Kyoto and Nara 3 Days Trip - Day 1

19th November 2011

Normally, November was the time to see red leaves. The red leaves 紅葉 viewing was very famous in Kyoto. So, we planned a trip to go to Kyoto. It was a farewell trip for our friend, Chu too. She would go back to Malaysia at the end of November. However, due to the prolonged hot weather, the reddening of the red leaves was delayed. It was not fully red yet. Plus, the weather was so depressing, it rains!

Anyway, I booked the flight tickets 2 months before that. I took Skymark flight from Kumamoto 熊本 to Kobe 神戸 on 18th November with another friend, Danny. After that, we took monorail from Kobe Airport to Sannomiya Station 三ノ宮駅, then JR train from Sannomiya Station to Kyoto Station. We reached just in time for dinner, we ate at a Hong Kong Cuisine Restaurant in the Kyoto Station.

After that, we checked in into Hana Hostel. It was clean with enough bathrooms and toilets. As with any other hostel style accommodations, I only got a bed and had to share room with a lot others. There was one person who snored whole night, so I did not sleep well that night.

①the hostel provided free rice from the Tohoku region as a support measure for the region
②the bed come with a cabinet, hangers, table lamp.

Me and my friend woke up at 5am because we needed to meet with our friends from Tokyo. We bought the One Day Pass from the Hana Hostel's receptionist the day before. My friends reached Kyoto station very early in the morning, around 6am. Only McDonald was open around that time. So, we had breakfast from McD. After that, we went to the bus station outside the train station to take bus to our destinations.

Kyoto tower during the day and night

I like the information panel for the bus stop (outside Kitano Tenmangu)

Our first destination was Kitano Tenmangu 北野天満宮. Basically, it was a big traditional Japanese shrine. A lot of students came here to pray before exams. There were a lot of cow statues inside the shrine. Cow was a messenger for the god. 

Kitano Tenmangu 北野天満宮

Kitano Temangu 北野天満宮

Next, we took bus to Kinkakujji 金閣寺. A temple building covered with pure gold leaf. It was a very popular tourist destination in Kyoto. Even the rain did not dampen the beauty, just uncomfortable only with the wet shoes and pants.

Kinkakuji 金閣寺

Kinkakuji 金閣寺

After that, the rain continued heavily. We took bus to Gion area and went to a Kimono 着物 (Japanese traditional wear) rental shop. We booked for the service earlier because it took time to wear the Kimono and the owner wanted to make sure the time is enough to dress all of us. It was a funny experience. I was never a feminine kind of person, so I almost fall down when I tried to walk with my normal big steps. In this Kimono, one have to walk a one small step at a time, or else one may trip over the legs and fall on the face. Hahahaha! Only we girls wore the Kimono, our male trip-mates all rejected to wear the Japanese traditional wear. They said they would be our photographers instead.

One of surprising thing that I noticed is that although the shoes 下駄 base was held to the foot with a thong, I actually felt comfortable even after walking a lot. Normally, I can't wear flip flops for long walk, it will hurt between my toes. Since still raining, the rental shop owner rent us umbrella too, it looked like traditional umbrella, so the umbrella didn't clash with our looks, instead it enhanced our looks. The rental shop people were very kind too, they even offered to dry our wet clothes and shoes for us. Love them!

Wearing the Kimono 着物

After fully dressed in Kimono, we went shopping at the Gion area. It was filled with a lot of wooden traditional machiya merchant houses. The house was narrow and long due to the fact that the taxes were based upon the street frontage. So, to avoid paying more taxes, these businessmen built small façade with long extension from the street. This made me to remember the Dutch interesting old buildings too, the buildings were built with small gates and big windows because the bigger the door, the higher the taxes one needed to pay in the old days. Human beings are innovative lot, especially when it comes to money! No matter eastern or western people.

Around Gion area, there were a lot of souvenir stores selling a lot of traditional Japanese stuffs. One could get a lot of suitable stuffs for the loved ones. 

around the Gion area

After touring around Gion shopping street, we went to Kiyomizudera 清水寺, a very famous temple. It has a wooden stage 13 meter above the hillside. So, it provided a very good view. If all the maple leaves had turned red, it would be awesome! There is a placed called Otowa waterfall 音羽の滝 with 3 separate streams (longevity, success at school and love life). I just queued up and used the cup attached to a long pole  to drink the water from one of the streams. 

Kiyomizudera 清水寺

aound Kiyomizudera

Next, also girls only booked for the tea ceremony class. So, we went to the class. It was quite interesting. The teacher explained about the origin of the tea ceremony and the meaning behind all the actions. After the teacher demonstrated, we followed suit. 

tea ceremony 茶道

After the class, we went back to the Kimono rental shop to return the Kimono. They helped to dry our clothes, so nice of them. After changing, we checked into the hostel and then went outside again to find food for dinner. I did not have lunch, so I was very hungry that time. I actually wanted to settle for anything. However, my friends wanted to have a more interesting dinner. So, I remembered we walked more than half an hour just searching for a restaurant that can accommodate us. Lesson learnt here, if wanted to eat in a izakaya or famous restaurant, really need to book first, especially in this popular area. I still remembered a restaurant owner just shoot us down when my friend went to ask whether there were any seats for us, he just  said the minimum is 10000 yen per person and then closed his door. Finally, a few of us just waited outside a chain restaurant, Yoshinoya 吉野家 and said that if still couldn't find a restaurant, we would just eat there. Finally, a friend found a izakaya that can accommodate us. So, we had dinner in that izakaya. So glad finally can sit down and have dinner!

We walked back to hostel after a full dinner and finally had a good night rest! After bath, of course!

Click here for itinerary!
Day 2 details
Day 3 details