Thursday, November 27, 2008
Another itinerary, this time for Kyoto. tl;dr here.Kyoto
(Information from the Lonely Planet Japan Guidebook and http://www.pref.kyoto.jp/visitkyoto/en/)
Hotel: Hirota Guest Hotel around Downtown Kyoto, North-East from Karasuma-Oike subway station (exit 1, 12 min). Walk north on Tominokoji-nishi Dori and turn left on Nijo. It is a bed-and-breakfast hotel, located on the site of a 130 year-old sake brewery. Rates: ¥11,550-¥14,700 ($110-$140) double room. Cottage: ¥9,450 ($90) per person for 2, ¥8,400 ($80) per person for 3-4, ¥7,350 ($70) per person for 5-7. Japanese breakfast ¥1,050 ($10) extra. The owner, Hirota, speaks English and was a former tour guide, thus being able to provide valuable information.
The Kyoto Sightseeing Card, costing 2,000 yen for 2 days, gives you unlimited use of the Kyoto City Buses, Kyoto Buses and the 2 subway lines.
Day 1: Southern Kyoto. Start with South-West Kyoto. The Nijo-jo castle, Nijo Jinya house and Shinsen-en garden are all west of the Nijojo-mae subway station, along the Tozai subway line.
Nijo-jo: (Address: Nijo-dori-Horikawa; admission is 600yen; open from 8.45am to 4pm.) Open from 8.45am to 4pm. It was constructed in 1603 as the residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ninomaru Palace (a National Treasure), built in the shoin-zukuri (library-style) of samurai of the Momoyama Period, contains gorgeous paintings on the walls and sliding doors. It was here that the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, restored the emperor to his ancient seat of power in 1867.
Nijo Jinya: (Tel: 841-0972; address: Omiya-dori-Oike; admission is 1000yen; closed on Wednesday. Reservations must be made in Japanese. Open from 10am-3pm.) From the beginning of the Edo period this was a renowned lodging place. Built in 1660, this house in the Sukiya-style has many rooms. To prevent fire the walls are plastered, and should a guest come under attack there are various ingenious devices to assist with escape, such as hiding places in the ceilings, stepladders, and drop-down staircases. It has been designated as an important national cultural property.
Shinsen-en Garden: (Address: In the neighbourhood of Nijo-jo, south of the castle; open all day.) This small garden is all that remains of the imperial palace, abandoned in 1227.
Take the subway East to Higashiyama station in South-East Kyoto. North of the station is the Heian-jingu shrine. Further North is the Kyoto Handicraft Center. South-East of the station is the Shoren-in Temple.
Heian-jingu: (Address: Okazaki Nishitenno-cho; admission to shrine precincts free, garden 600yen; open from 6am-6pm.) 10 min walk from Higashiyama (Tozai line) subway station. This shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto. The buildings are colourful replicas, reduced to two-thirds the size of the Kyoto Gosho of the Heian period. The Shin'en (garden) consists of four gardens which surround the main shrine buildings on the south, west, middle, and east. With a total area of approximately 33,000 square meters, these stroll-style landscape gardens are designated as a national scenic spot representative of Meiji-era garden design.
Kyoto Handicraft Center: (Address: Marutamachi-dori-Kumano jinja east; open from 10am-6pm.) This duty free shop sells gifts and souvenirs from Kyoto and other parts of Japan. It sells handicrafts, including pearls, lacquerware, inlay, "seven treasure" ornaments and jewelry, kimonos, Japanese-style shirts, decorative swords and other things. Since the entire staff speaks a foreign language, you should be able to relax and enjoy shopping here. You can also see demonstrations by artisans making their products, and they offer classes in making woodblock prints, "seven treasure" ornaments of Kyoto, wood-grained dolls and other arts and crafts. If you sign up by 4:00pm, you can try to make some unusual Japanese crafts for about 30 minutes or an hour; you pay 1,500 yen for the hands-on classes.
Shoren-in: (Address: Higashiyama-ku Sanjo Awataguchi; admission is 500yen; open from 9am-5pm.) This temple, built as a residence of the chief abbot of the Tendai sect, has a connection to the imperial family. Often overlooked by the crowds, their garden is renowned for its beauty and tranquility.
Spend the evening in Gion, South-West of the Higashimaya station. It is Kyoto’s most famous Geisha district. To experience the traditional Gion, stroll along Hanami-koji, a street lined by beautiful old buildings, teahouses and restaurants; it runs north to south and bisects Shijo-dori (the 4th street). If you wander around here in the late afternoon or early evening, you can often glimpse geisha or maiko on their way to or from appointments.
The Ichiriki Ochaya is located on the corner of Shijo-dori and Hanamikoji-dori streets. About 300 years old, this teahouse is noted for its traditional architecture and atmosphere, and also for the history that has occured here. The famous story of the Forty-Seven Ronin and the plotting against the Tokugawa Shogunate that led to the revolution known as the Meiji Restoration have close links to the Ichiriki Ochaya. However, it is an ultra-exclusive teahouse and hence cannot be entered.
*A Geisha tour, costing 4000yen, can be done with Peter Macintosh.
Day 2: Northern and Central Kyoto. Take the subway East to Karasuma-Oike station and North to Kitaoji station. Go about 1km North-West to the Kamigamo-jinja shrine. Go 1.6km South-West to the Nishijin Textile Center. Go 800m East to the Imadegawa subway station and have a picnic lunch at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park.
Kamigamo-jinja: (Address: Kamigamo Motoyama; admission free; open 8am-5.30pm) of Kyoto’s 17 Unesco World Heritage Sites. Although it is uncertain in what year this shrine was established, after the founding of the Heian-kyo capital, Kamowakeikazuchi - jinja shrine attracted worshippers from the Imperial Court as a guardian shrine. The Main Shrine building (Honden) and the Associate Shrine building (Gonden), both National Treasures, are built in the style of Heian Period architecture. In addition are 34 other buildings, all designated as Important Cultural Properties. In ancient times Kamowakeikazuchi jinja was known as the family shrine of the powerful Kamo clan of Yamashiro. This shrine, together with Kamomioya Shrine (Shimogamo Shrine), is also known simply as Kamo Shrine. A stream runs through the precincts, which contain ancient trees. Two tatezuna (sand delta cones) in front of the hosodono building contribute to an atmosphere of mystical and ancient purity as the place where the deity descends.
Nishijin Textile Center: (Address: Horikawa-dori-Imadegawa; admission free; open 9am-5pm) West of the Imadegawa subway station. Open from 9am-5pm. It is a modern-style building where demonstrations and exhibits are held on the theme of the traditional Nishijin textile industry. In addition to a kimono show (6 times a day) are hand-weaving demonstrations and a display of historical materials. It is the perfect place to take in the beauty of gorgeous Nishijin textiles. Here you can also dress up as a maiko, geiko in a junihitoe (12-layer kimono). (There is an admission charge.)
Kyoto Imperial Palace Park: (Address: Kamigyo-ku Kyoto goen; open from dawn to dusk.) It is between Teramachi-dori and Karasuma-dori (to the east and west) and Imadegawa-dori and Marutamachi-dori (to the north and south). The residences of the Imperial family and court nobles once stood here; it is located near the center of the Kyoto city. After the capital was moved to Tokyo, the palace was turned into a park and made open to the general public. With its wide gravel streets and abundant and beautiful green trees and lawns, this park is known as an urban oasis for birds. Take some time to visit the pond at the park’s southern end, which contains gorgeous carp.
Take the subway South to the Shijo station. Head East to the Nishiki market. The Kyoto International Manga Museum is one stop North, close to the Karasuma-oike station.
Nishiki market: (Address: Nishikikoji-dori between Teramachi and Takakura; open from 9am-5pm.) It extends about 400 meters from Teramachi to Takakura. There is a saying in Kyoto: "There is no kind of food that you can't find at Nishiki." Indeed, the market is lined with shops selling fish, meat, dried goods, side dishes, yuba (dried bean curd skin) and Kyoto vegetables.
Kyoto International Manga Museum: Closed on Wednesday. Open from 10am-8pm (admission until 7.30pm). It is, at once, a thriving commercial attraction, valuable historical record, and prime exhibition space. Consisting of thousands of manga (free to read with a paid admission), numerous permanent and rotating gallery exhibits, and all housed in a gorgeous converted elementary school in downtown Kyoto, the museum is an absolute wonder and tremendously inspirational.
tl;dr I should go and find out how to get to Honnoji and Mitsuhide's shrine.
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