Day 2 of Xiaopang Piggy's Japan Trip in 2009
After breakfast, we checked out our luggage, boarded the bus, and headed to Kyoto. It was a drive of over an hour; unfortunately, we couldn't take the Shinkansen, but thinking that we could at least enjoy the roadside scenery along the highway, it was a fair trade-off!
Kyoto Prefecture, a first-level administrative division of Japan, is one of the prefectures in the Kansai region. Its capital is Kyoto City (Kyouto), and together with Osaka and Kobe, it forms the "Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area." Tourism is highly developed, with many historical sites and ancient artifacts. There are numerous shrines (jinja enshrine gods, while shrines for heroes are called by different names) and temples; according to the guide, there are several hundred temples.
Kyoto's industry is primarily textile manufacturing, making it the largest textile industrial center and textile distribution hub in Japan. Other industries include food processing, electrical machinery manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. Kyoto's dyed goods, Kyo lacquerware, Kyo fans, Kyo Buddhist statues, ceramics, and wooden dolls are also famous traditional crafts.
First, we visited Arashiyama, located in the western suburbs of Kyoto. Arashiyama is a famous scenic area in Kyoto, known as "the number one scenic spot in Kyoto." The Oi River flows gently at the foot of Arashiyama, with crystal-clear water so transparent you can see the bottom.
On both sides of the river, the mountains are covered with lush green pines and cypresses, while below are bamboo groves and farmhouses. After a light rain, a thin mist drifts and curls around the peak of Arashiyama, giving the mountain its name. Many Chinese visitors come here to pay homage to the Zhou Enlai poetry monument. This monument was erected in October 1978 to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, funded spontaneously by a dozen Japanese friendship groups. The stone monument is engraved with a poem written by Zhou Enlai on April 5, 1919, when he visited Arashiyama, titled "Arashiyama in the Rain — Kyoto, Japan," in calligraphy by Liao Chengzhi.
Matcha ice cream is widely available in the Arashiyama area, costing 250-300 yen each. It tastes great, but it melts easily in this weather, so you need to eat it quickly.
Next, we went to Heian Shrine. Built in 1895 (Meiji 28) to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the relocation of Japan's ancient capital to Heian-kyo, it is a scaled-down reconstruction of the original Heian Palace's court hall. It is in full bloom with flowers all year round, with charming autumn leaves, making it a must-visit spot in Kyoto. One of Kyoto's three major festivals, the "Jidai Matsuri" (Festival of the Ages), is held here on October 22 every year.
Before entering the shrine, the guide instructed us on how to wash hands at the water basin in front of the temple: use a ladle to scoop some water, first wash your left hand (of course, the water used for washing should not flow back into the basin), then change hands and wash your right hand. After washing, scoop some water, pour it into your hand, and drink it. This completes the hand washing and mouth rinsing. Finally, scoop some more water to rinse the ladle for the next person's use.
Entering the inner courtyard of the shrine, under the cherry blossom trees on both sides, there are small racks with ema (votive tablets) hung by Japanese visitors who come here to pray. They write their wishes and names on the tablets, asking the gods to bless them and ward off disasters. In the main hall, you can also draw an omikuji (fortune slip) for 100 yen. If you draw "Daikichi" (great fortune), you are expected to return to the temple the following year to fulfill the vow. So it's better for tourists not to pray to gods or Buddhas in Japan, as it would be troublesome not to be able to fulfill the vow.
Behind the main hall is the Heian Shrine's garden, which requires an admission fee to enter. In front, a wish tree is covered with small paper slips for prayers.
Our next stop was Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the oldest temple in Kyoto. The current structure was rebuilt in 1633 by Tokugawa Iemitsu using the original construction techniques. Together with Kinkaku-ji Temple and Nijo Castle, it is one of the three major landmarks of Kyoto, and it is also a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves and cherry blossoms.
Behind Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a well-known shrine, Jishu Shrine, which is very popular among Japanese people seeking love and marriage. Jishu Shrine has a pair of famous stones called "love divination stones," about 10 meters apart. It is said that if you can walk from one stone to the other with your eyes closed and touch the opposite stone, your love will come true. If you deviate, you may face difficulties. Those who believe should not try it.
The main hall of Kiyomizu-dera, the Kiyomizu Stage, is a wooden structure built entirely without a single nail.
The temple is named after the clear water (kiyomizu) from the Otowa Waterfall on its grounds. The waterfall has a clear, cold stream that flows year-round without stopping, and it is listed as one of Japan's top ten springs. Following the stone steps from the main hall down to the Otowa Waterfall, the spring is divided into three streams, representing longevity, health, and wisdom, respectively, and is believed to possess mystical powers. Visitors passing by will surely take a drink, said to prevent diseases and misfortunes.
At almost every large temple, there are monks begging for alms.
In front of Kiyomizu-dera are Kiyomizu-zaka, Ninen-zaka, and Sannen-zaka. "Zaka" in Japanese means slope. Now, due to tourism development and commercialization, they are packed with shops. This somewhat altered tradition benefits tourists, allowing them to enjoy Japanese culture while satisfying their appetites and buying unique Japanese trinkets.
As it was close to the Obon Festival, more Japanese women in yukata (light cotton kimono) started appearing on the streets. Yukata is a single layer, while kimono has two layers.
Afterwards, we drove for over two hours to reach the next stop, Nagoya, mainly to rest at the Sakae Tokyu Inn Hotel.
Nagoya (Nagoya) is the capital of Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, the fourth-largest city after Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama. Its specialties include ceramics, kimono, and matcha.
Nagoya's Naka Ward is the liveliest area, likely a transportation hub from the subway map, similar to People's Square in Shanghai. Like in Shanghai, there are many shops on the subway level, including those selling matcha powder. Based on the grade, the prices are quite high; the price list shows the cost for 40g. After struggling to communicate with the salesgirl, I ended up buying two packs of cheap green tea. Strangely enough, it could be brewed with ice water and tasted good.
Japan's subway system is very developed, with many passengers, but the ticket gates do not block entry.
Japanese people have a serious Ferris wheel complex; every large city we visited had one, and Nagoya is no exception.
