My first day in Kyoto was
quite remarkable. I was fascinated by a lot of things. From the traditional
stores, clothes, food, preserved streets—nothing bored me. And so, for my
second day, I planned to start my sightseeing really early so that I can visit
all the places in my list. Sadly, the earliest I can do is 9am.
I am to conquer Southern
Higashiyama for the morning. Points of interest were: (1) Kiyomizu-dera, (2)
Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka, (3) Kodaiji. First stop was Kiyomizu-dera. I
took a bus to Gojo-zaka Stop and walked all the way up to the temple. The walk
was quite long (and steep) but with all the wonderful spots I passed by, I
never felt tired.
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| Along Chawan-zaka or Teapot lane, you’ll see a lot of shops selling traditional stuff and local food. It’s really quite a view. |
Kiyomizu-dera is one of
Kyoto’s most popular temples. It was first built in 798 and was reconstructed
from 1633.
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| Hondo or the Main Hall has a huge verandah and juts out over the hillside. Admission fee at 300yen. |
Jishu-jinja is the shrine
located steps above the main hall. It is said that if you want to ensure your
success in love, visit this shrine. No wonder a lot of couples were at this
specific spot. What a way to secure your love life!
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| Close your eyes and walk 18m between a pair of stones. If you miss the stone, your desire for love won’t be fulfilled! |
Just below the Main
Hall is the Otowa-no-taki, a sacred waterfall where visitors can drick the
water for health and longevity.
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| Be ready to join the long lines to drink the sacred water. |
Downhill from
Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto’s loveliest restored neighborhoods, the
Ninnen-zaka and Sannen-zaka. This area is definitely my favorite among all
spots in Kyoto. The charming streets are lined with old wooden houses, same as
those I usually see in Japanese animes!
You can also spot a lot of local and foreign
visitors going around this neighborhood in fancy kimonos. A lot of stalls also
have free taste of their products. It’s like Macau all over again! Haha! I got
to taste a lot of different local food and bought a lot of it too!
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My sister, Yuki, joined me for today’s sightseeing. The tall
pagoda at the back is the famous Yasaka pagoda.
|
Kodaiji is an
exquisite temple with extensive grounds and is located between Yasaka Shrine
and Kiyomizu-dera. Honestly, I can’t remember something unique or perhaps
remarkable in this shrine which is why, probably, I easily forgot about this
place.
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| An old, traditional house in Japan |
Kiyomizu temple area
is easy to explore. You’ll really never run out of exciting things to see and
experience. Being a food-lover, I spent the longest time checking the local
food stores. I got to try various local dishes and snacks. I went back and
forth the same streets for nth times! I just couldn’t get enough of it! So if
you have the luxury of time (and money), do a leisurely walk in this area.
Probably rent a kimono and get a full experience of the authentic and
traditional Japan.
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| Spotted! Kawaii~~ |
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| Kiyomizu Temple Area map for easy reference. This was provided for FREE at my hostel! |
Originally, I was
planning to explore Southern Higashiyama in the morning and move to Dowtown
Kyoto in the afternoon. On my list to explore in the afternoon were Nijo-jo,
Kyoto Imperial Place, and Toei Kyoto Studio Park. But because I spent a lot of
time at Nannen-zaka, I was only able to visit Nijo-jo.
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| Ninomaru palace is divided into 5 buildings with numerous chambers. Unfortunately, no picture-taking inside the palace. |
Nijo-jo is a
beautiful castle hidden behind the tall stone walls and is surrounded by
beautiful gardens. The castle was originaly built in 1603 as the first official
Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu.
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| Don’t miss Ninomaru Palace Garden which has excellent landscaping! |
Nijo-jo is a
must-visit in Northwest Kyoto and a lot of tourists’ flocks in this site. It is
best to visit upon opening and shortly before closing of gates.
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| A view from an elevated space inside the castle grounds |
Since, Gion was
nearby, I decided to check how it is at night. Apparently, most shops are
closed at 7pm. Most of those which are still open are the restaurants. Not
really the Gion that I was looking forward to.
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| Gion at night |
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| According to my Japanese mother, Yoshimi, a red lantern outside a restaurant is to stimulate a person’s appetite for food. |
Summary of today’s
itinerary:
How to get to Kiyomizu-dera: From Shijo Kawaramachi Stand E, take City
Bus 207 to Gojozaka Stop or Kiyomizu-michi and walk 10 minutes. From Kyoto Station, take Bus 86/100/110/206 to
Kiyumizu-michi or Gojozaka Stop and walk 10 minutes. By train, take Keihan line
to Kiyomizu-gojo. Opening hours: 6:00am-6:00pm
How to get to Kodaiji: From Kyoto Station, take Bus 100/206 to
Higashiyama Yasui Stop and walk 10 minutes.
How to get to Nijo-jo: From Shijo Kawaramachi Stand D, take Bus 12
to Nijojo-mae Stop and walk to the castle. From Kyoto station (by train), take
Tozai Line to Nijo-jo-mae. Opening hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
©Poorita
The Explorer
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