respite with a relatively small populace of visitors. This is not to diminish the beauty of the location- it's absolutely beautiful, having been a palace at one point in it's long life. Brilliant red paint gilds it's frame, decorated with ornate gold and green designs. There's a large expanse of open space leading up to the temple itself, providing a sense of isolation and sanctuary despite being deep within the city.

It was well worth visiting, and I was pleasantly surprised to have found it in such an unexpected manner. After exploring the grounds, I wrapped it up and headed back onto the road. I only had so long with the bike and wanted to take in as much as I could before my sojourn was cut short..

Kyoto Day 2- Part 2 - Kiyomizu-dera 2013-01-26

After waking up a bit and getting some caffeine and food from the cute little onigiri stand by my hotel into my gullet to power me through the unavoidable hang over from my long night drinking and socializing with the crew at Pan and Circus guesthouse, I ventured forward on my rented bicycle from 9Hours capsule hotel and pedaled out into the city. Make no mistake, Kyoto is an absolutely beautiful city! Even on a cold, dreary winter morning the architecture and cityscape were lovely to take in. The sky was bright and weather crisp, making it an especially good day for a bike ride. I completely adored exploring it by bicycle, even when my dumbass decided to visit Kiyomizu-dera first thing in the day. The large, beautiful temple just so happens to be situated high atop a rather steep hill. Getting there was quite the journey and my glutes were on FIRE, but the trek heading back down the mountain was a blast! 

Despite it being a cold wintery morning, visitors were flocking to the famous temple en mass and it was surprisingly crowded. From school children to girls in stunning traditional Japanese robes (which can be rented for the day from many small shops), foreign tourists and curious locals. Even with the horde of visitors, I managed to find a safe location off the heavily traveled path to park my bike and ventured into the melee for my own glimpse of the famous locale. Small shops were abundant, selling various omiyage (locally sourced souvenirs) or snacks. Omiyage culture in Japan (and in Korea) is something else- it's an unwritten cultural mandate that for any vacation you're lucky enough to go on, you must bring back some kind of rarified local specialty as a treat for all those left behind, from coworkers to friends. Because this is such a widespread obligation, many, many shops and train stations (for those last minute shoppers) carry large packages of prepackaged locally created specialty goodies for easy dispersal among all your cohorts back home. All the food on sale looked so amazing, from fish on sticks grilled over charcoal until their skins grow crisp and the smoke-infused meat drips juice with each crackling bite to large steamed dumplings stuffed with a medley of delicious fillings bursting from their centers.

Between the majestic mountain views and ancient, ornate temple buildings it was an extraordinary place to visit. Well worth the sore legs!

Japan: Shin-Okubo 2012-06-18

Shin-Okubo is Tokyo's epicentre for accessible Korean culture and food. Shortly upon stepping outside the station you'll find yourself in a vibrant and colourful neighbourhood full of restaurants, groceries, culture-stores plastered in images of the moment's most popular idols and lots of cosmetic shops. Korean cosmetics and skincare have been gaining in notoriety and for good reason!

Japan: Toyouke Shrine in Urayasu

Japan is an old country, especially compared to a newcomer like the United States. As such, there's a lot of history to accommodate in a relatively small space. Appreciably, they try to conserve this history whenever possible, meaning that your liable to stumble into multiple unexpected temples throughout the cities.  Surrounded by all the modern trappings you can still readily find your zen zone.

Toyouke shrine, in the Nekozane area of Urayasu, is a beautiful structure and integral part of the cultural heritage of the area. Every four years there's a huge festival in the town called the Urayasu Sanja Matsuri, which includes Toyouke shrine among the three celebrated. 

All was quiet when I visited this time, but I was lucky enough to catch the Sanja Matsuri in 2012!

Here's hoping I can catch the next one in 2016~

Japan: Senso-Ji temple in Asakusa & my birthday 2012-09-13 「日本語も」

Senso-Ji temple in Asakusa is a popular tourist destination in Tokyo, and it's understandable why.

With the combination of beautiful buildings, cultural heritage and traditional restaurants, it's a bastion of Japanicana.

あたしの誕生日でゆかちゃん一緒に浅草の浅草寺行ってきました。
その場所はとてもりぱですね？
きれいな建物と素敵な日本食レストランはいっぱい！

For my birthday, my friend Yuka and I adventured out around Tokyo. 

I've actually covered this in a post before, so this post is primarily focused on sharing more of the photos from that wonderful day. 

Seoul: Mahabodhi Temple

Since I had some time to kill in Seoul prior to my flight but still wasn't feeling especially well due to a bout of food poisoning, I decided to hang out relatively close to the hotel I had been staying in. There was a nearby bus stop with a direct shuttle to the airport so I felt comfortable in my timeframe. 

While exploring the area I happened upon the beautiful temple tucked away unexpectedly. 

Click through for more photos!