Kyoto , Green Bus
We started the day with a simple breakfast in a coffee shop near the hotel, then went to find the Kyoto city bus. Yesterday when we arrived we noticed all the buses in the terminal directly in front of Kyoto Station. In fact, they were hard to miss for all the people milling around in long lines. At that time, we didn’t pay any attention about how to ride, but needed to figure it out today.
Andrew just asked a bored-looking Australian where to catch the bus to Kiyomizu-dera. Not only did he point out the place to wait, but he also showed the underground passage to the stops in the middle of the loop. Then he asked if we had day passes, and when we said no, pointed out the information center not far away, saying that the pass was well worth it at only ¥500 to ride any bus during the day.
Kyoto Bus
We thanked him for the help and went in search of the passes. It was not hard to find, and we were thankful for the handy route map, too. Soon we were pressed together like anchovies with dozens of other tourists, taking the #100 bus to Kiyomizu-dera.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
The bus dropped everyone off at the base of a long, narrow street leading up. It was lined with little shops with bright awnings. Each one had enticing things for sale, and vendors stood outside, smiling and beckoning everyone in. We decided to go straight to the temple, then would explore the street on the way back down. The girls agreed as long as we could taste all the free samples on the way up.
Even though it was early, the street was still crowded with shoppers. The crowd thinned out when we reached the steps to the temple, through the giant red and white gate with its scary guardian figures. Kiyomizu-dera is a big temple complex part-way up the mountain, and it was amazing to see how far we had climbed when we turned back to look at the view.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto
There are several dark, imposing buildings, and others painted bright colors which make them look like carousel rides. We followed the general flow of the crowd through the main area and onto the stage overlooking Kyoto. It has a wonderful view, and we craned to see the famous beams holding it up.
The girls were curious about several people standing around with hair dryers, and Emma blurted out loud enough for one to hear, “I wonder what they are doing?” Well, a woman turned around and showed us that she had a small, brocade-bound book. In the book she was collecting calligraphy from all the temples she visited, and she was currently drying the page before shutting it. Each page had a red seal and elegant writing, and she had penciled in neat letters below it where she had gone and the date. The girls were thrilled, so we found where the books were for sale and got one for our family to share.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto
A priest write the calligraphy at a little window with a big brush. It cost ¥300, so we realized that it would add up quickly. But it was quite beautiful and would make a lovely souvenir once we had visited several places. Meanwhile, Emma and Emi took turns with the dryer, making sure it was completely safe to close the book.
We continued around the temple grounds, where there was a lovely path through the woods that went past other interesting buildings and an old pagoda. We saw hundreds of cute little Buddha statues that we found out later are images of Jizo, the protector of children. We got excellent views of the amazing wooden structure holding up the stage area, huge beams held together with no nails. There was also a little koi pond which made a nice background for photos.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto
By the time we were done and back at the road with the shops, it was getting hot and we decided to have some ice cream. We then meandered slowly down the street looking at all the unusual things for sale. Some of the shops were sophisticated, expensive galleries selling jewelry and ceramics, others had cheap plastic souvenirs. There were all kinds in between: a pickle shop, clothing shops, pastry and candy shops, textiles, it was fun looking at them all. We picked out a few souvenirs while browsing, and got some triangle-shaped jelly-filled treats to eat back at the hotel.
Kiyomizu-dera , Kyoto area shopping
We returned to the same bus stop and caught the bus to Ginkaku-ji, or the Silver Pavilion. There was a thick hedge of camellia bushes on the walkway leading to the temple, which was basically a wooden structure next to a lake. Supposedly it was going to be covered in silver to rival Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Temple, but never was completed. I suppose it was nice enough, but we felt rather like we were being shunted through from the entrance to the exit.
Ginkaku-ji
There were two main garden sections, one was raked sand with a big pile of sand at one side, and the other was a moss garden. We got a laugh out of the display “Very Important Moss.” There was a path going through the bamboo woods and lots and lots of moss, but I am afraid that we could not tell any of them apart. To us, it was pretty enough, but moss.
Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺)
After leaving Ginkaku-ji, the girls saw a red wooden shrine gate and steep staircase going up into the woods. It looked dark and creepy, maybe like something out of a Hayao Miyazaki film. They begged to check it out, and since there was no indication that it was forbidden, we let them. Andrew stayed at the bottom with the stroller and the girls and I climbed up. There were a lot of stone pillars with Japanese writing carved in it lining both sides of the stairs. At the top there was a quiet little shrine. We were the only ones there, so felt almost like we were intruding into a special place. After a brief look, we returned to the bottom, and the girls chattered on about their “private shrine.”
Kyoto Rickshaw Driver
We were planning to walk along the Philosopher’s Path, but several young men in traditional cotton jackets and spandex called to us. They were selling rickshaw rides, and despite the fact that they didn’t speak any English, they were friendly and engaging, smiling to the girls and waving them over to see the two-wheeled black carts with plush red velvet seats. We asked about the price, and after a brief consultation, decided to take the rickshaws instead of walking.
The driver held the carts still while we got on, and we were surprised at how high and wobbly they felt! Only two people could get in one, so Andrew and Emma paired off and I went with Emi. Our driver chatted happily, turning to smile and make faces, and occasionally threw out a word in English. Emi chatted happily back, and I was almost in tears laughing at the conversation, which must have had two different topics. The driver also pointed out many things to note on the way.
Philosopher’s Walk – Tetsugaku no michi
The Philosopher’s Path is a lovely footpath along a canal. It had rows of trees that he said were cherry trees and beautiful in the spring. I was intrigued by all the little shops and cafes, and would like to go back someday to look at some of them closer. There were a few big gates that led to temples. It was a fun way to travel and see everything, and we were very glad that we had splurged on the ride. When it was over, the girls posed for photos and insisted on several together with the drivers, too.
Kyoto Eikan-ji Nanzen-ji
The end of the ride was Nanzen-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple. We didn’t know much about it before going, and so were very surprised at what we found! It was much more extensive than we had expected, and there were several different garden sections. The buildings were old and interesting, and we were happy to be able to go inside. There were some lovely paintings. We especially liked the one of a tiger drinking at a river. In one section of the grounds there was a beautifully raked rock garden, and in another a lush garden around a set of little ponds. There was also an aqueduct that looked like it came straight form ancient Rome! I am surprised that this temple does not show up in more of the guidebooks because it was very interesting. We spent a lot more time there than we had expected.
Kyoto Eikan-ji Nanzen-ji aquaduct
We found the stop for bus #5 and went to Heian Jingu. We got off at a big brick museum that looked rather interesting. I would like to go inside if we visit Kyoto again! Instead, we walked to the shrine. It was a spacious courtyard enclosed by white walkways with red pillars. The central area, across from the entrance, was the shrine itself, with crowds of people pausing for a moment to clap and pray before moving on.
Heian Jingu
There was a little door to the left of the main building that had tickets for the gardens. We had already seen several gardens, so were not sure about entering, but decided that we might as well. We are so glad that we did! It was by far the prettiest garden we saw during the day, broken into several sections with ponds and mazes of little paths. There were a lot of people, but we still were able to go slowly and explore where the little trails led, sitting on benches and watching the ducks and fish.
Heian Jingu Shrine Gardens
The final pond was the biggest and most beautiful. There was a covered wooden bridge with benches on it, and we sat and enjoyed the view. The girls found a box that had fish food in it, and for a small donation they took some and fed the fish and turtles that swam below us. What a delightful way to end the sightseeing for our day.
Koi at Heian-jingu
We were going to take the bus back to the hotel, but decided to walk and see more of the city. Because most of Kyoto is laid out on a grid, it is easy to navigate without getting too lost! We found an interesting little restaurant for dinner and enjoyed a relaxing meal on the way. When we got back to the hotel, we were quite tired, but still had energy to eat the treats we had bought earlier in the day!
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