A day in Kyoto

We decided we'd spend the day revisiting some of our favourite (less crowded) places in Kyoto from our 2016 trip. 

The beautiful Zen Buddhist Tofukuji Temple is only one stop from Kyoto Station on the JR line. In 2016 we visited this temple and the famous (but too crowded) Fushimi Inari with our Viatour guide - no need for that this time.

In 2016 I took a beautiful pic of Maxie standing on the Tsutenkyo Bridge - part of the beautiful Tofukuji Temple gardens. Thinking of her today as we crossed over the bridge (as always!!).

 We tried to find different parts of the temple today that we didn't see on our previous visit.

 But, are things changing in Japan? I can't imagine them allowing commercial enterprise like this in the temple grounds two years ago??

 On our return to Kyoto Station we walked about 3klm north up to Shijo-Omiya - Kyoto's downtown area and found another old favourite haunt - the extensive Nishiki Market.

 ...where Rob chose the lunch spot .. using the beer & udon noodle availability criteria.......

 I got to hang out in the famous Nomura Tailor (and wished I had an empty suitcase to take home more goodies!)

 .. and rewarded Rob with a matcha tea ice-cream from Tsujiri, the most famous sweet shop in Gion. This was, without doubt, the best ice cream we've had so far in Japan!

 It's easy to see we're approaching Hanami-joji ("blossom viewing lane") in Gion by the number of tourists appearing in their rented kimonos (very popular with Chinese visitors).

 We were rewarded with a glimpse of a Maiko in one of the Gion side streets during our visit this afternoon.

 But there are all sorts of other picture worthy sights in Gion .....

 A Nashi pear sighting ........

 We walked all the way back to our hotel from Gion - following the picturesque laneways bordering the Shirakawa canal. This beautiful building was constructed from charred off lengths of timber.

We walked over 19,000 steps today (!!!) so we thought we deserved another serving of our new favourite sweet: I think it is called dorayaki. Haruko taught me to order it in Japanese in both red bean and white bean paste versions - and Rob and I have developed a daily addiction which is proving hard to overcome granted there is a maker so close to us at the Isetan Food Hall at Kyoto Station!

Arashiyama, Kyoto

We'd not been to Arashiyama on our previous visit to Kyoto, so it was top on our list to see this time. It's  a small town on the Oi River, only a 20 minute JR trip, on the western outskirts of Kyoto. The Tenryu-ji temple in Arashiyama is one of the 14 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto and some say it is the leading Zen temple.

Arashiyama was crowded with tourists (the Kyoto factor!) today and we did not have a good feeling making our way with the rest of the hordes from the railway station to the entry to the temple site. 

But then, in passing, we saw this quirky little arrangement in someone's garden .......

 and this quirky feature too: the rail line passes through the town's walking streets, so guards are posted to make sure no one is run over at all the train crossings!

 We walked through the famous Arashiyama bamboo grove (along with thousands of other people) - we're so glad we saw the wild versions on Kyushu last week .......

 ... and then into the Tenryu-ji temple complex. It was very difficult to photograph any of the temple buildings without people crowding in the way. I did OK with this one .....

 and these .....

But the gardens were the biggest attraction for me ... designed in the 1300s, they are still in their original form, unlike the buildings which have had to be rebuilt (after fires etc) over the centuries. The gardens looked luminous today in this beautiful sunny weather.

 No detail is too small to overlook in the maintenance of these gardens (weeding the moss) .......

 Spamming beauty .................

 and then we noticed these young boys dusting and oiling the timber work on the temple hall. Are they volunteers? novice monks???

 We walked further north then until we found the Jojakko-ji temple, a small, more secluded temple on the side of Mt Kokura. It was built at the end of the 16th century.

 This bell ringer held me spellbound for quite a while - the sound was mesmerising in this peaceful setting.

 More garden spam .............

 There were great views back to Kyoto city from the highest point of the temple grounds.

 I loved the "modern" style of this pagoda (built in the 17th century).

 I loved this small temple. 

 After a reviving cup of matcha tea (and cake) we walked back down the crowded and touristy main street of Arishiyama - waiting at the train crossing when required .............

 and admiring the scenery where we could ........

Such a touristy area ..............

 Until we reached the famous Togetsu-kyo bridge, a city landmark for over 400 years. 

 Although there is much more to see and do in Arashimiya we'd been walking 12,000 steps for over four hours (a lot of climbing too) so we called it a day around 3pm and caught the train back to Kyoto for a late late lunch at one of the casual eateries at the railway station.