In most cases, you are sitting on the floor in Japan. I found myself on the floor while eating breakfast where I had a buttered bread roll from 7/11 with tea I had kept from another hostel. I was happy I carried my tea bags around with me as Japanese tea is disgusting. It's flowers soaked in hot water. While eating, I planned my day. I'm in Kyoto for only three days.
In Japan, you have to leave your room every morning at 11 so they can clean. Everyday. To many people this is a pain but I didn't mind it.
It rained today so I was getting attacked by umbrellas. I never bother with one because they're so much effort and you still get wet somehow anyway. I took the Orange (Ginza) Line to Ueno to change for Tokyo on another line. I caught the Shinkansen train (bullet) to Kyoto on platform 18 (final destination Hakata) which left bang on time. One comes every minute so I calmly walked there. It was the Nozoumi Superexpress No.31 bound train. Its' interior looks like a plane! It was 4 stops to Kyoto, South of Japan and my ticket was unreserved for carriage 1-3 and I sat two seats to myself.
I prepared for the journey which I didn't know how long would take. The one way tickets (no return or student prices) for this is so expensive but I got over it quickly. It was either a bullet train or a bus which would take 799965hours. Sooo.
You can manage with about 3000Yen a day which is £15. Excluding accommodation, I manage with up to 1,500Yen a day on public transport, food and tourist admissions in places of interest. As I have mentioned before there are hardly any tourists in Japan. And it was even more nicer for the locals not to mind me. They mind their own business as I roam around the city, trains and restaurants. I was curious why hardly any foreigners were here though. Really curious.
The train is white and extremely smooth and the seats are blue. I look out to see the rain falling off the window determining how fast the train is moving. I used my time to read about Japan while snacking like a child. It had stopped raining within 30minutes out of Tokyo. People came on and off different stops and I was no longer alone on the 3rd stop. It didn't feel like 2 and a half hours when I arrived. I follows the exit sign all the way out of the station which took a while. The station is huge and I was struggling to find outside!
I opened out the Kyoto city map and attempted to walk to the hostel based on the directions they had provided and it was okay. I became really good at map reading as I should have been. It was quite a walk from the station but once you get the hang of it, it's usually quicker.
I checked in (about £13 a night) at K's House Kyoto which is supposed to be really popular. They also had a lift, luckily as I was on the 6th floor! I stayed in a female dorm room so I didn't have to put up with any horrible snoring (in bed before sleeping, a girl was vibrating the whole room so my plan failed). No shoes were allowed inside (they even give you a locker key for it) and you are given house slippers to wear. In Japan you make your own bed which is nice but sometimes you just want what you pay for. 'Darling, it's not a home stay'.
I locked away my bag in my room which was fully occupied then walked out in the rain to grab some food before heading to Inari. Back at Kyoto Station on the Brown (Nara) JR. Line at lane 8/9, I was unsure if I was going the right way so I took a gamble and got on a train. Hardly anything is in English and I had realised that Kyoto was far more local and rural-like. The city is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Suburbs behaviour - one of the most bike-friendly cities but sadly I don't have time to hire one! It'ss rich, lively but quiet lively.
Being thrifty did not mean I miss out on some of the amazing food Japan had to offer. The problem was that I don't like seafood and it's everywhere and I just couldn't try any. It smells like the sea and that's extremely off putting. Udon had been my favourite back home so eating it in Japan was even better. I had been eating soup and noodles since I got here for very cheap (at 100-400Y) at random places. I told myself to try something crazy before I leave. I trust I will (if I have crazy-food money left).
Spending time here, I had noticed the extreme differences between Japan and China. I sat on the train very briefly to Inari (it took 5minutes!) watching the passengers. I got off at my stop to follow the sign to Fushima Inari-taisha Shrine and it was right outside! The entrance is free and it's always open.
The temple Fushimi Inari Shrine is really important in southern Kyoto dedicated to Inari, leader of rice. Famous for thousands of its torii gates (red with block bottoms); the trail is set behind the main building leading to the forest of the sacred Mount Inari. It stands 233 meters which doesn't sound high but I can tell you myself that it was. The statues of foxes (I was trying to figure out what they were!) are thought to be Inari's messengers across the shrine grounds.
As I was walking round exploring through thousands of torii gates basically following others, I was so unaware I was climbing Mount Inari! I was walking for so long up and down through more and more of the gates and kept stopping to find out where I was and how long I had until I can finish. Popular with tourists, you actually need to walk around the mountain rather than just take pictures of the front and leave. What's wrong with you?
I kept walking upwards anyway getting slower and heavier - don't stop otherwise you would completely lose your energy to continue. The back of the shrine's leads towards the torii gate which is the start of the hiking trail. The parallel rows of gates are called Senbon Torii which literally means 'thousands of torii gates'. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies. The names of the donator and date of donation is written (black) on the back of each gate. Starting at 400,000Yen for a small gate to over one million yen for a large gate. Crazy.
In an anti-climactic feel, I finally reached The Ichinomine shrine (spot 14) which is at the very top after about 2 hours! I was sweating and my top was sticking on my back. Lovely. I stayed for a while watching people take pictures of the shrine. There are sacred water pots next to every temple you visit. People wash their hands and mouth every time, every temple.
There are 19 spots around the mountain and my ugly toes were digging into the front of my wet converses so I was crying on my way down. It was so so far down.
The sky was grey and the forest lamps started to turn on along the way. People live up this mountain selling goodies and food but they weren't to be seen. I wanted to hurry down before it got darker so I kind of rushed down. As soon as I slipped landing on my bum, I slowed right down and it started to rained. Not quite sure what life was trying to achieve there.
I kept walking down taking pictures eventually arriving to the exit. Three hours I had spent around the mountains! I got back on the JR line to Kyoto and dropped my 'kit' back at the hostel. It was getting late so I planned to eat dinner and walk to Gion. For dinner I ate Tanuki Udon in fish paste broth at a nearby restaurant (Nakau). I was greeted with too much of a welcome and given tea that looked green which was horrible. They were quick, cheap and satisfactory. Udon are thick, white wheat noodles. Apparently it's perfectly okay to slurp your noodles in fact it is almost expected. So eating loudly was no problem. I'm so noisy when I eat!
I had felt more safe in the dark while I have travelled than I ever did in London! The feeling of being free overwhelmed me as I walked to Gion District by Kamogawa river after dinner. Drunken couples and friends were sitting by the the edge drinking and laughing away.
Gion is Kyoto's traditional entertainment district. The best place in the city to catch a glimpse of 'Old Japan'. It is considered as the single most attractive street in the whole of Asia (I planned to return here during the day). To eat at Gion, it's ridiculously expensive, you'd have to posh or stupid enough to spend over £100 on food just because it's in a famous area. To spot a geisha arriving to an appointment is unlikely. Well let me explain. The Gion area is where Maiko and Geiko live. They move from one banquet to another by chance. There are black cars securing Geisha ladies and I saw two come out of one and enter a Japanese Inn (Hatanaka which is one of the highest ranking ryokans). Apparently it's a dream to see or meet one so there are package deals at almost £200 to eat with them and say hello. A standard meal is 10,000Y so they say it's a good deal or is it? Geisha is an icon that symbolises Japan. They have white-painted faces, Japanese hairstyle in a bun with accessories in it and colourful silk kimonos. Maiko and Geiko are the terms used to refer to Giesha in Kyoto. Kyoto is known as the historical former capital of Japan. There remain 100 Maiko which are apprentice Geisha and 200 Geiko which are matured Geisha. Maiko is under 20 starting her career from 15 to be a professional within Japanese culture and entertainment. They go to a special school specifically for this to learn tea ceremony, flower arrangement and traditional dance and music. When they turn 20 they become a Geiko. They way I went to see them was the cheapest option. Most people don't get to.
I initially saw them as dressed up ladies who dine with paparazzi waiting around to snap them. That they were painted white and dressed traditionally in Japanese garment and white socks with loud wooden flip-flops. Basically. Their hair is tied back and wrapped with chopsticks. But after learning who and what they were, I understood. It made a lot of sense then.
I carried on walking to Hanamikoji-dori to traditional eateries which require reservation and perhaps membership. The buildings were very low, of brown shades and all the doors were covered or hidden so you couldn't see inside. Then I carried on further up to Tatsumi bashi (I could have sworn I saw Jackie Chan!!! He looks old though! No?). Anyway, through windows people were dining on the floor with no shoes or given one. All of a sudden men in suits and women in gowns were strutting pass me entering different bouncer secured places. At least this time the bouncers were local.
I crossed the bridge to Pontocho-dori which is more lively. I walked passed workers who are forced to stand outside restaurants and encourage people to eat inside. I walk pass, they nod then I nod but then they nod even more. Like they bend over. I'm always thinking if I do it back even longer, that would seem rude and a little awkward. I had seen girls here like to hold hands in a 5 year old way without sounding rude.
I walked around until my feet were swollen then started walking back the same way (so I wouldn't get lost) home. I watched people clink their glasses together and wave their diamond covered fingers on river bank restaurants. For the first time in Japan, I had seen two homeless people sleeping on benches by trees. I got back in good hands and I drank tea again while reading about Osaka. Tomorrow; another day, another city.
I love what I do.
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