After the day trip to Nagoya Port, the next day I met with Eri-san and Anny-san for a one day tour of Kyoto. Anny-san would be meeting us at Kyoto Station, while Eri-san and I would be taking the shinkansen from Nagoya. The ride there was short, with only a few stops along the way. Anny-san was already there waiting for us when we met her in front of the station. It’s been a few years since I last saw her, so it was great being able to see her again.

Anny-san had already purchased our bus passes for the day, so we were all set to go. As we approached the bus stop, it seemed like everyone had decided to go to Kinkakuji that morning. The bus going to the temple was packed beyond belief. This was my first bus experience in Japan, so it was a little shocking. (Actually, I’m not sure what else I was expecting, hehe.) Anyway, we were lucky we were the first in line!

Finally after the long bus ride we arrived at Kinkakuji. I’ve seen my share of picturesque photos from Kinkakuji, but it was a lot different seeing it in person. The building was absolutely gorgeous. I had to elbow a few tourists to get some pretty shots. =P

We continued with a walk through the grounds. I was amused by the omikuji vending machines I saw, especially the ones that came in different languages. I also had a good chuckle when I saw the ‘noble’ seat off the main pathway. Our tour of Kinkakuji took the better part of the morning. Later we hopped back onto the bus to head towards Kiyomizu-dera for our next stop that day.

This time the bus was not as packed as the one we took to Kinkakuji. I even had enough room to rotate my body to snap a few shots of the cycling marathon going on on the other side of the street. The lull of the bus slowly put me to sleep again so I have to issue another apology to Eri-san and Anny-san. However, I did manage to catch a sight of the Kamo River as we were heading past.

When we got off the bus we began our steep climb through the Higashiyama District. There were a lot of people exploring the streets in the early afternoon. The hustle and bustle of the crowd added to the overall effect of the traditional shopping district.

We made a slight detour from Kiyomizu-dera and embarked on another equally important cultural experience. Yes, I am talking about lunch! Anny-san made a reservation at a restaurant called Junsei, which serves a yudofu course. I didn’t know prior to our trip that Kyoto is famous for tofu. I soon found out just how popular it is!

First they started off with appetizers like sashimi and tempura, then out came the enormous tofu pot. I’ve seen big pots before, but never one filled only with tofu! There were a couple other courses as well, but my favourite by far had to be the dengaku tofu, which is tofu grilled with sweet miso on top. So yummy!

Afterwards we continued on the path leading up to Kiyomizu-dera. We did most of the climb before lunch so the trek up wasn’t as strenuous as it was before. When we first reached the temple, we were greeted by the huge entrance gates. Soon we made our way to the wooden stage by the main hall. The view from there was amazing.

We walked behind the main hall to visit the Jishu Shrine. I’ll admit I spent quite a bit of time in there. (Along with the billion other girls inside, haha.) I was lucky enough to get an omikuji with Daikichi written on it. The Jishu Shrine was definitely one of the most colourful shrines I’ve been to.

Afterwards Anny-san and I lined up to try the Otowa no taki. I’m not sure if I trust the ‘therapeutic benefits’ of the waterfall because I was already grossed out by the metal cups all the visitors had to drink out of. I know they are sanitized by UV lights, but it was a little repulsive nonetheless. Good thing you’re not suppose to be greedy and drink from all three streams, because I only tried one of them. It was also a little difficult trying to maneuver the cup without whacking the person beside you. =P

We continued walking along the streets of Higashiyama Districut until we reached Yasaka Jinja. There were a lot of shops selling sweets along the way. I helped myself to a sesame flavoured ice cream cone. If you took a look around the streets, the only ones eating ice cream in the middle of February were gaijins. LOL.

Afterwards we headed back towards the city centre and made our way to the Gion district. The sun was starting to fade, so it was a good time for Geisha and Maiko spotting. I had my camera ready, as did all the other tourists on the street. Initially I saw a handful of Maikos traveling by taxi. When one finally stepped out of the taxi a few feet away, all the camera-wielding tourists immediately gave chase. I’ve never seen a Maiko walk so fast in their attire!!

Gion was the last area we visited in Kyoto. We took a walk by the Kamo River and I snapped a few shots as it was nearing dark. We managed to catch a bus which took us back to Kyoto Station. Dinner that night was inside one of the restaurants at the station. Tonkatsu! So unbelievably delicious. =)

After dinner it was time to say farewell to Anny-san. It was a great day out in Kyoto. I would love to see more of the city but I can’t complain since we already did so much in one day. Thank you so much to both of you for taking me out!!