Day 01- Kyoto Japan

Finally it has begun! I arrived in Japan last night at midnight and got a good rest because I knew today was going to be either a wonderful adventure or a complete disaster. Originally this part of the trip was supposed to be in Hiroshima but it became to expensive. Then I switched that plan for a day in Osaka, then it got cancelled (right before I left too). Sigh. I will have to visit both of these places another trip I guess. However this means that my first day in Japan was all to myself! So I fired up the computer and hit the internet for places to see. Then with a plan and a prayer I set off!

The first adventure happened right across the street. I am staying directly across from the main train station in Kyoto, and for good reason! I can go nearly anywhere on the transit system here. The only problem is figuring out how exactly to do it. My trip in from the airport was a train disaster so I was determined to right my wrongs. The key for newbies is to relax, unless you need to be somewhere at a specific time or if you are taking a bullet train (Shinkansen), there is no need to rush because the trains never stop coming in or out. I tend to get caught in a flow and make a rushed decision (know too that you can right most wrongs within a few stops) last nights train ride lasted about an hour longer because of that. Now I know better and had all the time in the world. With a little patience and some observation I figured out how to get a ticket and then which track and train I needed to get on, I was even early! It was easy peasy so far and I was off to my first stop, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

When one imagines Kyoto or Japan, often times they think of the red Torii gates that are present at all temples and shrines here. Fushimi has ten thousand. Each one is erected right behind the the previous gate, forming long tunnels of never ending vermillion. How I could visit this city twice and not think to see this shrine is simple unconscionable. Walking through the gates was just an amazing experience that still photographs can't display. There are 4km of paths here, most lined with gates, which are bought by local businesses, their names or inscriptions can be seen from the back side of the Torii. The paths here wind around a mountain atop which are somme lovely glimpses of Kyoto through the trees. Atop the mountains is where I am assuming the Otsuka (sacred stones) are. I had thought these to be graves or ancestral markers of some sort, they come in all shapes and sizes. Some simple, others enshrined in a mini alter, all of them however had something written on them. They were not unlike the graves I saw in Tokyo last time I was there but there are supposed to be 20,000 of these Otsuka on the mountain and there was nowhere else that they could be. I can this this pretty definitively because I covered every single path I saw, turning back only when it seemed inappropriate to go forward or when I ran into a dead end. So after walking several miles and climbing a mountain I decided that it was time for lunch and a trip to Tofukuji.

The reason I chose Tofukuji was simply because of the fact that it was one subway stop prior to Inari Station, where Fushimi was literally across the street. I knew that it was a favorite tourist spot in the autumn, so with some trepidation I set out. First let me tell you that Tofukuji is nowhere near it's station. Apparently there are buses that can get you closer, but you'll need a guide for that adventure because the buses and routes are in Japanese only. When I arrived Tofukuji, it was bustling with activity. Not because it was tourist season yet, they were just setting up for it apparently. Which meant I missed out negotiating through throngs of Japanese tourists. Unfortunately the trees had not quiet turned yet, Japan is still very green this time of the year. It was still lovely, but then I found Tofukuji's real treasure, it's immaculate zen gardens at the Hojo Hasso Garden. You'll have to take your shoes off, and dawn some silly plastic slippers but if rocks are your thing you will love this place. There are zen gardens on each of the four sides, all of which are personifications of simplified beauty.

Next I wanted to travel to Yasaka, but I manged to get caught up in a moment and got off at the wrong stop. This afforded me one of my happy accidents that always seem to happen when I wander through Kyoto's streets without supervision. Kennin-ji temple looks like every other temple in the area, with its ornate wooden structures and gravel paths. But you can actually go inside of Kennin-ji! Inside they have kept the traditional Buddhist stylings for the interior meditation halls while showing off some pretty fabulous art work. Those interested can even take on the “life of a monk” for a few minutes where one of the monks walks a group through what Zen Buddhism is and then takes you to one of the meditation rooms. I was interested in one thing here though, dragons. Those of you who know me know I like Japan, monkeys, and dragons, in that order unless pizza is involved. The moment you walk onto the grounds there are signs for this art display showing some impressive dragons. I had to see them. The “Twin Dragons” by Koizumi Junsaka took almost two years to paint and measures 37.5ft by 51.5ft. It sits on the ceiling of the main hall, underneath it sits a shrine dedicated to Buddha. I happened upon this room alone, just me and the dragons. It was impressive to say the least, to see such a huge painting on the ceiling. Being alone in that room was one of the highlights of my day.

And that was it! I headed back to my hotel across from Kyoto Station. Oh, did I mention that there's a gimungous tower that sits on top of it? Yeah it's pretty easy to find in the city, and people who stay at the hotel get access to the tower for free! I plan on spending tomorrow night at Yasaka, so tonight was the night to go. I had wanted to go either at sunrise or sunset, and try and capture some time lapse stuff, but it is not open at sunrise, and the sun sets here at like 5:00. Totally unprepared for that one. Anyways I did get to try out some of the fancier features on my camera for the night shots of the city, which I think turned out ok. Kyoto is a gorgeous city, day or night and this was the perfect way to end my first day here.