Kyoto Osaka 2024 Spring

Today's plan, depart from Kyoto and head toward Osaka.

Before we checked out, a quick walk around the temple next to the hotel.

It is the Nishi Hongan-ji Temple (西本願寺). Apparently, Nishi means west, as verse to Higashi - East. We've visited the other one. Somehow when we stepped in, the two look very similar. We thought we visited the same place twice!

"Nishi Honganji (西本願寺) and Higashi Honganji (東本願寺) are two large temples in the center of Kyoto. As headquarters of the two factions of the Jodo-Shin Sect (True Pure Land Sect),..." according to Wiki.

True Pure Land Sect -> 淨土宗. Different sect from the one we visited yesterday, Tenryuji 天龍寺.

Hotel shuttle to Kyoto Station, then train to Osaka Station, 42km away, took 38 min. Not bad!

After settling down, we paid a visit to the Osaka Castle (大阪城). Although the weather is poor, raining and cold, we had good spirit.

Osaka Castle

豐臣秀吉

Also in the park is the statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豐臣秀吉).

After the tour in Keihan City Mall and light lunch of conveyor belt sushi 迴轉壽司, I came to know that this was invented here in 1958 by Yoshiaki Shiraishi after he visited an Asahi brewery.

Our stay is nex to the famous Dotonbori (道頓堀). A nice walk around the area, having snacks and sampling of variety of food, esp. the Wagyu beef stick. It's time to call it a day.

Tomorrow's plan is the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. The aquarium is famous for the great whale sharks. One can imagine to host that big creatures it must be a hugh tank.

Kyoto 2024 Spring - Day 4

Today's plan: Bamboo Forest, 天龍寺 and Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺

This would be the west part of Kyoto. 1st stop, Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺. It was raining, so seeing more umbrellas than good views.

I think if 銀閣寺 had painted silver, it would be as crowed as this one.

Another World Heritage Site Tenryuji 天龍寺. Some Buddhistic knowledge would help in understanding these sub-branches and their ideas.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is packed. I'm lucky to get this picture (below). But if you look closely, inside the forest, there are people all over.

Overall the area is very nice. Even the trees on the street looks nice. Not to mention the dessert shop.

we came back to Nishiki Market for dinner. This is a resturant famous for its Japanese pork chops - tonkatsu.

Kyoto 2024 Spring - Day 3

Today's plan - 清水寺&周邊小路散步&祇園 銀閣寺 京都御所

This is the northeast part of Kyoto, or the Higashiyama Ward (東山區). Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺 is spetacular. 

Gion corner is not too far away. Maybe it is more suitable for afternoon or night tour, we were not impressed. Had lunch at a family resturant in the alley. Continued tour around the area, then headed northwest to Kyoto Imperial Palace. I took the wrong bus stop, ended south side of the palace. The walk to the main palace entrance took a while.

The visit to the palace is worthywhile and exhausted.

Last stop is Higashiyama Jisho-ji 東山慈照寺 and Philosopher's Path 哲学の道

I guess if it was in cherry's full blossom, it would be fantastic. However, we are about 3 weeks earlier.

Continue Day 4

Kyoto 2024 Spring - Day 2

Today's plan is 宇治->伏見->伏見稻荷神社

It's a good day. A bit windy, but with sunshine. Took the bus to Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, transfer to KH Uji line (red). From the station, we crossed the bridge (Ujibashi) to visit the Byodo-in Temple.

Ujibashi

It's a short walk about a quarter hour. Once in, you see the nice view of the temple (below).

平等院/Byodoin 鳳凰堂/Phoenix Hall

If you have a Japanese 10-yen coin, you can see the temple image on the reverse side of the coin. This is how important this is to the Japanese history and culture. Uji is the hometwon of the Japanese most important family Fujiwara (藤原氏).

Follow the route, we toured around the garden, the museum, and the gift shop. Then we walk on the river bank, saw the cherry blossom; cross the river to Uji Shrine.

Uji and Ujikami Shrine are World Heritahe Site, next to each other, and Tale of Genji Museum. we didn't spend time in Tale of Genji Museum. Maybe next time after we study a bit about the Tale.

Lunch at Itoh Kyuemon - Uji Head Shop / Sabo 伊藤久右衛門 宇治本店・茶房

Dessert shop Nakamura Tokichi Honten (Main Store) 中村藤吉本店 is a traditional tea house. The waiting is more than an hour. We took the number and toured around the area while waiting.

Tea jelly (matcha), green tea ole, and mochi zenzai with chestnuts

Next stop Fushimi Inari Taisha. We took the train to Inari Station, and quickly saw the crowd.

Apparently many tourists came here and took the hike, so did we. There are these orange poles along the path. Each one marked the donors. The bigger the higher the amount of money contributed.

From the top, it is the city view (south of Kyoto). Should be very nice at dawn.

Dinner at the Kyoto Station, a branch of a store specialized in pickle. Check out their website. If you order a full set, you get unlimited rice and variety of pickles. After dinner, we took hotel's free shuttle back to the hotel.

Continue Day 3

早上前往宇治,看平等院、寶物館、吃抹茶吃甜點

中午吃飽後前往伏見,看小河、逛酒造(沒去)

下午伏見稻荷神社,走到最上面看市景 (夕陽還有點早)

晚上回京都市區吃晚餐

Kyoto 2024 Spring - Day 1

After less than two hours flight, we landed at Kensai International Airport around 10AM local time. Pick up the wifi box, then to the train station for our pre-paid Haruka tickets to Kyoto, plus purchasing the IC cards for later use.

There was reported accident that caused the train delay. The on and off, stop and go, get us to the Kyoto Station after noon time. Although we travel light, taxi is still the best choice to the hotel for the first timer (we did not know the hotel has free shuttle running between Kyoto Station and the hotel at that time).

View from Kyoto Tokyu Hotel is nice. This would be our stay for the next four nights.

All settled down, we check out the temple near by - Higashi Hongan-ji Temple.

Then we took the subway north to Nishiki Market.

Very crowded. Saw a few stores selling food, but no place to eat (dine-in). Many signs say don't eat while walking. Eventually we found a tempura store with 2nd floor dining area. This is our 1st day Kyoto experience.

Continue Day 2