Kyoto: A Golden Red Autumn

 Ep.64

14^th November 2012.

“Autumn is a second spring where every leave is the flower” – Albert Camus.

KIX – Osaka, Japan.

Golden Red Leaves and Me

For the years I have spent in my life, I have taken so many pictures, everywhere, any weather and any ages, but none of them represents autumn. It was so lucky that I got swapped in to this flight. Autumn in Japan. Well, anyway, the main objective is to capture me in a picture with autumn’s red leaves *such an objective, huh?*, but it seems that God’s got a better offer. It was November, the best time of Autumn in Japan, and I got Osaka, which is so close to Kyoto, the cultural prefecture in Japan, origin of Geishas. Got it God, I will take the best autumn picture on this trip.

some souvenirs

So I begin the day by arriving in Osaka International Airport around 6.30 in the morning. It was obvious that not even a single person among the crew would love to go to Kyoto with me (it was another 2.5 hour by train). After midnight departure flight, they all preferred to sleep and rest, well, not for me. I took a quick bath and have my itinerary in my pocket. I did some research about the best place to see the best autumn golden-red leave in Kyoto, and it was Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple. To add some more options, if I got time, I also search few places of attraction such as, Geisha area Gion. I got set and hit Japan railway system at 7.30 am.

irrashiaimasee~~

Okay! Japan railway system is definitely not the most user friendly if you don’t know how to read or how to decode and decipher a map. And to get to Kinkakuji temple, I need to change few times of trains and few times of buses. Here’s the run down *still got the itinerary paper, it was one of my epic solo trip*.

START! Walk to Kansai Airport Station. Get on the Nankai Limited Express Train towards Nanba (JPY 1390, but if you got your passport with you, and you’re not a Japanese citizen, you can get the discount, just ask the man in the counter). Around 5 stops later, get off at Tengachaya Station, change to Sakaisuji Line (JPY 270) towards Takatsukishi. Around 9 stops later, get off at Tenjinbashisuji Rokuchome Sta. and continues to Hankyu Senri Line (JPY 360). Then 2 stops later, you’ll be at Awaji Station, which means you’re already in Kyoto. Finished? Well, not really.

traditionally Japan!

In Awaji Station, you change to Hankyu Kyoto Line towards Kawaramachi. 5 stops later, get off at Saiin Station and walk to the south bus station. Take the bus 205 (JPY 220) toward Kinkakuji. It will take you to count the bus stops for 10 times and then you will be arrived at Kinkakuji Temple. Well, I hope it will help you a bit when you want to make a trip from Osaka to Kyoto. Even though the railway system was not user friendly, the payment method system is very convenient. Don’t worry if you’re not really sure how much should you pay or have u paid enough, there will be a fare adjustment machine just before the exit in each station. And for the buses, Japan buses *as far as I know* applied the flat fare for JPY 220 each time you take a ride, no matter how far or near. 

temple bell

Formerly the imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. With temples, parks, bustling business districts, markets, from regal estates to the tightly-packed neighborhoods, Kyoto is one of the oldest and most famous Asian metropolises.

gold red orange

As soon as I set my foot into Kinkakuji Temple, the bustling crowd of tourist came from all directions and many languages burst in as well to my ears. It was a pampering view of Golden-Red leaves that it was look like you ripped view off from a travel magazine. I took tremendous amount of the view and of course finally asked someone to take my picture *oh, narcism!*. Kinkakuji, also knows as Golden Pavilion is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

Kinkaku-ji Temple

I would say that the leaves hat fall from the trees looked like maple leaves. But it was so beautiful, even when it was falling from the branches, on the street, it still look nice in my eyes. I even managed to take one red maple leave and one ginko leaves that I used to be “only” see it through comic books. Finished with the overwhelming view, (well, I took quite long time to enjoy the view and atmosphere), I started to explore the ground. They got a tea garden, where on a certain time, they will have the tea making performance. It wasn’t near anytime of the performing schedule, so I left and continue to explore the temple.

i also dont know why i put this picture

it was sunny but breezy

The more I walked into the temple, the more I awed by the beautiful view of this autumn season in Kyoto. I was not sure is it because of the autumn mood or it is beautiful just the way it is. But I can guaranteed that those 2 hours journey that I made to Kinkakuji Temple was worth the view like this. The famous Golden Pavilion finally appeared from a far. I can’t get close *otherwise, I will try to scratch and hopefully grab some golden dust*, but even from a far, I could already see how beautifully detailed made it was. “Few” more pictures, and I finally decided to..take another one round tour of this beautiful enchanting temple.

cute figurine.

I bought some souvenirs at one of the souvenir shop around the temple and continue to the next destination on my list, Gion. This would be interesting as we all know that Geishas has been long became an attractive point and mascot of traditional Japanese culture. And being in Kyoto without paying them a visit is a crime *hyperbolistic*. So, I set back stick to my itinerary paper and it was actually only took a bus which is no 59. *The best part is yet to come* It will take you 19 stops to be arrived at Gion. Haha! But still, believe me, those efforts you have made to travel in Japan will never goes in vain, it would be worth it.

Gion alley.

Gion  is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages, in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. I have to admit it that being in Kyoto made me feel like I am not in a big city. It was actually a very traditional setting of town. Bamboo stakes here and there and the alley way is so quiet (in the mid-day, coz it was supposed to be crowded at night). The geisha in the Gion district (and Kyoto generally) do not refer to themselves as geisha; instead, Gion geisha use the local term geiko. While the term geisha means "artist" or "person of the arts", the more direct term geiko means essentially "a child of the arts" or "a woman of art".

i want one!

just inexplicably beautiful

I strolled around the alley twice and finally got a chance to see Geishas, walking gracefully along the alley. Damn, regardless the pure white make up, they still look gorgeous. A few Geishas passed by, I managed to take picture with one of them. Yeah! Mission accomplished. If you would like to experience to be groomed as a Geisha, some of the photo studio booth in the alley would provide the service. They will lend you the kimono plus put the make up on you and took your picture. It will cost you around 5-6 thousand JPY and they will print 2 of your pictures. I will do it when I got a lot of yen to spend. *hiks* Since it was still in a broad day light, I don’t think this Geisha’s alley would be crowded yet, so I continued on the next destination on my list. When it comes to Japan, please remember, that anything comes or made in Japan, would be extremely cute in packaging, and good in taste and quality. Bear in mind!

Gindako Takoyaki!

HAPP!

According to my research, Teramachi street is a fun street running parrallel to Shinkyogoku between Shijo and Sanjo Streets on the Kawaramachi side (area across the river from Gion in Higashiyama). And that place is known for its other name, which is Takoyaki Street. Well, I knew that takoyaki was invented, moreover founded in Kyoto, but to have a street named based on the food, it would be only in Japan. (They got Ramen Street as well). It was just a few blocks from Gion, and just in case you get lost, just turn on your canine ability a.k.a sniffing. You ca smell the grilling takoyaki batter sizzling out from the pan, and the sauce. Oh well, I finally get on the street and it was truly heaven of takoyaki. There were a lot (repeat: A LOT) of takoyaki stalls and I happened to pick up randomly (the one with better cute packaging *see how packaging become a determining factor here*). It cost me 800 JPY for 6 takoyakis. And I am extremely happy!

this "ultraexpensive" fish

Along the street, I also passed some exotic Japanese snacks and *this one I would remember for the rest of my life* there, in Kyoto’s Teramachi Street, for the first time, I saw the most expensive fried fish on a stick that I have ever seen in my life. I don’t know what it called, because it was wrote in kanji and my kanji reading is really poor. It was priced from 2000 to 6000 JPY for a tiny little poor fried fish. I wont dare to try, I would rather pay for the Geisha make up, but not for this fish. May be later if I got some extra money to splurge, I might try one. Ha-ha!

iidako on a stick

I strolled there for some time and the tiredness start to kick in. it was just the time I decided to make the journey back to the hotel that I realized that I am a stupid moron. I search on all the way to get here, there, from point A to B to C, but forgot to search on how to get back from point C back to hotel, which is located near the airport. Hahahaha… I smiled on myself and get myself into the train station. With all my Japanese skill that I could still remember, I tried to find the way by asking the information center. The man explained to me about the “how to get back” instruction, I got the main idea and I thanked him. It was actually only to get my fat ass back to Awaji Station and I can start my reverse journey from there. I did as per told and I finally arrived at the hotel around 8.30 pm. Ah! I stopped by the airport to grab some curry rice as my dinner.

that's autumn for you!

I relax myself in the room and chatted with my friend through the bbm service. Well, not for long as I got to operate back to HK the next morning at 7 am. So, I get to sleep and woke up in the morning. By the next day, on the flight back to HK, I was told by the other crew that the room located across my room is the haunted room of the hotel that was famous throughout Japan, as there were a family of four committed suicide inside the room. Well nothing strange had been happened to me that particular night *and hopefully not on any other Osaka stay*. Other than that, I believe that everything in this world has its own places and spaces. As long as it you do no harm, no need to worry.

The red leaves.

Anyway, an autumn solo trip to Kyoto was definitely the best autumn I have ever experienced in my life, up until now. Though it was a long journey, it still worth and when you enjoy the travel, the more you appreciate the destination. I found it very educative when I travel by myself and I got to learn and depend on myself to survive in the strangers’ country. In a way, I just love to stroll around.

“No matter how long it takes, good or bad, how far it might be, a trip would have its own story” – Me.