Ohaiyogozaimasu Japan

[Aussie Wendy]

continuing Monday
Fair-welling the shrine complex with the purchase of some little bits and pieces from the many stalls we caught the train to its northernmost station Demachi-Yanagi and a bus to Ginkakuji and the Philosophers Path. This area was busy as we expected but we really enjoyed the temple and our daughter really enjoyed her first experience of a Buddhist temple. It means “silver pavilion” but one story goes that the the shogun (Yoshimasa) who built it as a retreat from civil war modelling it on his grandad’s Kinkakuji ran out of money to pay for the silver. It was converted to a Zen temple after he died. It was in his time though that the culture that included the elaborate tea ceremony, flower arranging, noh theatre and poetry became popular. There are pretty ponds, a moss garden and a dry sand garden.

What happens when it rains?

View from the top of the garden

Afterwards we wandered along the Philosophers Path (named for a philosopher Nishida Kitaro who walked along it meditating to nearby Kyoto University every day). Still no cherry blossom yet but getting close! Discovered the canal (which links to Lake Biwa –where we near at Hikone Sat) contains large fish and turtles.

DD found one blossom out

We detoured to visit Honen-in and discovered it was one of the few times a year visitors could enter so DD and I went in. DD especially was most impressed as we could wander around the entire complex-through the book lined library, through rooms with beautiful painted sliding doors and panels (they had girls there to explain various items but all in Japanese), into guest rooms with openings to contemplate the inner gardens, etc. Very peaceful and beautiful. I love the way the wood floors in all these temples (where there are not tatami mats) is polished smooth by the thousands of feet over the decades. Here are an assortment of pics where we were able to take them. DD was also surprised at the richness and gaudiness of the worship areas-she expected being Buddhist it would be more restrained but these were rich in gold and ornamentation which I had noticed at other temples too.

The inner garden

Back on the Philosophers Path and our stomachs were grumbling. A restaurant nearby that had western furniture looked appealing and we had an excellent meal. DD’s vegetable spaghetti had these weird whispy fishy smelling shavings on top that curled in the steam like they were alive- Katsuobushi the internet informs us (we think)-dried fermented tuna and chirimen (little wormy things with eyes-dried anchovies). DH had good old spag bog-looked good and I finally had my pork tongatsu with curry and rice.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Really really loving the pictures in your TR. Thanks for sharing.

I've been sharing your pics with my DH and he's really interested to go visit Japan. So, I'm glad to be using your TR to add to the interest.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Thoroughly sated we continued on and found our way to the final shrine off the path I had noted-Otoyo-jinja which has cute koma nezumi (stone shrine guardians in the form of rats). They are because rats saved an important Shinto deity from a forest fire. There are also some bird and other guardians, to guard against evil. How cute are they!

We bussed from here back to the path leading towards Kiyomizudera. DH called into Fresco supermarket for more supplies and DD and I wended our way up the hill stopping to shop and watch girls dressed as geishas posing for pics.

A couple more of the outside parts of Kiyomizu

We both bought some traditional Japanese teacups and observed the quality and price of teacup sets increased as you climbed the hill. DD declared she was too tired to explore Kiyomizudera and we headed home for some tea and toasted sandwiches as we didn’t want a big meal after our filling lunch.

Tonight we were visiting Shoren-in, another smaller temple that was only open for a few nights for light-up. This was the temple with the huge camphor trees I had taken a pic of earlier. This turned out to be one of our best decisions. This was so peaceful and beautiful. We caught a bus part of the way and on finding our way to the temple stumbled across yet another pretty little canal.

At the temple we sat on the tatami for some time in the main hojo looking out at the changing fairy lights on the garden that looked like fireflies then explored the rest of the garden, past the pond, and up to the backlit bamboo forest with views out to Kyoto. It was very romantic.

Need to photoshop the light out of this one

 

[Aussie Wendy]

After the temple we strolled down through the various back streets and found ourselves in Maruyama Park where the younger gen had decided it was time to start partying early. The centrepiece weeping cherry tree was almost but not quite, out.

We sat for a while and watched amused that shoes were removed before sitting on a tarp and DD especially noted that the same drinking games were being played as they play everywhere else. From here it was out through Yasaka shrine, another look at the lanterns, and into Gion where we spotted several geisha rushing to their appointments (far too fast at night for more than a blurry pic). We also discovered our our pretty canal again, Shirakawa and guess what, some early flowering cherry trees were out attracting the crowds. Several photos later and it really was time to call this incredibly full day done.

We spent far too long in the cold for DD trying to get a shot of this heron.

So we got one of us too.

 

[battymum]

Everything looks so pretty - like postcards - love the photo in the bamboo forest looking at the moon!!

Must remember to pack warm coats if we go - still a big if -
(was going to write - we dont even own them, but you probably didnt either, being QLD'ers! )

Did your DD enjoy it - I am worried that, other than Disney, and the Tokyo highlights - it might be a little tiresome for our teens

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I did own my coat-bought it in a Myers sale reduced from around $250 to $50 about 20 years ago-DH says-isn't it about time you bought yourself a new one? but we only use it on OS or southern trips and I know how warm it is. You could get by without one in Japan in April if you had another layer on and a lighter jacket-eg a leather or denim or a couple of layers of polar fleece. DH's isn't thick but its wind proof which is more needed. DD's was old-you can see its really too small for her but she has always got by without one-we brought them mainly as we had read snow was predicted for Kanazawa. As it was we missed it by a couple of days.

DD loves traveling so hard to draw conclusions here but all her friends love travelling too so I think your teens would be OK especially if you gave them the opp to spend time trawling the dept stores for clothes and electronics-prob just window shopping not to buy or gaming parlours or let them veg at home some times with their ipads/DS or whatever. If they are into anime especially they would be happy and might like to visit Studio Ghibli in Tokyo. Rather than templing them out I would just select a few key temples and combine with expeditions to the big teenage neon light areas like Teramachi, Ikebukuro and Shibuyu in Tokyo. In Kyoto Kiyomizu Temple has an area you can go down into the dark "into the womb" they would find a laugh and they would like the deer and the huge Buddha at Nara. I guess are they interested in how other people live, seeing new things, trying new food? or do they like to be in their comfort zone-partly depends on their ages. Older teens are thinking about gap years and exploring more than 14 year olds.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Another great update and I'm now wondering how on earth we can get our money tree or printing press to work even harder. Need.tons.more.money.to.travel.!

 

[battymum]

Looks like the heavier coats are needed if you are out at night?

As for the teens - we have DD17 - who is quite keen to go, but I know, if she gets bored or is not interested, I am the one who will suffer - she doesnt do this to anyone else, but feels like she can whinge and whine to me, - thats what mums are for right? I have given her the option of staying at home and we will give her money for a later trip - but she doesnt want to miss out - and I still have the hope of being the perfect family!! I just dont want her to ruin it for me!!

Then we have twin DS who will be 15 - they are quite easy going and will go along with anything, usually because DD is doing enough whinging for everyone!

I will just have to plan an itinerary that keeps everyone happy!

They are a little set in their ways as far as food goes - but they wont starve and I hope experiences like this will broaden their minds.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Looks like the heavier coats are needed if you are out at night?

As for the teens - we have DD17 - who is quite keen to go, but I know, if she gets bored or is not interested, I am the one who will suffer - she doesnt do this to anyone else, but feels like she can whinge and whine to me, - thats what mums are for right? I have given her the option of staying at home and we will give her money for a later trip - but she doesnt want to miss out - and I still have the hope of being the perfect family!! I just dont want her to ruin it for me!!

Then we have twin DS who will be 15 - they are quite easy going and will go along with anything, usually because DD is doing enough whinging for everyone!

I will just have to plan an itinerary that keeps everyone happy!

They are a little set in their ways as far as food goes - but they wont starve and I hope experiences like this will broaden their minds.

BattyMum - After seeing the pictures and the experiences in Wendy's TR, I think that you're making the right choice to go during cherry blossom season next year. Not that you needed any validation from anyone and least of all from a near perfect stranger...but it might not hurt to put it out there.

 

[battymum]

PIO

I have decided that we will go on Wed 10th April - this will mean 2days off school, that will be the last days of term 1 - most likely there will be a pupil free on the Friday. This will give us 4 days in Tokyo before hitting the Disney parks on Tuesday the next week. (best to do these midweek apparently).

Will do Disney for 3 (maybe 4) days, then head to Kyoto for 1 week. Returning on 25/26th April.

The flights for these dates are just coming online and seem to be a lot more than the $1000 pp I was budgeting on - hopefully they will come down.

Hopefully there will be some late bloomers - the season is hard to predict - and we will still get the atmosphere.

I just have to put it aside and start my planning later as most hotels do not take bookings further than three months out - and I fear I will not be getting the best price on the ones that do. This is really unnerving for me.

But, I am very inspired by this TR!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'm being inspired too.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Thanks guys-BattyMum you will love it. DD-yes they can be like that-I scored well but she takes after her dad-if she had been like me Have you suggested she get on-line at some point in the next 12 months and maybe see if anything grabs her interest that she would like to do/see? (Mine says she trusts me and its all too much effort.)

I read parks mid week are quiet too and we found even Monday was quiet once the schools were back.

I stalked Jetstar airfare deals-they were low and I didn't buy as hadn't got work dates and time off sorted then they went right back up and I waited and I waited and I waited and I paniced (I wanted to get some good accom booked) + got seduced by the business class special for $459 pp (and some extra hours=unexpected extra $ from work to help convince DH) for one way and around $300 plus extras (bag, iPad hire etc) for return. Then of course a week or so later I could have got an economy flight out for $199 and back for $299. This was ex Gold Coast-Brissie never came down quite that cheap. Moral the airfares jumped about all over the place every few months right up to only about 6 weeks out. I routinely over 6 months saw them around $300/leg so keep watching. Japan Air also had $999 deals going quite a bit but you should be able to do it for around $800 once you factor in extras. I presume you are on the Friday Frenzy Jetstar email list?

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Just thought-not sure-maybe this is one location where Qld actually gets airfares a bit cheaper than down south? We came back via Cairns though the rub with that was we paid for a bag in the hold and they classed Narita to Cairns as 1 leg and Cairns-GC another as we had to switch to domestic so though cheaper airfare I got 2 x luggage charges for the 1 trip. I found out while I was booking but not impressed-every $ counts!

 

[battymum]

I havent been looking for long - and April is still too far away. But I have been plugging in dates for September school hols - just to get an idea - and Jetstar actually comes in dearer than Qantas, and moreso once you add in checked bags and meals ipad etc.

I guess they will put out specials - but unless the price is significantly less - would rather travel Qantas. I hope to use FF points for one ticket.

Although Jetstar flies out of Osaka, so we could take our return flight from there, which I dont think Qantas does -this would suit our itinerary better.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'll share....it's a very small glimmer in my eye at the moment. We have an opportunity to consider being a Japan for the last week in March. I'm not sure how it will work out because that will mean pulling DS out of school for 2 weeks.
Plus I am committed to October 2013 at WDW. So, that printing press will need to be working overtime IF we are to factor in both.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Day 7 Tues 3 April Who upset the gods??

The plan was take bags to train station and put them in a locker so when we check out DD can choose what else she wants to see in Kyoto in the am and we can catch an afternoon train for the 2 hrs to Kanazawa. When DH read that rain was forecast early he set out around 7am, beating rush hour, and accomplished this part of the plan, arriving back just as the rain drops started falling. Around 2 hrs later, having received our bond back and raving about what a wonderful place our machiya was to Acco, it was bucketing down outside. In our innocence plans were revised to shopping in the covered arcades and Nishiki market downtown and catching an earlier train to Kanazawa. We shivered at the bus stop as it was too walk to wet and gratefully took cover in the arcades. Here is a pic of a kimono I took in a window en route from the bus stop.

Nishiki market was full of stalls selling weird and wonderful things. The eel stall in particular was so gross-what is it the eels are being stored in? but there were also some delicous bakery and other items.l

The market has been here for 400 years and some stall owners go back generations. We continued browsing Teramachi and Shin Kyogoku arcades

We went into the secondhand store “Chicago” that upstairs stocks a wonderful range of kimonos (the store was recommended by Acco and I forgot to take a pic). We weren’t really looking to buy but if you were they had an excellent range, some plainer ones on special from $20 up to $200 for some beautiful fabrics. The undergarment or juban were around $50 and would make pretty summer dressing gowns for home. They also had all of the accessories like obi sashes etc. Outside the rain kept torrenting down and we were cold and tired so headed to the station-which is a very cold, wet, windy place on a bad weather day.

First up we queued at the JR counter for around 40 minutes for tickets for the train only to be told that the next train would not be til 2.00. They usually ran every hour-this should have been a warning-as should have the really long queues! But we booked our tickets and were automatically given reserved seats so as it wasn’t much more I shrugged and we set off to find lunch. Some wet pictures taken from the windows of the Skywalk.

What was going to be our bed for the night if we had only known

The queues in the Cube and 11th floor Isetan were huge and though guidebooks call them a “food court” it’s just a group of cafes (varying Italian, Japanese noodles, etc) side by side where you queue and sit down inside, some quite expensive. We were in one of those moods where we didn’t fancy anything and couldn’t agree so ended up going down one floor to the ramen restaurants-also turned out to be several in a row but most had picture menus.

Of course after peering inside, the one we fancied only had part of the menu in pictures. Blithely we see advertised a lunchtime “set” deal-OK so after much stuffing about we work out the order of putting in coins, pushing buttons, choosing multiple serves and getting our tickets. Then we queue for a vacant seat. Not too long and the waiter comes to take our ticket and usher us inside-but wait-no, no-much head shaking and gesturing we work out we have ordered the lunchtime “extra” but not the main dish. Back to the machine-and a screed of Japanese-which one?? With pointing inside and more gestures he helps us order 3 bowls of ramen and in we go! The meal was excellent. I had gyoza as the “extra” and DD and DH fried rice.

As always a partly eaten pic-I had downed my gyoza already

To waste some more time we venture back to the station and discover a maze-like underground shopping mall with lots of alternate casual places to eat.

This was the post box

Back to the station-lets not get our bags out yet I say, just check (spider sense working over time-thank you). Our train is not showing on the boards but others are. Something that seems important is scrolling across underneath the boards but only in Japanese. There is no-one official around to ask so we queue at JR another 30 mins-the train has been cancelled due to bad weather, many trains have been cancelled including all the shinkasens, the 4pm rapid to Kanazawa might run, we can exchange our tickets for non-reserved for that time.

How to spend another two hours with nowhere to sit in a wet draughty station? We explore Isetan but our hearts aren’t in it and our legs are very tired, getting a bit panicky-should we cancel our prepaid Kanazawa hotel and find accommodation for tonight? or hope for the best?

Found some seats, obviously for bored husbands in the ladies wear section of Isetan and sit for a bit but it is incredibly hot and stuffy so do not last there long. Finally 3.30 and back in the station – trains are showing on the boards, no trains are arriving and there are masses of people and luggage everywhere. JR has queues out the door, that Japanese message is still scrolling and there is a noticeboard all in Japanese. Hey a brief message in English wouldn’t go astray guys? Please?

Luckily the station info desk is quiet and we pop across-all trains are cancelled since lunchtime-so why are they still on the boards? Hang on- as we move away the signs are finally updated. So its off to the Tourist Info Centre for advice on potential hotels for the night and an internet kiosk or café so we can let Kanazawa know but the info desk struggles to understand us. She points to the big Kyoto Tower Hotel across the road and gives us a map of the station area with an internet café marked across the street. We head out into exceedingly squally weather-can’t put the brollys up due to wind.

When we finally find it, the internet café speak no English, you have to join and everything is in Japanese. Where is a Macca’s or Starbucks when you need one? My trusty photocopied map shows a branch of our Kanazawa hotel chain nearby so we head there. They don’t have any vacancies but (this is after much writing and gesturing) they can ring Kanazawa and let them know our booking for this night only needs to be cancelled.

It is now cold and calm and sunny outside-no sign of the rain storms of the day (think Melbourne). No other hotels in the surrounding streets have any vacancies and with despair in our hearts we enter the Kyoto Tower Hotel-yes they have rooms-twice the price we paid for Kanazawa of course but by this stage we didn’t care! 10 mins later and we have somewhere warm and dry to collapse-and we get “free” entry to the Kyoto Tower thrown in. Now we can finally get our bags out of the locker (so thankful we didn’t have to lug luggage around with us all day). Over at the station is chaotic as even the trains out to Kansai Airport are cancelled.

We have a soothing cuppa, rest and around 7pm head up the tower for some pics of Kyoto at night-through rather raindropy windows but very pretty and they have free telescopic sights.

Looking west towards Kiyomizu

Looking north I think

Looking south I think

Looking west

The dreaded station

On the way down-Kyoto Tower dude

We got some simple take-away food (found a Starbucks and a Maccas of course now we didn't need the internet) and crossed over to JR (who are open til 11pm) and booked reserved seat tickets for the second train of the morning (8.30am)-if it is running they say and hit the sack early-but DD had to try out the yukata first.

Maybe we'll make it to Kanazawa tomorrow?

 

[PrincessInOz]

Sounds like an expensive cold and wet day. I'm glad you managed to get some accomodation to spend the night; and I hope you make it out the next day.

Unagi! Were the eels fresh or were they dried?

 

[Aussie Wendy]

You are on the ball! They weren't bucket-fresh if you know what I mean but didn't actually look dried - not like some I had seen though so sorry, not sure. What might the yellow goop they were keeping them in be?

 

[PrincessInOz]

You are on the ball! They weren't bucket-fresh if you know what I mean but didn't actually look dried - not like some I had seen though so sorry, not sure. What might the yellow goop they were keeping them in be?

I'm not sure. Maybe the preservative?

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Wed 4 April Kanazawa!!

The day dawned cold and fine without a breath of wind. DH ducked across to the station and reported no sign of the 7.30 train so with trepidation we checked out and headed across. By 8am lots of people were gathering, trains were zipping to and fro and it looked like all systems were go. We joined the crowd on the platform marked out for our reserved carriage and up pulled the train a few minutes late. But when the doors opened inside was jammed full of people-it starts from Osaka and everyone who missed the train the day before had obviously been allowed to fill the aisles. Undeterred we joined the throng forcing our way on board; DH struggling with the bag-lucky it was just one and DD and I had all the daypacks-being less assertive than us he was one of the last and I feared he’d be left behind. Conductors were running to and fro on the platform urging people through the windows to move down so people could get on.

Over the next hour people jostled their way and found their seats. Nobody much was sitting in the reserved seats-it would be better if they had then stood up when people came to claim them. We finally occupied ours, which were scattered across the carriage but luckily near the entry-I saw some seats stay empty as people couldn’t get to them. Certainly broke every OH&S law in the book; also very thankful we had bought reserved seats or we would never have got on. It turned out some carriages were parting company and going to another destination along the way-would have been scary if in non-reserved we had got stuck on one of them.

Out of the window we passed Lake Biwa sparkling blue with little villages along the shores and later hurtled past pine forests looking pretty iced in snow and snow-bound little villages. On the other side of the mountains it poured with rain. Kanazawa is a small city on the north west coast of Honshu. It was never bombed in WWII and still retains a lot of features of a castle-town. Under the control of the powerful Maeda clan since the 1580’s, its excellent rice production made it very wealthy and the area was renowned for the arts like lacquerware, porcelain, silk dyeing and gold leaf.

Kanazawa station was clean and modern though DD was excited she successfully navigated her first Japanese style loo-(knowing my incompetence I always managed to find western ones). The station was quite impressive-here’s some pics

The wording is made by little fountains

We hopped on a bus outside that took us to the downtown area of Katamachi and easily found our hotel, the APA Kanazawa Chuo where they had our booking. I was most impressed that though they said nothing when we were there, on our return they refunded the night we had to cancel in full into our bank account, despite the fact it was a 3-day earlybird no cancellation booking through Expedia. Check-in wasn’t ready (they are sticklers for 3pm in Japan) but we could dump our bags and head out to grab some much needed lunch and explore. There were plenty of places to eat nearby and hunger satisfied we set off first to see if we could get a booking to tour the “ninja” temple the next day. Our whole reason for visiting Kanazawa was because of a child’s book DD and I loved written by a local Brisbane author Kierin Meehan set in Kanazawa with mystical elements ('Hannah's Winter'-also another book with some of the same characters in it 'In the Monkey Forest). The ninja temple was featured in the book and I had since read trip reports on how fascinating people found it.

It’s not really a ninja temple –its proper name is Myoryu-ji-but back then the shogun wouldn’t allow the regional Lords to maintain a standing army on their borders and imposed strict regulations as a way of weakening their control. Kanazawa’s daimyo cleverly built a ring of temples around his city, really military outposts with soldiers as well as priests, so they could be mobilised if an attack occurred. This temple was built with lots of clever defence and escape routes in case of attack.

Anyway it wasn’t too far away across the Saigawa river in the Teramachi District, an area with the narrow winding streets typical of a Japanese castle town and lots of cute little temples. There was snow in some corners still, left over from the bad weather they had had in recent days and the wind was freezing! You could see the snow capped mountains that surround Kanazawa to the east, to the west it’s very near the sea.

When we finally found the temple (the tourist direction signs pointing not quite the right direction) it was closed to our disappointment with a sign of course in Japanese that we had no hope of understanding. We wandered back admiring some of the little temples .

A little temple we peeked into

More foxes

This one had a monk gardening but he ducked and hid behind the door when we snapped the pic!

We crossed the river again and headed into the Nagamachi District. This was the area once lived in by the samurai and still contains narrow lanes, yellow ochre, tile roofed earth walls, private timber gates and framed by 2 canals.

There is a restored (and partly moved from elsewhere) samurai house open to the public we went into-like a temple really with its prayer area (so finally could get a pic of a small one-typical other than in size, than ones we saw in temples), tatami flooring, painted fusuma (sliding doors) and views to the landscaped garden.

Nearby also were a couple of restored houses belonging to the ashigaru or foot soldiers, the lowest ranked soldiers in the samurai class. DD and I found it a bit disconcerting that the guide who kept an eye here kept laughing his head off at us-but we didn’t know why? The houses were quite big compared to what we expected-I guess compared to some of the English medieval lower class houses we have seen but they did show how austere their lives were.