Blog

Kyoto Temple Shrine Hopping – Kinkakuji
We continue our Kyoto temple shrine hopping trip on the next day and Kinkakuji is the first stop. The spiritual Buddhism and Shintoism have thousands of temples and shrines between them â€“ incredible stats by any standards. The sheer numbers make it impossible to visit all of them. Hence, I can only cherry-pick a few to visit and Kinkakuji (é‡‘é–£å¯º) aka the Golden Pavilion is high up on my list.
Picture perfect Kinkakuji
We didnâ€™t have to walk far to catch our first glimpse of the pavilion. The three-tiered temple with its glimmering gold is a sight to beholdâ€¦amazing! The Golden Pavilion sits within Kyoko-chi (é¡æ¹–) surrounded by lush greenery. The combination gives a very zen feel and reflection of the pavilion in the calm water is really picturesque. Like!!
It is hard to imagine that the beautiful pavilion is merely a replica covered with gold leaf. The original Kinkakuji survived the warring period even when buildings in the compound were destroyed. Only to be burnt down by a young monk for an unknown reason.
WTH!! How could anyone bear to torch something this beautiful?!
Perhaps thatâ€™s the reason why Rokuon Ji Temple, the official name for Kinkakuji, does not allow access to the pavilion and can only be admired from afar. Still, this UNESCO World Heritage site is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful landscapes in Kyoto.
Following the footpath around the garden leads us to a tiny waterfall and a mini shrine. Towards the exit stands the small Fudo-do shrine.
Ishida CafÃ© opposite Kinkakuji
Thereafter, we have our breakfast at Ishida CafÃ© (çŸ³ç”°çˆç²) along the street opposite Kinkakuji. The toast and eggs are really nice!! Despite the language barrier, we feel right at home with the super friendly owners.
They even gave us a postcard and bookmark as souvenirs. Very nice folks!!
[alert]
What are your thoughts about Kinkakuji? Leave a comment and share it with me.
[/alert]
March 7, 2014
Uoshin Sushi and Kyoto Tower
Uoshin Sushi (éšå¿ƒå£½å¸) is the reason why we didn’t overfeed ourselves crazy along Nishiki Market. The sushi chain has got 6 outlets across Japan and its Kyoto outlet is located at the bustling Kawaramachi-dori (æ²³åŽŸç”º). It seems worthy enough to save some stomach space for their giant sushi from the reviews I read.
Giant sushi galore
The difference between the sushi here and elsewhere is their sizes. Uoshin’s salmon sushi is served with a big chunk of salmon. It’s easily three times the size of the average. It’s near impossible to eat the sushi with one bite, just look at the pictures below…
We have to call it a day after six plates of delicious sushi. Would love to have more but our stomachs are already filled to the brim. Fresh + Big = Immense satisfaction.
Spending the evening at Kyoto Tower
After the splendid dinner at Uoshin Sushi, we make our way to Kyoto tower. The candle-shaped tower is the tallest structure in Kyoto despite being built in the 1960s. The imposed height restrictions on buildings have prevented Kyoto landscape to be dominated by skyscrapers – a big contrast comparing to Tokyo.
I think the measures allow Kyoto to hold on to its ancient past even when the city continues to embrace modernization. It feels like being at a juncture where the past and present had fused nicely together.
Towering above all in Kyoto
The observation tower stands out noticeably when one steps out of Kyoto Station. Itâ€™s kinda like a lighthouse in the city – those staying at Kyoto Tower Hotel will never have difficulty locating it. Yup, thatâ€™s right. Kyoto Tower sits pretty on top of Kyoto Tower Hotel where its guests get to visit the observation deck for free.
We are not staying at Kyoto Tower Hotel so the admission tickets cost us 770 JPY per pax.
The elevator goes to the 11th floor before taking another elevator to the observation deck on the 15th floor. Immediately, the 100 metres tall observation deck gives us a clear panoramic view of Kyoto.
The telescopes are available free of charge on the observation deck.
[alert]
What are your thoughts about Uoshin Sushi and Kyoto Tower? Leave a comment and share it with me.
[/alert]
February 3, 2014