Day 7 - Travelogue - Kyoto Part 1, Kiyomizudera, Kyoto Station, and Yasaka Shrine

Back to Day 6 - Yokohama , Nissin Cup Noodle Museum, World Porters Mall, Landmark Tower Shopping Area

Today was a big day as I would be changing cities and hotels. My seven day, Japan Rail Pass activated today and I would be using it to go to Kyoto by bullet train. When you purchase your pass, you have to designate when it will be in effect and how long it will last. You're now locked in for travel in that time period whether you use it or not.

It was a beautiful morning and the view out of my hotel room window was pretty nice.  You could see a long ways away.  I packed up and went downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat at the konbini.  There is a long bench-like eating area there too and I just had a quick meal before checking out of the hotel.  I grabbed a cab to take me over to Sakuragicho Station near the Landmark Tower for a 1000 yen and took a set of easy transfers to Shin-Yokohama Station where the bullet trains run.  It was easy to navigate the train platforms there as the signage is generally easy to read.

View of Yokohama Bay.  There is a Japanese Coast Guard Station to the above right of the circular intersection in this picture and one of their cutters was docked there.

Coffee and a couple of grilled fish rice balls for breakfast.

Hikari Shinkansen.  My bullet train to Kyoto.

I made the mistake of going through the turnstiles for the train, thinking that there would be shops on the other side.  I might have not been at the main hall of the station.  However, it turned out that there were a number of ekiben / food shops on the platform itself and I manged to get a tasty second breakfast / early lunch.  The train ride to Kyoto only took a couple of hours.  It goes by pretty quick when you are looking at the scenery.  Always right on the right side of the train to see Mt. Fuji at the halfway point when heading towards Kyoto from Tokyo/Yokohama.

Mt. Fuji!!!!

The cabin of the train.  Looks like an airliner.  By using the Japan Rail Pass purchased online via the official site, I was able to pre-book all of my seats ahead online (can't do it otherwise online).

Grilled eel ekiben with some freshwater clams.

My second breakfast and some green tea.

Rice fields passing by.

Kyoto Station is a very cool piece of architecture with humongous high ceilings.  It is ten stories high and open to the air at both ends of the great hall.

It was good to be back in Kyoto!  The train station here is always impressive.  There are rooftop gardens, a great staircase at the east end of the station that goes up ten floors and doubles as a auditorium. At night, the staircase is lit by LEDs that turn it into a giant display screen that can show animations.  There are shopping malls embedded in the station above ground and below ground and some dining floors with  really good restaurants and there is even a whole floor of ramen shops that is high above the ground. A number of dining floors can be accessed from the upper levels of the giant staircase (look at the south exits).  If you don't want to walk the stairs, there are escalators on the side!

Kyoto Tower

My hotel in Kyoto was the Citadines Kyoto Karasuma-Gojo Hotel which was only a single train station away from Kyoto Station on the local Karasuma metro line.  The hotel is well kept up, my suite was clean and spacious, with a friendly staff.  I actually did a load of laundry here too with no problem at the washer and dryer units in the basement.  The location of this hotel and the ones around it is pretty good as you can still walk to Gion if you have the stamina for it and you have easy access to Kyoto Starion and its amenities by metro.  A one stop ride on the subway in the other direction takes you to the Daimaru / Nishiki Market area.  Bus service is good until mid-evening to get to Gion and Kiyomizudera.  The #80 bus gives you good access to Gion / Yasaka / Kiyomizudera, but it stops running by 7 PM.  At night, if you are in the Gion area, take any bus that runs along Shijo Street from Yasaka Shrine to the Kamo River to Karasuma Station near the Daimaru and ride it one stop south to Gojo station to get back to the hotel.  There are also many restaurant chains near the hotel to dine at for dinner or breakfast.  These include YAYOIKEN, McDonald's, 7-11, Coco Curry House, Yoshinoya, and a supermarket all within half a block to a block away.

I left my bag at the hotel and went to see Kiyomizudera Temple to see it again.  I was hoping it would be less crowded than the last time I was there, but the place was packed with people!  It was a Sunday and even if there weren't as many international touritsts, it was full of Japanese tourists and school groups.  The shopping street was wall to wall people and the great stage was a little less crowded than the last time I was there, but still full to the brim. At least I enjoyed seeing the fall foliage and the fantastic temple grounds again.  Afterwards, I walked over to Yasaka Shrine afterwards to see it again.  I like Yasaka Shrine as it is big Shinto Shrine with many smaller shrines on the grounds for specific things such as love and romance, etc.  There is also a beautiful main stage by the main building that is gorgeously lit with white paper lanterns at night.  My hotel during my first stay in Kyoto was a block away from this shrine and I've walked through it early in the morning, late at night, and during the day when it is busy.

Tanuki statues (Japanese racoon dog statues for good luck and fortune).

Beautiful fans.

Main Shrine Gate to Kiyomizudera.

Upper tower and gate.

Pagoda and building.

Many dragons statue.

The three story pagoda.

Kiyomizudera temple is a place where time seems to stand still if you can avoid the crowds!  The main hall, built in 1633, perches on a hillside overlooking the city and is an architectural marvel with its wooden pillars and beams intricately interlocking without the use of nails or screws. From here, you can see panoramic views of Kyoto and the surrounding mountains, and the vibrant colors of the changing seasons are on full display. It's a place where past and present, natural beauty and human craftsmanship come together in perfect harmony, leaving you with a sense of wonder and reverence. 

The temple has a history that stretches back over a thousand years. Legend has it that the temple was founded in the early 8th century by the Buddhist monk Enchin, who discovered a waterfall with healing properties in the nearby hills. Enchin built a small temple on the site and named it "Kiyomizu," which means "pure water."

Kiyomizudera is an important temple in Japan and has played a pivotal role in Japanese religion and culture. It was a center of Buddhist learning, and many famous monks and scholars studied and taught there. The temple also played a key role in shaping Japanese art, with many famous artists creating works inspired by the temple's beauty and spirituality. In the present, the temple remains one of Japan's most popular and beloved temples.

View of Kyoto Tower from the Temple.

Fall foliage.

View down from the great stage.

The main spring of Kiyomizudera, the water temple.  There are three water streams to drink from.  Pick the appropriate stream to drink for either longevity, success in learning, or a good love life.  Don't drink from more than one!

If you get a bad fortune, you can tie it off here to have the kami intercede on your behalf.

Bad fortune!

Main stage at Kiyomizudera.  It is FULL of people.

The great stage - legend has it that surviving a jump from it will grant one wish.  I think there were more trees back in the Edo Period.  Now days, you'd just be dead.

Buddhist temple.

Big staircase down.

More fall leaves.

Yasaka Shrine, located in Gion, has a long history that dates back over 1,350 years. Legend has it that the shrine was originally established in the 7th century as a way to protect the city from a plague that was ravaging the population. The emperor at the time ordered that the shrine be built and dedicated to the deity Susanoo-no-Mikoto, who was believed to have the power to ward off disease and evil spirits. Yasaka Shrine became an important center of Shinto worship over the centuries and is closely tied to many of the major events and festivals of Kyoto. It was also believed to be a place of great spiritual power, and many people came from all over Japan to pray and seek blessings from the kami (gods) that were enshrined there. There have been many changes and renovations to the shrine, with new buildings and structures added over the years to reflect the changing needs and tastes of the times. Today, Yasaka Shrine is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto, and it continues to be an important center of religious and cultural life in the city.

Main gate at Yasaka Shrine.

There are food vendors on the grounds.  Here is Yakisoba noodles.

The stage at Yasaka.

Lots of paper lanterns.

A bunny statue at a small shrine for love on the Yasaka grounds.

Tasty Starbucks pastries.

Matcha loaf and latte.

After seeing Yasaka Shrine, it was time to head back to the hotel to check-in.  My feet were kind of tired at this point so I decided to take the bus back (#80).  Unfortunately I had just missed my bus.  So I went to Starbucks to get a snack and a coffee and waited the 20 minutes for the next bus.  Getting back to the hotel was easy after that.

On to Day 7 - Kyoto Part 2, Kodai-ji Temple and Yasaka Shrine at Night.

Onwards to Day 8 - Kyoto Part 1 - To Fushimi Inari Shrine and The Mountain Summit 

The Japan Trip 2022 Posts

1. Planning My Tokyo 2022 Trip Highlights and Attractions (for Anime and Regular Tourists)
   
2. Highlights From My December 2022 Trip to Japan (with links to daily pages)
3. Day 1 - The First Night In Tokyo
4. Day 2 in Tokyo - Visiting Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Taking a Taxi 
5. Day 2 in Tokyo - Evening with Godzilla and Christmas Lights
6. Day 3 - Back to Shibuya for New Parco, Nintendo Store, Pokemon Center, Miyashita Park 
7. Day 3 -  Views From Shibuya Sky, Shopping at Tokyu Hands and Don Quijote
8. Day 4 - Nezu Shrine, Ameyoko, Ni No Kashi Candy Store, Yamashiroya Toy Store, and Ichiran Ramen in Ueno
9. Day 4 - Sensoji Shrine in Asakusa, Tokyo Midtown Christmas Illuminations, and Pokemon Store and Cafe Nihonbashi
10. Day 5 - Yokohama, Giant Gundam at Gundam Factory, Landmark Tower Shopping, Harry Potter Christmas Trees
11. Day 6 - Yokohama , Nissin Cup Noodle Museum, World Porters Mall, Landmark Tower Shopping Area
12. Day 7 - Kyoto Part 1, Kiyomizudera and Yasaka Shrine
13. Day 7 - Kyoto Part 2, Kodaiji Temple Night Illuminations and Yasaka Shrine at Night  
14. Day 8 - Travelogue - Kyoto Part 1 - To Fushimi Inari Shrine and The Mountain Summit 
15. Day 8 - Travelogue - Kyoto Part 2 - Kennin Ji Temple and Evening at Kyoto Station
16. Day 9 - Travelogue - First Visit to Nara for Deer, Pikachu Donut, Daibutsu Temple, Kasuga-Taisha, Kohfukuji Temple 
17. Day 10 - Osaka - Seeing Osaka Castle, Pokemon Center, and Dotonbori 
18. Day 11 - Seeing Himeji Castle, the Most Beautiful One in Japan, and the Umeda Sky Building
19. Day 12 - Osaka Aquarium (Whale Sharks!), Den Den Town, Shinsekai, and MOS Burger
20. Day 13 - Travelogue - Back to Tokyo - Akihabara - Shinjuku at Night
21. Day 14 - Underground to Ginza, Shopping, Ginza GoldFish Aquarium, and Tokyo Skytree
22. Day 14 - Tokyo's Underground Labyrinth 2 - Walking From Tokyo Station to Ginza
23. Day 15 - Travelogue - Museums Close Monday - Ueno Park - Narita - Flight Home

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