Come Away with Me

Kyoto Kyoto Kyoto!

Pardon me for the overzealous title. I know Kyoto is one of our favorite destinations but still I do not need to shout like this. We spent 3 days in the ancient capital and hence the 3 repetitions, very original isn't it? Ok, enough of justification, or the lack thereof. A bad title is a bad title no matter how :p

Kyoto is a classy city. Especially more so after having traveled from the concrete mess that is Osaka. Although less than an hour train ride away (and a mere 25min or so if you're taking the bullet train) Kyoto is the complete opposite of its neighbour. At first sight though upon arriving at the train station, Kyoto might seem a bit of a letdown. Somehow it looks just like any other ordinary Japanese cities. And you find yourself thinking, hey where are all the shrines I've come here for? Where are the geishas you thought will be wandering on the streets? But let not the facade of the extremely modern station mislead you for much of the old Japan await as you make your way out of the station area.

In fact, after a day, you may even begin to suffer from an overdose of shrine-hopping. I love the beautiful shrines and temples that are dotted all over this city believe me. But unless you have an immense interest and profound knowledge of shrines/temples, their different structures and the various sects of Buddhism that they represent, chances are that many will start to look the same after a while. Moreover, most of these attractions require an entrance fee and many of them are not cheap. So really the best balance is to shortlist a number of the more representative ones to get the general feel, you know what I mean.

I remember 7 years ago when I first visited Kyoto, armed with a good map in hand, my friends and I got down to the business of hunting down all the very famous and must-visit sights that are listed in almost every guidebook and brochure about the city that you lay your hands on. This time round, I intend to take it a little easier and just let my whim and fancy of the day guide me along. The main purpose for this visit is to enjoy the city's famous spring sights and try the famed Kyoto cuisine that is believed by many to be the mother of all Japanese cooking.





First stop is Kiyomizudera or 清水寺, perhaps the city's most celebrated temple. Part of the fun of visiting this temple is making the way there. Before reaching the attraction itself, tourists have to walk along narrow and sloping stone paths that are lined with stalls on both sides selling all sorts of Japanesey trinkets, souvenirs and lotsa local snacks! For those who may be seeking a quiet and spiritual retreat, the eastern side of the city where Kiyomizudera is, this area may be a tad bit too touristy. That however did not stop us from enjoying ourselves. Mainly we had so much fun drifting in and out of shops, snacking on Japanese sweets and ice-cream and this was also the place where Alvin's samurai's aspiration was mildly satisfied with the purchase of a wooden sword or 木刀.





And here's a look at beautiful Kiyomizudera. This particular spot is perhaps the most famous and most photographed view of the temple. The beauty and marvel of this architecture is the platform hoisting the temple, built with huge wooden planks without using a single nail.





The entire Higashi area makes for a perfect photo taking background and so we spent the afternoon walking, stopping, eating and posing for many pictures. Though crowded, the place has got a lively yet relaxed atmosphere, a very scenic and attractive part of the city indeed.



Nishiki Market (錦市場) in Kyoto, otherwise known as the 'Kyoto's Kitchen' is a shopping street that extends about 400 meters, lined by more than one hundred shops on both sides selling various kinds of fresh and processed foods and many Kyoto specialities such as pickles, Japanese sweets, sushi and fresh seafood and vegetables. The history of the market goes back several centuries and many stores have been operated by the same families for generations. Although it supplies mainly to the hundreds of big and small eateries in the city, it is also frequented by both locals and travelers making the place a popular destination for many.

Having discovered a new found interest in anything culinary related, this place was a must-see on my itinerary and I was glad that it did not disappoint. I found much joy in tasting the colorful pickles and learning about local Japanese ingredients and vegetables though the same could not be said for my boyfriend whose eyes literally sparkled when I signalled that I was finally done with marketing :P


One of the main highlights while in Kyoto was definitely gorging myself silly with the huge variety of Japanese sweets that are sold everywhere in the city. You can eat most of these confectionery anywhere in Japan but I swear that of all the places I've visited so far Kyoto has got the biggest selection!

Unlike their western counterparts whose basic ingredients consist of flour, egg, butter,sugar and cream, Japanese sweets, known as wagashi(和菓子) uses mainly beans (which are make into bean paste as fillings), mochi-rice (which is our glutinous rice), rice flour, sweet potatoes, sesame seeds,chestnuts,soybean powder, maccha etc. The King of wagashi ingredients is undoubtedly red bean or what they called Azuki beans. In fact, I've never seen any country so fond of it that they seem to think that they are the only people who use them in their cooking.

While some younger Japanese may find wagashi less tempting and perhaps a tad old-fashioned, Japanese confectionery nevertheless remains widely popular among many. For reasons unknown, my family had always loved anything mochi related (daifuku, dango, sakura mochi, warabi mochi, you name it) so you can imagine everyone's joy when they visited what they've since regard as 'The Mochi Kingdom'. If you are too like us, I'm sure you will be very happy here too :)))

Tell me how can you resists these sweet temptations?



I had hope to catch the famed cherry blossom views that Kyoto is well-known for but because it was still early April when we visited, not all the trees were in full bloom yet. But for those that were, it was nevertheless a sight to behold. The sakuras seem to evoke a particular feeling among the Japanese for I've never seen any others who placed thus much emotional attachment to the cherry blossom. During this period, shops and restaurants serve special sakura menu, sakura-flavoured dishes and ice-cream and special bentos for sakura viewing. I've since learnt from my friends that there are different types of sakura trees and that their leaves are picked during this season, pickled and kept to be use for making sweets later.



On day 3, we made our way to our final stop in Kyoto, a quaint little suburb-countryside area known as Arashiyama. What was intended to be a half day trip became almost a one day affair for the place exceeded our expectation and we found ourselves wandering the streets leisurely and taking in the breathtaking scenery.

There wasn't any actual itinerary while in Arashiyama, no check list or whatsoever and perhaps that was why it was so enjoyable. We simply walked along the river, chanced upon an almost deserted garden and found ourselves at the doorstep of a fabulous temple (天龍寺)that afternoon. We simply lost track of time.


The most unforgettable encounter has got to be the stretch of bamboo forest near the temple. The walk through the growth was so surreal that for a moment it was hard to tell where we were. It reminded us vaguely of the fighting scene in 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' where Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh were flying above some bamboo forest displying their martial skills. Really, if you do visit Kyoto, Arashiyama and this bamboo forest are definitely 2 places you should not miss. You've got to see for yourself to believe.

posted by テレサ @ 12:13 PM