Kyoto Travel Notes

On the last weekend of September, I took the Shinkansen from New Yokohama to Kyoto at 10 o’clock in the morning to start a two-day journey. Kyoto Station is bigger than I expected, and I lost my way when I walked out of Gaizhakou. Fortunately, I did my homework before leaving. I took a Kyoto travel brochure with me. The first thing I did when I arrived in Kyoto was to buy a one-day travel ticket for sightseeing. I took the 500 yen bus casually. Kyoto is different from other cities in Japan. It is more convenient to take buses in the city than JR, because many buses lead directly to scenic spots. After asking the personnel in the case where they bought the bus tickets, they left their bags in the luggage office of the station, and then they could easily hit the road. Although September is not the peak tourist season in Kyoto, there are still many tourists and there are long queues in front of every route at the bus stop.

On the recommendation of my friends, I chose the route from 33 halls to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. In this way, you can stop by to Heyuan Town, Kyoto’s most prosperous area, for lunch. Although there were many people in line, there were also many cars, and they soon arrived at the first destination of 33 rooms. The interval is a unit of length, which refers to the distance between the two columns, about 1.818 meters. There are 1,000 statues of Guanyin enshrined in the temple. This statue is a thousand-handed Guanyin sitting statue, which is quite spectacular. However, photos are basically forbidden in Japanese temples, so if you are interested, you can only take a look in person. It took only 30 minutes to swim through 33 halls. I continued to take the bus to Kiyomizu-dera Temple Station and looked at the watch at 11 o’clock sharp. Kyoto is a combination of tradition and modernity and a harmonious city between the new and the old. The place where I got off was still very prosperous. I was hesitating that this would beKiyomizu-dera Temple when I turned into an alley and saw the ancient Baban Tower. Entering the alley seemed to return to the past from modern times, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city and without noise. Everyone walked quietly on the flagstone road leading to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

The antique buildings on both sides of the road are shops, stretching from the foot of the mountain to the gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. In the golden autumn, ornaments are hung on the eaves of every shop, a bit like lanterns we hang. Although it faded under the baptism of sunshine, it added a wisp of bright color to the quaint and quiet streets. It is said that Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the oldest temple in Kyoto and was founded by Master Jien in 798 A.D. Legend has it that Master Cien was Tang Priest’s first disciple in Japan. Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a pillar structure temple without a nail. The main hall is 19 meters wide and 16 meters deep. In front of the main hall is a suspended “stage” supported by 139 large logs tens of meters high. The building of the stage stands towering on a steep cliff and falls… Therefore, there is an idiom in Japanese: “Jump off the stage of clear water”, which is used to describe doing something resolutely. It has also become the first choice for suicide jumpers. The west gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple was built in 1607 AD. The vermilion wooden corridor has bright appearance and detailed carving. The architectural form is single-storey and eight-column, and the roof belongs to the “wife-cutting” type building. When entering the door, I didn’t feel very special from the front, but when I looked at the mountain gate from the exit, the blue sky, mahogany, white walls and green space were colorful and had a different scenery, so I took this photo.

The antique buildings on both sides of the road are shops, stretching from the foot of the mountain to the gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. In the golden autumn, ornaments are hung on the eaves of every shop, a bit like lanterns we hang. Although it faded under the baptism of sunshine, it added a wisp of bright color to the quaint and quiet streets. It is said that Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the oldest temple in Kyoto and was founded by Master Jien in 798 A.D. Legend has it that Master Cien was Tang Priest’s first disciple in Japan. Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a pillar structure temple without a nail. The main hall is 19 meters wide and 16 meters deep. In front of the main hall is a suspended “stage” supported by 139 large logs tens of meters high. The building of the stage stands towering on a steep cliff and falls… Therefore, there is an idiom in Japanese: “Jump off the stage of clear water”, which is used to describe doing something resolutely. It has also become the first choice for suicide jumpers. The west gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple was built in 1607 AD. The vermilion wooden corridor has bright appearance and detailed carving. The architectural form is single-storey and eight-column, and the roof belongs to the “wife-cutting” type building. When entering the door, I didn’t feel very special from the front, but when I looked at the mountain gate from the exit, the blue sky, mahogany, white walls and green space were colorful and had a different scenery, so I took this photo.

At about 2: 10 p.m., I took a bus to another world cultural heritage city in Kyoto, Ertiao City. At the gate, I saw two dancers dressed in gorgeous clothes busy distributing Kyoto-made oil-absorbing paper and taking photos with tourists. Others were specially responsible for taking photos. Note: There is no charge, and you can also get Kyoto-made oil-absorbing paper free of charge, which is much better than some domestic paid photo spots. Ertiao City was founded in 1603 AD as the residence of General Tokugawa Ieyasu in Kyoto. The corridor of the apartment is paved with a “warbler sound” floor, which will make a warbler-like cry to prevent outsiders from invading. The two castles are very rich. There are many huge ginkgo trees planted in the city. In autumn, the city is full of golden ginkgo leaves, which is very beautiful. When I came out of Ertiao City, I found it was still early. Before the sun went down, I stopped by Jinge Temple, also known as Luyuan Temple. Jin Ge, the temple’s gold foil-pasted relic hall, is very famous, so it is called Jin Ge Temple. It was established as a world cultural heritage in 1994. The relic hall of the Golden Pavilion Temple is covered with gold foil. It is said that the garden centered on the Golden Pavilion represents the Pure Land of Blissful. The pond called Jinghu Pond and the Golden Pavilion reflect each other and are the representative scenery of Kyoto. The day I went was sunny, and people rushed to take photos to keep the beautiful moments in their cameras forever. Looking around the relic hall for a week, the pine sounds are floating in the air, and the new moss is dyed. Walking under the tree-lined tree that supports the sky and blocks out the sun, I look at the golden hall again. The temple in the sunshine looks even more magnificent. Note: Jinge Temple must be on sunny days.

At about 4: 20, I came out of Jinge Temple and wanted to go to the nearby Longan Temple to have a look. The dry landscape there is very famous. However, except Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which has night worship, temples in Kyoto are generally closed to the public after 4: 30 p.m. And have to give up. But it was still early to eat, so I decided to go for a walk in Kyoto Yuyuan, where there were no tickets. Kyoto Imperial Garden is an old palace located in the center of Kyoto. It was originally a garden surrounding the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Palace in Xiandong, where the abdicated Taihuang lived. Now it has become a leisure place for citizens, about 700 meters from east to west and 1300 meters from south to north. There are very few people in the garden, walking quietly on the pebble road, as if they had come to another world, forgetting their troubles and the fast-paced life. From time to time, one can see a family of three riding bicycles talking and laughing through here, like on vacation. Although I don’t want to leave Yuyuan, I always have to eat when I am hungry. I finally arrived at Heyuan Town, which I wanted to come by at noon (Heyuan Town only takes 5 minutes to walk to Gion!!) . Heyuan Town is the busiest place in Kyoto. There are many large department stores nearby, with a wide variety of goods, souvenirs, handicrafts, Beijing fruits, clothing, daily necessities… everything. After arriving here, I found that it was a good choice to come at night. On one side of the street was the river Yachuan, which ran through the whole Beijing city street. The clear river water and charming lights moistened people’s hearts with the cool breeze. If your purse is bulging, you can sit on the balcony protruding from the river and enjoy delicious food while looking out at the beautiful night scene. In the evening, groups of couples sat hand in hand by the river chatting and enjoying the scenery. At this time, I want to eat a bowl of delicious Lamian Noodles most. Strangely, I have almost walked all over Heyuan Town and have not found a decent noodle shop. Don’t Kyoto people like Lamian Noodles? This is in sharp contrast to noodle shops everywhere in other parts of Japan.

Just as I was wandering hopelessly in Dou Town, preparing to eat something else in what, I found a noodle shop [Treasure House] that looked good. I asked for a bowl of Dandan Noodles, perhaps because I looked forward to it for too long and was hungry. Until now, I think it is the best Lamian Noodles I have ever eaten in Japan. The soup is very strong and delicious. The boss is also very enthusiastic. There is a charge for ice water. The address of Xiandou Town Store in Chengcheng Baowu is 122-5: 075-222-2778, Shiwu Town, Zhongjing District, Beijing City. Friends who also like Lamian Noodles do not have to search hard like me. After a day’s stroll, although it was not non-stop, I was also a little tired. I returned to Kyoto Station at about 8: 30. The Kyoto Tower stood high opposite the station and became a landmark building of Kyoto’s modernization. Scud friends recommended me to live in Shanke, one stop away from Beijing. Reason 1: Accommodation in Kyoto is too expensive. Reason 2: The environment in Shanke is also very good. If time permits, you can turn around in Shanke. (Facts have proved that only Scuds have spare time to visit Shanke!) However, although it is only a 5-minute drive, the hotel price in Shanke is much lower than that in Kyoto. Unfortunately, when booking hotels, all hotels in Shanke were booked. I had to book a hotel in Otsu, Shanke’s next stop. Note: You must book a hotel in advance when you go to Kyoto in peak season, otherwise you will have to sleep on the streets.

The next day at 9 o’clock on time, contrary to the first day, chose the route from far to near. When Arashiyama, Tofukuji Temple, Heian Shrine, Higashiyama Jisho-ji, arrives at Higashiyama Jisho-ji, he has to go through the philosophical way. The whole trail runs 2 kilometers from Kumano Nyakuōji-jinja Shrine to Higashiyama Jisho-ji, parallel to Biwa Lake’s drainage diversion canal, and is the most beautiful when flowers bloom in spring. It’s a pity that when I went, there were neither cherry blossoms nor red leaves in early autumn. I could only imagine the beautiful scenery in the travel brochure emerging in front of me. There are many Beijing teahouses along the way, which mainly deal in some refreshments. Due to time constraints, they did not enter the shops to taste them. The original name of the Silver Pavilion Temple is Cizhao Temple. Although the Golden Pavilion of Luyuan Temple is truly pasted with gold foil on the surface of the building, there is no trace of silver foil pasted on the Silver Pavilion, so I was a little disappointed when I saw the Silver Pavilion Temple. The court of the Silver Temple is the best of the Japanese courts. The two gravel shapes of “Silver Beach” and “Xiangtai” were formed in the late Edo period. I really want to touch the white sand and find out how they are stuck together without deformation through the wind and sun. Perhaps it is because many people have the same idea as me that the sand and gravel are surrounded by fences, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot touch them.

At 11: 30, I came out of Yinge Temple. The shops along the street had already begun to get lively. I recalled the refreshment house of philosophy, but I didn’t want to detour back. So I chose a nearby family and ordered a refreshment similar to China’s adzuki bean rice cake, which was extremely sweet and sweet to toothache. After tea, I went on my way, but it took me a lot of trouble to find the bus stop. I even looked at the map and asked the way. I turned two intersections and finally found it. Interestingly, at the bus stop, I met people from several other countries who asked me how to get to Yinge Temple in Japanese. I thought that I was really a loser in the world. I came to Japan to meet me and asked me if I didn’t know anything else. I know this best. After a short bus ride, I arrived at the Ping an Shrine, which was recommended by my Scud friends. The Shenyuan in the main hall is a representative masterpiece of Japan’s Chiquan Return Garden. The garden is surrounded by streams and covered with green trees. The most important thing is that his sister’s wedding ceremony was held here. Although young Japanese married in churches, many Japanese still chose to marry in temples and saw them in Qingshui Temple. The main hall is magnificent. It is a typical red column and blue tile building in the Tang Dynasty. Through the main hall is an open square. Stage and lighting facilities are also set up in the center of the square, as if a large-scale what event would be held.

Through the square to enter the Shenyuan, as if to enter another completely different place. The quiet beauty of the courtyard is in sharp contrast to the main hall just now. It is said that the Ping an Shrine was rebuilt in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the relocation of Japan’s ancient capital Ping an. It was based on the shrinkage and reconstruction of the former Ping an Beijing Chaotang Building. Strongly recommended! ! Take the bus from Kyoto Station to Yinge Temple and you will pass by. I came out of the Peace Palace at about 12: 50 and was going to have lunch at a Beijing restaurant named Liusheng introduced in the travel brochure, but I didn’t look for it! Don’t want to waste any more time, anyway, my stomach is not very hungry, decided to go to the next destination Tofukuji Palace (Zen Temple). I went to Tofukuji Palace to see the dry landscape there. When I arrived in Kyoto, I must have a look at the dry landscape garden. Kyoto’s famous dry landscape monasteries include the Shiting of Longan Temple, the Abbot’s Garden of Tofukuji Temple and the Garden of Manshu Temple. Because they missed Longan Temple near Jinge Temple, they decided to come to Tofukuji Palace. In fact, the scenery is similar. After seeing one, there is no need to go to other monasteries. Dry mountains and rivers use rocks and white sand as the main body, symbolizing various landscapes in nature. White sand can represent great rivers, oceans, even clouds, while stones can symbolize mountains, waterfalls, etc. From a Buddhist point of view, in its unique environmental atmosphere, carefully raked white sand and gravel paving the ground and stacked several stone groups can produce magical power on people’s mood. Where there are dry mountains and rivers, there are terraces extending from the room. People who come here sit on the terraces and quietly experience the power brought to people by dry mountains and rivers. I am not a Buddhist believer. As a passer-by, I cannot understand the secret in a short time.

The only thing I feel when I look at this “mountain, mountain and water” is hunger. It’s already over 2 pm when I look at my watch. I want to eat it, but I don’t like the taste of Japanese soup all the time. It is too light. However, I think Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and its taste will be different. It is said that the mackerel in Kyoto area is very delicious, so I ordered mackerel. The boss was very enthusiastic and talked a few words. When he went out, he said that he would definitely go to her next time. He readily agreed and went out of the door, thinking that there would not be another time. The last stop of this trip to Kyoto is Arashiyama Scenic Area, about 10km west of Kyoto, which can be reached by tram. It is said that Premier Zhou also wrote the poem “Arashiyama in Rain-Kyoto, Japan” when he visited Arashiyama when he was young. Arashiyama wants to taste carefully, but I only have a few hours.

Arriving at Arashiyama Station at about 4 o’clock, the most fun thing here is to take the sightseeing train and Baojinchuan rafting. Unfortunately, the rafting ended at 3: 30 p.m. I only took a sightseeing train and enjoyed the scenery of Arashiyama. On the train, I also saw people drifting waving to us. I still bought a train ticket in Arashiyama at 4 o’clock, and I was already at Kyoto Station at 7 o’clock (because I booked the Shinkansen to Yokohama at 8: 25). I really admire my efficiency. I picked up my luggage first and found it was still early. I decided to sweep away the tiredness of my two-day journey and have a big meal! The underground of Kyoto Station is a commercial street with a special catering street. It is really lively here. Many shops have long lines in front of them. The lines are too long to have time to wait. When there are few people, they are afraid that they are not delicious, so they choose a restaurant with moderate lines. In the end, it was found that queuing was very meaningful. I ordered “big food”, including sushi, sky, buckwheat noodles and side dishes. I don’t know if I was hungry. Everything was very delicious. When traveling, I always had a big appetite and ate a lot! After a big meal, I bought some Kyoto specialties at Kyoto Station and set foot on the Shinkansen back to Yokohama, ending a wonderful two-day trip to Kyoto.

I really like Kyoto, a city with the right combination of ancient and modern times. It is not only beautiful in scenery, but also warm in people. Every time I ask for directions, I can get enthusiastic answers. When I got lost, an enthusiastic aunt followed me and found out that I was going the wrong way. She caught up with me and told me.