MORE KYOTO. DAY 1

16th Oct 2019

Kinkaku-ji temple. World Heritage site.

Kyoto was the original Imperial Capital of Japan before the Shoguns took over for a period before the Emperor was reinstalled, in Tokyo, in the 19th century. It is full of Buddhist temples (about 1000 of them) and Shinto shrines (400 odd). 

I made a touristing plan for the day which was to start at the Kinkaju-ji temple to the north-west of the city as it was advertised as one of Japan's best-known sites. This involved a train and bus journey which took about an hour. On the short walk from the bus stop there was a pedestrian crossing plus the normal red/green lights but also (quite unnecessarily) a couple of pedestrian wardens who escorted you over the crossing (left). They wore white gloves. Of course!

Right: The temple main hall, covered in gold leaf, 'lying across a tranquil reflecting pond' is advertised as 'truly spectacular'. Frankly, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. A close up (at top) shows what looked to me like a couple of Porta-cabins surmounted by two more gold painted ones with fancy roofs. You couldn't go inside.

Left: However there was a mass of tourists gawping at it and taking photos. At this point I decided to take my faithful companion The Rat out of my bag for a photo opportunity. He wasn't there. He had disappeared. How? Where? I hadn't put down my bag anywhere and not even taken anything out of it! The Rat seemed to have 'done a runner'. I was very distressed. It can't have been stolen surely, and I had definitely had it when I left the hotel. This put a damper on the day. Rat had been with me worldwide for 10 years. How come he decided to vanish now.

No amount of thinking left me any wiser as to where he could have gone so I continued with the walk around the temple area. There were some attractive gardens, lakes and a sort of shrine with a long pole and gong outside it (right). I had rather lost interest.

Back to Kyoto main station and to my hotel to check The Rat had not been left behind. No sign. So, despondently, to the British Pub for a consoling beer and fish 'n chips lunch.

Next off by bus to the south-east of the town to the Sanjusangen-do temple. Another much vaunted ancient sight.

After a 800 Yen entrance  fee (all these places have an entrance fee) I entered a complex of seemingly innocuous buildings such as the one here (left) with groups of schoolchildren being escorted around.

Right: Plus this little shrine.

Left: In the middle of the compound is this long shed.

On entering it was shoes off and we had to put them on a row of numbered shelves. I made a note of the number! You could spend hours searching amongst hundreds of pairs of shoes if you didn't.

Right: Inside it was quite fascinating. There are ranks of life-size 'Kannon' statues, 1001 of them, plus 32 elaborately carved 'Deities'' standing in front plus a large central 'Kannon' with lots of arms. These things were carved out of wood, originally from 1164 AD. I'm not exactly sure what a Kannon is, I think it is some sort of Buddha disciple (look it up on Wikipedia if you are that interested). It is certainly a Buddhist temple.
Photography was strictly forbidden so I had to use my camera covertly (this is where my plastic bag comes in useful).

There is also some connection here with Samurai warriors and once featured great archery competitions. The rafters of the building are apparently peppered with arrow shafts and bits of the building look like they have porcupine quills sticking out.

Then by Kyoto Underground (cheap and efficient) up to the Gion district near the Kamo River which runs north-south through the city. Hananami-Koji street here is a tourist magnet and features 'ye olde worlde' Japanese wooden houses plus lots of souvenir shops. It used to be the area for Geishas and 'knocking shops'.
PS. Just been told it still is!

Left: Plus lots of 'ye olde worlde' ladies wearing their kimonos (ex-Geisha?).




Then across the bridge to Pontocho Street. A long narrow street running alongside the river which contains numerous bars and restaurants. Another tourist hot-spot. I went to an upstairs tiny little 'Craft Beer' bar. It was very expensive as, I discovered, were all the  bars/restaurants here.














To give you an idea of the most expensive kind this (left) was the menu outside what I suppose is a Kobe Wagyu beef emporium.
A 250g steak (plus veg and ice-cream) at 27,500 Yen. That is about £212.00! Not including the 15% extra charges. Incredible. I started to look, much against my principles, for a MacDonalds.













The place was also very strict on making sure there were no freeloaders, including babies. Not the sort of place for a family supper in my opinion. I mean....how can any bit of meat be worth that price? Cheaper to eat the babies.


So that was my first 'day of culture' in Kyoto. There are hundreds of places of interest listed in my guide so I will only be able to take a dekko at a select few.

Then back to the British Pub for a beer and chicken and chips. I haven't made a great start on Japanese cuisine so far.

If anyone happens to be visiting Kyoto please keep a look out for this little lost Rat. It may be somewhere between the railway station and the Kinkaku-Ji temple to the north-west of the city. I alerted the Lost Property Office at the railway station (they were very sympathetic), the Tourist Info Offices, a couple of cafés I had visited and even the local Police Station (it's recorded in a register there).