We had been told the previous night that after some grueling days of walking and rushing at a menacing pace for the past 3 days, Wei wanted to know if we should rest or go ahead with our plans to visit Kyoto the following day(today). We were informed that mom, Kiew had been tired due to the walking and could not stand the bitter coldness and wanted to stay back to recuperate for a day. All of us decided to push on with our program to Kyoto for the day and we did just that leaving mom, Kiew to fend for herself as she was very capable of taking care of herself. Auntie Geok Lee left for Kuromon Market that morning with SLing, STing and myself, got some persimmons and left some of the persimmons for MIL, Kiew to eat. It was a very nice gesture indeed and it was heartwarming to see such generosity on Auntie Geok Lee's part. I am so blessed indeed.
After ensuring that MIL, Kiew was alright, we left our hotel for some breakfast before leaving for Kyoto that morning. From the Nippombashi Station, we took the Hankyu – Kyoto Line ( Brown Line ) to head towards Kyoto. The train ride took about 1 hour and 13 minutes from Nippombashi Station to Kyoto –Kawaramachi Station. It was a long ride on the train and on several occasion, you could see people going in and off the train as we travelled along the outskirts of Osaka. It was a welcome sight rather than the usual big and tall buildings. There were many stops at the train stations but the landscape changes as we progressed further towards Kyoto. You could see smaller houses, farming lands and even country side setting amidst the modern buildings indefinitely. It was such a welcome site.
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| Auntie Geok Lee & STing treated us with steamed potato |
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| Arashiyama scenes... |
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| The crowd... |
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| Sweet potato goodies |
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| Bamboo Forest |
I remembered being excited knowing that we are going to the UNESCO sites in Kyoto as I have always been very interested in such places. If I could remember it right, we then hopped on to JR Line and headed towards Saga Arashiyama Station which was the last stop for us to get off. As we bumped off the train, the scenery was fantastic. The fresh air immediately hit you and the mountain scenery and quaint Japanese houses greets you.
Our first destination was the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Auntie Geok Lee, Jade’s mom and STing couldn’t resist the lure of steamed sweet potato and she was gracious enough to get some for us. BTW, Auntie Geok Lee was happier today because I had put on thicker clothing and a warmer winter jacket for the trip to Kyoto. Maybe, the sweet potato was my rewards for being an obedient old man! Hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa………. Anyway, it also made SLing very happy too as she was concerned that I might just catch pneumonia and konked off in sold stiffness! Hahhaahahhaaaaaaa…..I was just joking but I guess, those “extra” clothings does provide good warmth.
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| Sisters.... |
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| The full of things to say girl... |
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| Bamboo Forest |
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| Somewhere in Bamboo forest.... |
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| Us...the three of us... |
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| My organisers....the best ever.... |
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| My sporting SIL , STing.... |
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| My wise cracker...Ashley |
So, off we went to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It was another volume of walking and wading past the sea of tourists many of which comprises of the tourist pests. The walk and the enjoyment of eating the hot and sweet potato was a delightful experience too. Along the way, we passed by some UNESCO site temples and shrines but Wei ushered us to walk to the bamboo forest first before turning back to these temples. The walk uphill in the bamboo forest was just a beautiful site. Fresh air just fills your lungs and the scenery of beautifully light green colored bamboos moving with the rustling of the cold chilly winds was absolutely calming and peaceful. I guess, there are thousands of bamboo trees at this forest which is dotted with temples and shrines too.
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| The reluctant young man pictured with the ladies! |
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| The leaves contrast.... |
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| Rickshaw man hard at work...pure power and strength |
It was also an experience to see Jinriki-sha – Japanese rickshaw – in Arashiyama, pulled by a rickshaw man who has expert knowledge of the area. I guess, I have so much respect for these rickshaw men as they looked very tone, muscular and very professional in their work. On one occasion, I saw a rickshaw man applying his leg breaks while coming down a slope and knowing the wetness surrounding bamboo forest, that can be quite a task but that rickshaw puller did it with such ease and poise. Truly an artist and a professional. As I observed further, I noted that the weight of two persons on the rickshaw together with the momentum of lift and moving forward, the rickshaw puller is truly an amazing individual to pull such weight. I salute the rickshaw pullers and their noble profession on this occasion. As we walked along the road of the bamboo forest, the contrast of colors of the tree leaves just hit you like ICI paintboard samples. So vibrant red, yellow, green and playful rainbow colors spiraling all around the forest – what a sight indeed. Definitely instagramable site for photograph lovers. I guess, I must say that I really soaked up at the freshness feeling and alarming peace when I am here. It is just so nice and calm, really.
What was fascinating was that there were Japanese houses built at the fringe of the bamboo forest area. These are nice quaint Japanese house while there were also big houses with lemons, persimmon and fruit frees around them. I was so tempted to pluck off some lemons and persimmons but I guess, you just stop dead at your tracks when you are in a country like this. I wanted to ask for some from the occupants of the house but no one was around. Guess, it would be for the better la…..Ashley does entertained us with her wisecrack quips and she is so lively. It is fun to have her with us and to make her laugh too. She is just so hyper and always in a livewire mode.
It was time to get something to eat and we decided to have some takoyaki balls and Udon fried noodle at one of the shops nearby. For me, I did not want to have the takoyaki and Udon as I was more contented with my Butterscotch bread pieces which I enjoyed very much. No, it wasn’t to save money or anything like that but I really like bread a lot. SLing and STing felt that the takoyaki balls were odd taste ( octopus based) while SYuen enjoyed the fried Udon platter which didn’t look a lot, actually. After the meal, we were off to the Tenryu-ji temple.
Tenryu-ji temple was established in 1339 by the Shogun Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358) in the memory of Emperor Go-Daigo, and it is the head temple of the Tenryu-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism.
The temple is located in a scenic area at the foot of Arashiyama mountain on the western side of Kyoto, with a magnificent Zen garden. It is an intoxicating combination of temple and nature, a beautiful picture-postcard – it’s also a world heritage site. This place was crowded with local and foreign tourist who wanted to get a glimpse of this heritage site. After moving around in the temple parks, this is a rather old temple and quite an icon. However, like most Japanese heritage building, they are more straight and less or no wood carvings at all. The wood used are usually smooth and aged perfectly bringing out the deeper character of the wood used. I must say that at first the building don’t excite my senses for a heritage site but as I moved on deeper into the doorways, pillars, windows and general architecture of the building, I noted the beauty of it. After the usual photography sessions , we went on to our next destination Kiyomizudera Temple.
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From Arashiyama Station, we then boarded the train to Kiyomizu-Gojo Station. From here, we came off the train and walked for about 40 minutes to Kiyomizudera Temple which would usually take about 23 minutes as the sea of people made it virtually impossible to walk any faster. To be honest, we were also tired from the many hours of walking for the past few days and so, the ascending walk up to the temple can be quite taxing. However, the vibrant and lively eateries, shops, souvenir shops and small food shops made it such an interesting evening stroll up to the temple step. By this time, the sun had started to set and darkness has started to dawn down on Higashiyama Ward.
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Interestingly, I found out later as I gathered information that the climb up to the temple was actually a walk up ; halfway of a mountain called Mt. Otowa , one of the peaks of Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountain range. It is no wonder that the air was cooling and fresh while it is an invigorating feeling as one ascends the mountain. By the time we arrived at the steps of the temple, it was already getting close to dark and about 4.45pm that evening. There were many volunteers helped around the temple site and they were ushering the people to get the entrance tickets to the temple grounds. Wei came back and told us that the entrance fee was JPY400 and we gladly paid up.
After gathering ourselves for a while to catch a breath of fresh air, at 5.00pm sharp, the lights to the temple grounds was switched on and it was spectacular. I must hand it to the Japanese for the brilliance in arrangement of the lights to highlight the temple structures. It was beautiful, in all honesty. Orangey in color and shines bright piercing through the background of darkness as if to portray the significance of light piercing through the dark. As we were up on a mountain, the weather changed very quickly and soon, my camera got jammed. I guess, the cold winds had freezed the minute mechanism of the camera and I had to put the camera inside my winter jacket and zipped up to give it some warmth. I did not realized that with the cold weather and wind, the lens got foggy and the pictures came out foggy! Bah! Just my luck for not being careful or quick enough to clean up the lens. Anyway, I just did my best and hid the camera under my winter jacket and I looked like a bulky man with chest! Hahahahahahahaaaaaaa……
Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism, but formed its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.
Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The main hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple's primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon.
Behind Kiyomizudera's main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well.
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| Rolls Royce car...noted in one of the houses in Arashiyama... |
The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy.
Other structures on the spacious temple grounds include the Okunoin Hall, which resembles the main hall on a smaller scale and has also a stage. Near the Okunoin are halls dedicated to Shaka Buddha (the historical Buddha) and Amida Buddha, as well as a small hall with nearly 200 stone statues of Jizo, the protector of children and travelers. The three-storied Koyasu Pagoda stands among the trees in the far southern end of the temple grounds, and a visit is said to bring about an easy and safe childbirth.
Around the entrance of Kiyomizudera, outside the paid area, stand various other temple buildings, including a vermilion three storied pagoda, a repository for sutras, large entrance gates and the Zuigudo Hall which is dedicated to Buddha's mother and where against a small entrance fee you can wander the pitch black basement that symbolizes a mother's womb.
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| Takoyaki & Fried Udon shop... |
As we came back from the temple, SLing walked along side me that night and it was good to see her enjoying herself. Usually, I would walk at the end of the group and try to ensure everyone is safe and sound. It was an age old habit I have picked up during RR times, outdoor outings/activities and also during our travels. Just wanted to make sure that everyone is safe and sound. As the both of us walked down the road of the mountain, we held hands and walked down while SLing informed me that it was a very cold day indeed. I echoed the same and told her that it was extremely cold up there and that it would be a very cold night indeed.
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| Strawberry muachi.....enjoyed by STing & Ashley... |
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, we headed to a bus stop and caught a bus to the train station of Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station. From the Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station, we took the Hankyu-Kyoto Line ( Brown Line ) and headed towards Awaji Station, hopped off and caught the Sakaisuji Line ( Light Brown Line ) to get to Nippombashi Station. Along the way, the train had picked up a lot of passengers as usual and we were like little packed sardines and at one of the station, bad manners for once prevailed and the locals were pushing so hard to get themselves on board the train that some of us were shocked by this sudden aggression and behavior. It was really unbecoming of some of the local folks to just pushed their way through and into the train which could have hurt some of older folks in our group. Luckily, none of us were hurt but it did shocked us a lot on their behavior. Hmmmnnnnnn….not so pleasant behavior after all about Japanese folks, ya? That was a real experience for me and I just could not understand it as they could have gone in for the next train which would be on time. I guess, living in a tight schedule world had taken toll on some of them who just wished to go home and rest.
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| My little tired niece...on piggyback |
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| My little tired niece...on piggyback |
Guess, as a tourist and outsider, we wouldn’t know why they did what they did but I guess, the stress of daily lives could have gotten to them and somehow they would “burst” their frustrations. For me, I tried not to fall lest I would have been trampled upon that day if I had fallen while I kept asking SLing to hold on tight while Auntie Geok Lee had a terrible experience of an elderly local man pushing into her back. The children were safely tucked in within their mom and dad while SYuen was steady on her own together with STing. I am just glad that no one got hurt and it was such a relief when we got off the train. Not to spoil our day due to the incident, we went for dinner as usual and just enjoyed ourselves for the night. By the way, I still got that French baton which I bought in the morning from an underground café.
As I soaked myself in the tub that night with fresh hot water around me , my muscles and aching relaxed immediately. I almost fall asleep while soaking myself in the tub. I had to wake up because my Minion masseurs, Ryan & Ashley are coming by to give me a good massage.
It is good to end the day with a good massage, some French baton bread and a good spread o butter plus a cup of strong coffee from the hotel Lobby, it has been a good day indeed………
The temple is located in a scenic area at the foot of Arashiyama mountain on the western side of Kyoto, with a magnificent Zen garden. It is an intoxicating combination of temple and nature, a beautiful picture-postcard – it’s also a world heritage site. This place was crowded with local and foreign tourist who wanted to get a glimpse of this heritage site. After moving around in the temple parks, this is a rather old temple and quite an icon. However, like most Japanese heritage building, they are more straight and less or no wood carvings at all. The wood used are usually smooth and aged perfectly bringing out the deeper character of the wood used. I must say that at first the building don’t excite my senses for a heritage site but as I moved on deeper into the doorways, pillars, windows and general architecture of the building, I noted the beauty of it. After the usual photography sessions , we went on to our next destination Kiyomizudera Temple. 
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