Kyoto #1

Kyoto is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Japan, where the modern architecture is still dominated by ancient Japanese traditions. The Western world became more interested in this place after the premiere of the Hollywood movie Memoirs of a Geisha, filmed in these locations. And precisely because in some of the streets of Kyoto it seems like the time has really stopped there. And geishas still live their traditional (almost undisturbed) life so far…

We do not fly directly to Kyoto, but today as we will. From modern Nagoya, where we have a 29-hour layover, we can take the Japanese super fast Shinkansen train that runs to Kyoto. And since Nagoya is a little explored, nothing can stop us from going to one of the most interesting places in Japan! I meet my two Brazilian colleagues Corina and Eduard at the Nagoya railway station at half past eight in the morning. For approximately 85 Euros, we get a return ticket for the fastest train in the world, which connects the largest cities of Japan at speed of 300 km / h! Shinkansen will take us to Kyoto, which is about three hours’ drive from Nagoya, in an incredible 40 minutes! The train is more precise than the Swiss watch, but from the inside it looks like any ordinary carriage back home. Just landscapes outside the window smudge faster and look more like pictures of impressionist painters.

In 40 minutes sharply, when we get off at Kyoto Central Station, we immediately connect to free wi-fi. We need to find out how to orientate ourselves in the maze of Japanese public transportation lines and which one to choose for our first planned stop – Arashiyama Bamboo forest. Google will guide us to the JR lines. To the stop called Sagano Bamboo Forest it takes us directly, without changes. In Japan it is extremely hot today, temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius, so I can not wait to exchange the narrow streets, family houses, cafes and souvenir shops for the shadows of the tall and dense bamboo trees. We just stop by the kiosk with my favorite matcha green tea ice cream. We also pass by several rental studios that offers Geishas kimonos to tourists for an entire walk around the bamboo park. Arashiyama’s Bamboo Forest is one of those that appears in shots of the famous American movie. There is very pleasant shade under the trees, but I still do not envy Japanese guides with strong legs who carry their traditional Japanese rickshaws with tourists. We prefer to enjoy the coolness of the green forest in our own way.

Our next stop is Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, one of the most important shrine temples in Kyoto. Do you remember little Chiyo running under the thousands of red gates to make her wish true and meet the Mayor who she fell in love with? That was Fushimi Inari Shrine – a complex of temples with a 4-kilometer-long path to Inari Hill, lined with thousands of red Senbon Torii gates. Many believers and tourists take their pilgrimage to the Inari Hill beneath Torii gates, believing that they will be successful and fulfilled at the very end. The temple is dedicated to the God of rice – Inari, who is also the saint patron of sake, abundance, peasants, craftsmen and overall success. Every Japanese Torii temple gate was sponsored by a Japanese businessman or trading company to bring good luck and success to ordinary visitors as well. In addition to the red gates, at every step in the complex, you can also come across the portraits of fox, a messenger of gods and good news.

There are many ancient streets around the temple with traditional wooden Japanese houses. Some have been turned to souvenir shops or small sushi restaurants and some may still be houses where Geishas live… Although the main district of Geishas is the Gion neighborhood. However, it is so hot outside that we walk from shop to shop not so much for souvenirs and traditional Japanese products, but rather for indoor air conditioning to avoid the hot weather outside. Finally, starving and exhausted, we settle down in a small restaurant that serves sushi and traditional Japanese noodles. Yummy!

After lunch we get back to Kyoto Main Station. One of the reason is easy connection to free wifi. We are considering whether to take the train back to Nagoya or in this hot weather handle at least one more sight. The closest looks to be the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. This time we go for transportation by taxi. The temple is not far away, but the road goes uphill what we probably wouldn’t be able to manage under the burning sun. There is a special taxi stand for tourists at the station. Foreign Friendly taxi, where drivers speak at least basic English, costs no extra charges. Japan is simply amazing… 

Around four o’clock in the afternoon we return to Nagoya and in less than two hours we are flying through Beijing back to Abu Dhabi. Weather forecasts some possibility of typhoon, but eventually the weather don’t stop us. Too bad! I was hoping to stay in Japan for a lil bit longer. Trip to Gion in the footsteps of Geisha will have to wait till next time… Just follow my blog! 😉