Japan Travel: Scenic Streets of Gion and a Sake Bar

April 19, 2016 by 6 Comments

When I travel to other countries, one of my fun activities I like to do is wander in neighborhoods, just observing the atmosphere and the differences in the buildings, the streets, in the people passing through the streets with me, peering into restaurants and stores (browsing is free, it’s the shopping that gets you!). The Gion area in Kyoto is an area famous for its historic wooden buildings and neighborhoods from the Edo period (1603–1867), so the scenic streets of Gion are a great place to walk around

Gion is also a famous entertainment districts that is full of teahouses and restaurants and bars, traditional performing arts, and is one of a few places you may see a geisha. In the morning, these old fashioned streets of Gion are quiet and are the best time to take photos that capture the wood. Then as it gets later in the day and the dining destinations get open for the evening, the lanterns get lit, and it gets very busy with people hoping to glimpse a geisha on her way to an evening appointment.

Hanamikoji Dori

What we are looking for is Hanamikoji Dori, the second the street on the right side if you are facing east walking away from the river on Shijo Dori.  It’s a street with lovely wooden machiya merchant houses:

Sign on Hanami-koji Street in Gion Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street Walking the streets of Gion in Kyoto during the day - Hanamikoji Dori, the geisha district of on Hanamikoji Street

Don’t be fooled at how traditional and quiet this is because as soon as it’s evening… this was much later after the dinner hour so not as bad as when the streets were literally filled with cars and people trying to make way for each other (there aren’t any marked sidewalks) on their way to dinner. Notice all the lit red lanterns.
"Gion Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street Gion at Night - this is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko: this street specifically is Hanami-koji Street

Shirakawa Area

Go back across Shijo Dori and head 3 blocks north, turning left on Shinbashi Dori. Here in the Shirakawa Area – follow the street just along the small river here – there’s a interesting juxtaposition of the old fashioned wooden machiya houses here and the modern urban street poles and wires.
More walking around towards another scenic part of Gion, the Shirakawa Area - there More walking around towards another scenic part of Gion, the Shirakawa Area - there's a interesting juxtaposition of the old fashioned preserved machiya houses here and the modern urban street poles and wires More walking around towards another scenic part of Gion, the Shirakawa Area - there's a interesting juxtaposition of the old fashioned preserved machiya houses here and the modern urban street poles and wires More walking around towards another scenic part of Gion, the Shirakawa Area - there's a interesting juxtaposition of the old fashioned preserved machiya houses here and the modern urban street poles and wires

The canal is lined by willow trees, high class restaurants and ochaya, many of which have rooms overlooking the canal. It’s interesting here because we can look into the room like it’s an exhibit as people enjoy dinners in private rooms with complete and no privacy.
Another scenic part of Gion is the Shirakawa Area which runs along the Shirakawa Canal parallel to Shijo Avenue. The canal is lined by willow trees, high class restaurants and ochaya, many of which have rooms overlooking the canal. It's interesting here because we can look into the room like it's an exhibit...

Now here’s a look when we walked by in the morning. Lonely Planet opines is “one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.” It’s December so we’ll just have to imagine the cherry blossoms
Walking in Gion during the day - this is is Shimbashi (sometimes called Shirakawa Minami-dōri), which Lonely Planet opines is 'one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.' Of course now, the cherry blossom trees are completely empty branches Walking in Gion during the day - this is is Shimbashi (sometimes called Shirakawa Minami-dōri), which Lonely Planet opines is 'one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.' Of course now, the cherry blossom trees are completely empty branches Walking in Gion during the day - this is is Shimbashi (sometimes called Shirakawa Minami-dōri), which Lonely Planet opines is 'one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.' Of course now, the cherry blossom trees are completely empty branches Walking in Gion during the day - this is is Shimbashi (sometimes called Shirakawa Minami-dōri), which Lonely Planet opines is 'one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.' Of course now, the cherry blossom trees are completely empty branches Walking in Gion during the day - this is is Shimbashi (sometimes called Shirakawa Minami-dōri), which Lonely Planet opines is 'one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.' Of course now, the cherry blossom trees are completely empty branches Walking in Gion during the day - this is is Shimbashi (sometimes called Shirakawa Minami-dōri), which Lonely Planet opines is 'one of Kyoto’s most beautiful streets and, arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry-blossom season.' Of course now, the cherry blossom trees are completely empty branches

Ishibei-koji Lane

My vote for most scenic street that is like a step back in time is the short walk along  Ishibei-koji Lane, located just by Kodaji Temple that I had covered previously. At only 200 meters it’s short and more like an alley than a street, but Lonely Planet also dubs this too “perhaps the most beautiful street in Kyoto” and Inside Kyoto called Kyoto’s most atmospheric pedestrian-only walkway. There is no sign for this, so prepare to orient yourself using GPS.
In the morning, these old fashioned streets in Gion, Kyoto are quiet. We are walking along Ishibei-koji Lane, what Inside Kyoto called Kyoto’s most atmospheric pedestrian-only walkway and Lonely Planet calls 'perhaps the most beautiful street in Kyoto' In the morning, these old fashioned streets in Gion, Kyoto are quiet. We are walking along Ishibei-koji Lane, what Inside Kyoto called Kyoto’s most atmospheric pedestrian-only walkway and Lonely Planet calls 'perhaps the most beautiful street in Kyoto' In the morning, these old fashioned streets in Gion, Kyoto are quiet. We are walking along Ishibei-koji Lane, what Inside Kyoto called Kyoto’s most atmospheric pedestrian-only walkway and Lonely Planet calls 'perhaps the most beautiful street in Kyoto' In the morning, these old fashioned streets in Gion, Kyoto are quiet. We are walking along Ishibei-koji Lane, what Inside Kyoto called Kyoto’s most atmospheric pedestrian-only walkway and Lonely Planet calls 'perhaps the most beautiful street in Kyoto'

These wooden machiya townhouses are rapidly disappearing from Kyoto, having had the good fortune to survive World War II (new machiya are prohibited from being built now, leaving only restoration) but now the difficult and expensive maintainace means many are being demolished in favor of modern buildings. I highly recommend when in Kyoto taking a walk in at least one of the above streets to get a feel of being a pedestrian in Kyoto a hundred or do years ago. For a more in depth experience, Iori, a company founded by a traditional culture advocate, rents multiple machiya for guests to stay.

Jam Hostel’s Sake Bar

Not far from the Shirakawa area and Gion – Shijo station is this recommended bar from the owner of Beer Komachi – Jam Hostel’s Sake Bar. This is why I love asking local industry people their recommendations: its location in a hostel meant I probably would have overlooked it. But she sent us to this location reassuring it was well worth it for us even if it also serving as a hostel was unusual. Boy was she right. The menu was probably a dozen pages long full of sake options to order individually, as well as offering flights and it could be served cold or hot. There were flights that were dedicated to being local to Kyoto as well as a few other prefectures including the owner’s home region of Niigata.

. Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sakeJam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake

This was my very favorite sake of the night, and pretty much ever – Kaisyun / Shimane Kimoto and wooden barrel aged sake. The owner tried to warn us that it was very strong, but we convinced him we were up to the task. I was pretty surprised when it poured so dark and thick, almost like a balsamic vinegar – but it was so full of thick flavors that swirled and changed on the tongue that I was in love.
Jam Hostel's Sake Bar has an extensive selection of sake, and you can purchase flights or get small pours of a wide variety of sake. This was my very favorite sake of the night, and pretty much ever - Kaisyun / Shimane Kimoto and wooden barrel aged sake

I have no idea where or how to get this type of sake here in Portland. But, if you are interested in sampling sake, there is in June the annual Sake Fest that you might want to consider where you can taste sake for hours and learn!

These stops in today’s post could be done together in a circle. We actually stayed at an Air BnB close by which I picked specifically to near Gion because I wanted to be in easy walking distance to great food and drink, so it was easy to visit all these locations by night and day. It’s my usual modus operandi when picking a place to stay: map out the things I want to eat and drink and stay nearby the food!

If you are going to do a walking tour and not staying in the area, you will probably arrive via Keihan Main line at Gion – Shijo Station and you should proceed first with Hanamikoji Dori, then Ishibei Koji, then circle back to the Shirakawa Area and finish at the Sake Bar – and you could combine this once you get towards Ishibei Koji with some of the Kyoto Temples and Shrines I wrote about earlier as they are nearby.

Alternatively if you are on the east side towards Yasaka Shine, go to Ishibei Koji first, then walk west towards the river to Hanamikoji Dori and the Shirakawa area then the Sake Bar to finish at the Gion – Shijo station is just to the east side of the river.

Do you have a favorite walking neighborhood from your travels, where is it? How crazy is that sign about not harassing the geishas at the beginning of this post?

This concludes my Travel Tuesday posts about Kyoto – we only stayed in the city for 3 days. So next we’ll shift from historical to modern as we go to Osaka next week!

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel: Kyoto Famous Sights

April 12, 2016 by 7 Comments

We only spent 3 days in Kyoto, but I scheduled a lot of sights to see in that time. There was a lot more than I wished I could have seen done, and probably if I return on a leisure trip to Japan again, I would fly directly into Kyoto instead of Tokyo. If you go to Japan, do not just stay in Tokyo – I strongly urge you to include Kyoto as The Kyoto famous sights probably embody are all the traditional ideas of Japan you think of.

In previous Travel Tuesday posts I’ve already covered seeing on a one day walk the temples and shrines near the Higashimaya District, and also then those in the Arashiyama area. There are also a few other Kyoto famous sights that we visited that don’t fit well location wise in a continuous neighborhood walking tour, but I think are extremely worthy to visit and are emblems of Kyoto. Here are 2 more of the most famous of things to see in Kyoto, and are pretty famous sights for Japan in general… Which one do you prefer?

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

There are two things to look out for when you visit Kinkakuji, also known as the Golden Pavilion. One of them is pretty obvious, and one is not. Do not confuse Kinkakuji with Ginkakuji – Ginkakuji is the Silver Pavilion (which is not silver at all).

The obvious: everyone comes here for the famous shiny gold of the Golden Pavilion which is one of the most famous sights of Kyoto and Japan. We go through a gate and suddenly BAM! This is the view – the famous main pavilion is covered in gold leaf and shimmers in front of yoko-chi (Mirror Pond). This pavilion and pond take up 93,000 of the 132,000 square meter temple grounds so I guess coming across it so quickly is unavoidable. The garden is designed to provide variations of views as the stones and trees have unusual shapes and change the landscape based on the angle while walking around Mirror Pond.
We go through a gate and suddenly BAM this is the view - the famous main pavilion is covered in gold leaf and shimmers in front of a pond - Kyoko-chi (Mirror Pond) at Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto. This pavilion and pond take up 93,000 of the 132,000 square meter temple grounds <At Kinkakuji Temple, the trees and stones have unusual shapes as the garden is designed to provide a view of different scenes while walking around this Mirror Pond.

You are not allowed to enter the Golden Pavilion itself, but you can see a bit inside the first floor where the windows are open that there are statues of Statues of the Shaka Buddha (historical Buddha) and shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. This was the shogon’s retirement villa until his death when he willed it to become a temple.
You are not allowed to enter the Golden Pavilion itself, but you can see a bit inside the first floor where the windows are open that there are statues of Statues of the Shaka Buddha (historical Buddha) and Yoshimitsu. No, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu this was the retirement villa until his death when he willed it to become a temple, not the Yoshimitsu fighter in Tekken or Soul Calibur. Kinkakuji was built to echo the extravagant Kitayama culture that developed in the wealthy aristocratic circles of Kyoto during Yoshimitsu's times. Each floor represents a different style of architecture. The first floor is built in the Shinden style used for palace buildings during the Heian Period, and with its natural wood pillars and white plaster walls. The second floor is built in the Bukke style used in samurai residences, and has its exterior completely covered in gold leaf. Finally, the third and uppermost floor is built in the style of a Chinese Zen Hall, is gilded inside and out. Then the building is capped with a golden phoenix.

The non-obvious: Check out the details of the buildings besides that of the Golden Pavilion – everyone was rushing to get there for their photo op and missing out on the various ways Yoshimitsu incorporated Chinese elements.
Lots of roof detail - other buildings on the grounds of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto Peach on part of the roof detail - on the grounds of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto

Particularly, the Guardian Lions that are all over Kinkakuji are great. There are multiple variations of them, so keep a look out for them on various rooftops and gates in their different poses that clearly embrace the cat side.
The Guardian Lions at the entrance gate roofs of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto Seems like a natural position to me for a Guardian Lion - spotted on the roof of a gate on the grounds of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto The Guardian Lion at the gate roofs of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto have a variety of great poses that are a bit humorous The Guardian Lions on the gate roofs of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto have a variety of great poses that are a bit humorous The Guardian Lion on gate roofs of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto have a variety of great poses that are a bit humorous

Also, just outside the exit there is a little tea garden where you can enjoy matcha tea and a little gold flaked tea snack. Past that just outside the temple there are other stands with gold flaked food if you are looking to eat more gold.
"We We stopped to enjoy tea and a tea snack just outside the gates of Kinkakuji. The tea snack had a gold flake on it, and you can make out the outline of 2 mountains in the back and the main hall in the bottom right

Fushimi Inari Shrine

The Fushimi Inari Shrine is one the most famous symbols of Japan. It’s a shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto guide of rice, and Shinto’s messengers the kitsune (fox spirits). This is the location of the thousands of Torii Gates you usually see in photos winding on trails through the woods and up a small mountain.

When you first encounter the gates be prepared for the crush of people unless you come very early or at dusk/later as everyone first walks through the single main trail.
Beginning of the thousands of Torii Gates at Fushimi Inari shrine, which shortly will turn into with two dense, parallel rows of gates called Senbon Torii (

Then, it breaks out into two parallel paths, one going up and one going down, thick with smaller gates.
Beginning of the thousands of Torii Gates at Fushimi Inari shrine, which shortly will turn into with two dense, parallel rows of gates called Senbon Torii (thousands of torii gates)

As you go farther and farther up, the crowds will start to thin out so you can start to enjoy the details.
Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate.

The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator’s name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. Supposedly the cost starts around 400,000 yen for a small sized gate and increases to over one million yen for a large gate.
Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate.

You can go all the way up Mount Inari, or turn around at any time. The trail span 4 kilometers and takes approximately 2 hours to walk up to the top. The view at the top is not too spectacular, so we only went partway before turning around so that we could visit another area (in this case we did a half day in Arashiyama immediately after this with lunch at Tenryuji Temple). Alternatively, Tofukuji Temple is not too far away from Fushimi Inari. Both Tenryuji and Tofukuji are temples for the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, so I didn’t feel bad skipping out on Tofukuji to to go Tenryuji instead since it offered the extra of the Buddhist Vegetarian Lunch.
Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. Fushimi Inari Shrine, the famous path of red Torii Gates. The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator's name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate.

Partway up towards Mount Inari you will find some of the kitsune shrines which I recommend stopping to admire, some of the smaller shrines will have stacks of miniature torii gates donated by visitors with smaller budgets.
Along the way of the Torii Gate covered path at Fushimi Inari, there are multiple smaller shrines with stacks of miniature torii gates that were donated by visitors with smaller budgets. Along the way of the Torii Gate covered path at Fushimi Inari, there are multiple smaller shrines with stacks of miniature torii gates that were donated by visitors with smaller budgets.

In the shops outside the shrine we found lots of fox souvenirs, as well as oddly, a lot of grilled quail and one stand focused on unagi (eel). At a restaurant by Fushimi Inari Shrine we felt compelled to get some Inari Sushi which features pieces of aburaage (fried tofu), said to be a favorite food of foxes. Inarizushi is a simple and inexpensive type of sushi, in which sushi rice is filled into aburaage bags.
Food around the outside of Fushimi Inari Shrine - Grilled Quail on skewers Food around the outside of Fushimi Inari Shrine - Eel (Unagi) Lots of fox items to purchase at Fushimi Inari Shrine at the shops just outside at a restaurant by Fushimi Inari Shrine we felt compelled to get some Inari Sushi which features pieces of aburaage (fried tofu), said to be a favorite food of foxes. Inarizushi is a simple and inexpensive type of sushi, in which sushi rice is filled into aburaage bags

Fushimi Inari Shrine is open 24 hours, and is much more quiet and atmospheric when combined with dawn or dusk and just lit by its lanterns.

Have you seen or heard of Kinkajuji Temple and Fushimi Inari Shrine before? Which would you visit?

In my next (and last) post on Kyoto I want to show you the streets of Gion (including what Lonely Planet calls the most beautiful street in Japan), and recommend a sake bar. Then, my Travel Tuesday posts will take us off to Osaka!

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel: Kyoto Tofu

April 5, 2016 by 11 Comments

For Travel Tuesday in Japan this time, I want to take a break from the sightseeing and let’s talk about some Kyoto food! As I mentioned, Kyoto served as the capital for Japan for about 1000 years, so has a culinary lineage that includes royalty and imperial court, as well as the base for literally thousands of temples and shrines in the area. Famous kinds of foodie goals to seek out while in Kyoto include

  • Kaiseki, elaborate haute multi-course traditional Japanese dinners
  • Shojin Ryori, Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cuisine
  • Tofu
  • Sake

I have already shared with you how I enjoyed a kaiseki dinner and breakfast when I stayed at a ryokan by Mount Fuji. You can see a great breakdown of what are the kinds of foods you would see in a kaiseki here at Japan Guide and Japan Talk.

And I showed you a Zen vegetarian shojin ryori lunch at Shigetsu restaurant at Tenryu-ji Temple at Arashiyama.

But, did you also know that the waters in Kyoto are reknown for how clear and pure its waters are, and some byproducts of utilizing that perfect water are Tofu and Sake? In fact, Tofu is considered a local specialty in Kyoto, might be considered the best in Japan, and is popular enough to be Tofu Ryori (“tofu cuisine”).

Tofu is everywhere – and it’s really tasty. I discovered I’m in love with yuba (tofu skin). In fact the common availability of Kyoto tofu is one of the reasons F found Kyoto to be his favorite destination of all the places we visited in Japan during our 2 week trip. If you are vegetarian, even vegan, you are going to get along well in Kyoto.

Yudofu

During our visits to Kyoto temples and shrines, we stopped at a restaurant just below stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall’s 3 streams for a late breakfast and fueling of Yudofu. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce (you can see the sauce container is placed in part of the yudofu wooden bath). Simple perfection.

It’s hard to describe what it could be comparable to –  the tofu is solid but soft, almost the texture of big dumplings in being solid yet soft, and absorbing the flavors in the bowl while offering its own clean freshness.
Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce

Tofu with Beer

We went to a craft beer bar called Beer Komachi that along with their local Kyoto and Japanese brews and a few imports also offered an izakaya food menu that included vegetarian friendly options including tofu options of Tofu Pizza (which F ordered twice during our visit it was so good). I was taken aback how how great Yuba soy milk skin goes with beer,  and it’s fresh creaminess was surprisingly reminiscent of burrata!
Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto At Beer Komachi in Kyoto offering craft beer and craft food, Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food along with craft beers in Kyoto. The chef has a very small kitchen to work from of only a stove, deep fryer, oven, and toaster oven but puts out lots of options from the kitchen The Deep Fried Tofu Pizza at Beer Komachi, Kyoto, so good that Fred ordered a second one shortly after finishing the first order Kyoto's Yuba Soy Milk Skin - at Beer Komachi. I really liked this dish, and it goes really well with beer

Tofu Kaiseki at Tousuiro

There is one restaurant that specializes in Tofu Kaiseki in Kyoto called Tousuiro – it has two locations, and it turns out the one in Gion was essentially just a block away from our AirBnB. So I had F ask a colleague who can speak Japanese to call and make a reservation for us, ensuring that at least his dinner would really be completely vegetarian  – my version could include seafood. Here’s a look at our experience to Tousuiro

Outside of Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant Outside of Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant

We ordered local Kyoto sake to enjoy with our dinner.
Sake - first bottle we ordered at Tousuiro of a local sake Sake - second bottle we ordered at Tousuiro of a local sake

When we arrived, we removed our shoes and were seated at a chef’s bar that thankfully had sunken seating (Zashiki) so although we were on the floor I didn’t have to sit awkwardly in my dress and could stretch my legs in the sunken floor. Sitting at the bar meant we got to watch the chef prepare everything, though we didn’t really talk because I don’t think he spoke much English. Our only communications was to express with gestures how beautiful and delicious everything we had was.

Even looking back at these photos, I am a little teary eyed at how achingly exquisite this meal was. I didn’t want to be obnoxious with my camera so was trying to take them quickly and also eat at a good pace as I think we were among the last seating for the evening. But I hated destroying by eating the stunning art before me, even though I knew that was its purpose. Ha such mixed feelings…

First course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first courseTousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course

Second Course

Yudofu. We ate the same thing, but had different sauces to add to the tofu. The chef said we could get this refilled as many times as we wanted. We had him refill it once, but were afraid to do any more or we wouldn’t be able to eat the other courses though we didn’t know what was coming yet…
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. The Yudofu here is sublime and supreme Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. The Yudofu here is sublime and supreme

Third Course

Soup- my version that can include seafood, and his that is completely vegetarian. I think his was better.
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the soup course

Fourth Course

I had been tortured by the scent of the chargrilled tofu for a while, and was so stoked when it finally arrived. His version didn’t have the shrimp on the plate but was otherwise the same. It was sooo good, one of my top two favorite dishes of the night with the smoky sweetness from the grill and miso sauce that has carmelized.
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This chargrilled tofu skewer was one of my favorite of the night with its smoky sweetness, the vegetarian version doesn't have the shrimp on the plate obviously

Fifth Course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the fifth course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the fifth course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the fifth course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the fifth course

Sixth Course

I always love how gorgeous and elegant the bowls are and then the surprise when you open it to reveal what’s inside! This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the sixth course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the sixth course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the sixth course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the sixth course

Seventh Course

I was super jealous of his vegetarian course with the yuba.
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the 7th course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the 7th course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the 7th course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the 7th course

Eighth Course

Dessert!
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessertTousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert

 

If you think you don’t like tofu – I would suggest that perhaps you haven’t really tried high quality, fresh tofu yet. The difference between the tofu that I made faces at when I first started dating F and was trying to figure out which plastic packaged in water kind to get at Whole Foods and how now I mainly get my fresh tofu at Bui Tofu (best tofu in Portland I think) is vast – sort of like the difference between frozen microwavable burgers and the best burgers in town like at Toro Bravo or Little Bird (my current faves). It’s like American cheese vs real aged cheeses.

There are many preparations of tofu out there – some almost disguise it such as in Chinese MaPo Tofu or Korean SoonDuBu Jjigae with so much spice. What I really love about the Japanese treatments you see here is that they keep it simple and let you really taste the tofu’s clean flavors that can be creamy like with yuba, smokey and sweet like with the grilled skewers, silky yet firm like in yudofo, or solid enough to be a vehicle for toppings with tofu pizza. You just have to find what fits you.

I would go to Kyoto again in a heartbeat, and definitely seek out tofu again. Did any of these dishes intrigue you, would you try any of them? Did you know tofu was such a specialty in Kyoto?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel: Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama

March 29, 2016 by 5 Comments

Last week I walked through how we walked the 2 miles through some of the most famous temples and shrines in Southeast Kyoto. Today, I’m going to share another day that we walked through visiting temples in Kyoto, but this time in the Arashiyama area. You can spend a whole day in this area because there are plenty of sights, but we only spent a half day (I’ll go through the first half of this day, which was at the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine, in a future post). I feel like the Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama are a must see, even if they don’t have the same level of reknown. That is because unlike the famous temples, these in Arashiyama are much more introspective and don’t have the crowds. It feels like a more authentic visit to a temple that has beauty, history, as well as timeless non-specific spirituality, whatever your beliefs may be.

Arashiyama is farther out west from the city center, which means it will likely take about 30 minutes by transit. The main street is busy and touristy, centered by the the famous Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryuji Temple, and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Tenryu-ji Temple

Tenryuji Temple is considered one of Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, and is a world heritage site. The curved gable roof of this wood and plaster Temple Living Quarters is one of the most commonly photographed of Tenryuji’s buildings and is a something of a symbol for the temple itself. The temple is also known for its garden that includes integration of water (both with real water with the koi and as represented by arranged white sand in wave pattterns), rock, sky and mountains.

Tenryuji Temple was built in 1339 but the temple buildings were repeatedly lost in fires and wars over the centuries, so most of the current halls date from the relatively recent Meiji Period (1868-1912). Unlike the temple buildings, Tenryuji’s garden survived the centuries in its original form. I don’t know how original the giant koi here are though…
Tenryuji Temple as built in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji. This is the roof of the Kuri (Temple Living Quarters) is one of the major buildings traditionally counted among the seven halls (shichido garan) that constitute the ideal Zen monastic compound. Tenryu-ji's Kuri presently houses the temple's main kitchen and administrative offices. With its high, gently curving gable roof framing a half-timbered, white-plastered facade, the Kuri is the most commonly photographed of Tenryu-ji's buildings and has become something of a symbol for the temple itself Tenryuji Temple was built in 1339 but the temple buildings were repeatedly lost in fires and wars over the centuries, so most of the current halls date from the relatively recent Meiji Period (1868-1912). Unlike the temple buildings, Tenryuji's garden survived the centuries in its original form. I don't know how original the giant koi here are though... Tenryuji Temple as built in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji. Takauji dedicated the temple to Emperor Go-Daigo, who had just passed away. The two important historic figures used to be allies until Takauji turned against the emperor in a struggle for supremacy over Japan. By building the temple, Takauji intended to appease the former emperor's spirits. The Kairo (covered colonnade) at Tenryuji Temple, Kyoto

Also located at Tenryuji is a Zen Vegetarian restaurant called Shigetsu, where we enjoyed traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine also known as shojin-ryori. After paying you remove your shoes because inside are all wooden hallways and inside the rooms are tatami mat floors.
Entrance to Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant serving traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisines, also known as shojin-ryori. After you enter, you remove your shoes because inside are tatami mat floors as you'll soon see. This building is also known as Ryumontei (Dragon Gate Pavillion). Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant serving traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisines, also known as shojin-ryori. Heading to eat kneeling in silence in a common room as the monks do... I wouldn't say we were silent but we were very very quiet.

You head into a common room to eat kneeling as the monks do. I wouldn’t say we were silent but we were very quiet, whispering in our small parties. Each person sat side by side so you didn’t even look at them directly when dining. This is so different from normal eating in the US where as we kneeled eating silently, we were forced to focus on the presentation and subtle flavors before us and nothing else, without the distraction of conversation or anyone else moving or making noise around us.

Red lacquer is used extensively to show off the good presentation. We got the Yuki (Snow) set ¥3,000 that includes rice, soup, and five side dishes – these first two photos are not the entire set, as the soup came after the first tray, and then there was an additional dessert tray.
Red lacquer is used extensively to show off the food at Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant serving traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisines, also known as shojin-ryori. This is not all the dishes- there are more coming, as we found out... though I guess we should not have been surprised since we got the Yuki (Snow) set ¥3,000 that includes Rice, soup, and five side dishes Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant serving traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisines, also known as shojin-ryori. The word shojin generally means Buddhist vegetarian in Japan but originally meant 'zeal in progressing along the path to salvation.'

On that center dish, in the back is is yuba, or tofu skin and to the left the rectangle is Nama-fu or wheat gluten. The vegetables are pea pods and a mushroom. To the upper right, the tofu had the sauce at the bottom and its made with sesame not soy. All the dishes were focused on highlighting simple but local and fresh ingredients while also balancing hot and cold, sweet, sour, savory, salty, and a bit of bitter, as well as different textures.
Details of one of the dishes as part of our set of shojin-ryori lunch at Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant. In the back is is yuba, or tofu skin and to the left the rectangle is Nama-fu or wheat gluten. The vegetables are pea pods and a mushroom. Details of one of the dishes as part of our set of shojin-ryori lunch at Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant. This tofu had the sauce at the bottom and its made with sesame not soy Details of one of the dishes as part of our set of shojin-ryori lunch at Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant. Details of one of the dishes as part of our set of shojin-ryori lunch at Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant. Details of one of the dishes as part of our set of shojin-ryori lunch at Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant. The last dish - dessert - of our set of shojin-ryori, our Buddhist vegetarian lunch at Shigetsu: Tenryu-ji's Zen Vegetarian Restaurant

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

After exiting the north entrance of Tenryuji Temple, you will then be able to walk through the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. The way the light filtered through the bamboo, the sounds and the sight of the woods swishing when it swayed from the wind was something you can’t capture in photos, though it is really picturesque.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

Then, as you walk north from the bamboo groves, you enter a more rural area. There were even times I kept double checking my Custom Google Map as all the people around us thinned out. There were times during our 30 minute walk it was just us walking along an empty path, with nothing on the sides but homes or fields, and at one point old fashioned wooden storefronts along the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street in the style of the Meiji period. You can imagine yourself stepping into the same small town and countryside that you see set in Studio Ghibli movies.

There are a few other temples along the way early on before it turns into countryside, but I was focused specifically on visiting two small temples a little over 2 km away from where most of the tourists of Arashiymama congregate. Both of these two small temples off the beaten path have lots of statues – but in totally different contexts.

Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. Numerous stone monuments and images – in fact 8000 of them – honor the souls of the dead who during the Heian (794-1185) to Edo (1603-1868) periods, were destitute and left to the hills with no tombstone or proper burial. When we arrived, we didn’t see anyone there – and during our entire stay we only saw a handful of other visitors. It felt very solemn, and coming across the main field of the thousands of statues is humbling.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino

It must be extraordinarily beautiful here during the end of August, when they light more than 1000 candles here in the evening over a couple days to honor the ancestor spirits here. There are no red and gold wooden beams like from the shrines, or gentle curved roofs with ornamental tiles at this temple: just the sombering simplicity of so many stones.

Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District, a temple dedicated to the repose of souls who have died without families to remember them. The hundreds of stone buddhas and towers here are dedicated to the nameless deceased through the hundreds of years that are scattered and buried in the fields and mountains of Adashino

Within this temple, there is also a bamboo grove path that is much quieter than the one we just visited which is more well known (and ok, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is free while we had to pay to enter this temple). But that also means you can see it without all the other people  – and it’s also the location for the cover of the Lonely Planet Japan guide 13th edition.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in the Arashiyama District. This bamboo grove path is much quieter than the one we just visited which is more well known (and ok, free since we had to pay to enter this temple) - and it's also the cover of the Lonely Planet guide 13th edition

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Walk another 750 m north to this even more secluded temple of Otagi Nenbutsuji that features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. It’s more out of the way, but well worth it.
Otago Nenbutsu-ji Temple in Kyoto is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Otago Nenbutsu-ji in Kyoto is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Otago Nenbutsu-ji is hidden away at the far end of the beautiful and popular Arashiyama neighbourhood in Kyoto’s western hills. and is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex. Otago Nenbutsu-ji is hidden away at the far end of the beautiful and popular Arashiyama neighbourhood in Kyoto’s western hills. and is famous for its 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex.

Similar to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, when we first entered we only saw a few statues… and then we take a step, turn a corner, and suddenly all the statues in all their uniqueness expand from scattered to rows of men and then into a sea of faces, all the same but all different.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Many are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. You can also see the principal image, Senju Kannon the Buddhist goddess of mercy Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Many are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. The quirky figures are scattered amongst a few small temples and pagodas in a shady temple complex

When worshippers of the temple celebrated the temple’s restoration after it was destroyed, they did so by donating the 1200 rakan sculptures. A famous Japanese sculptor taught many amateurs how to carve from stone, and they all had a different response to the challenge.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple Rakan represent the disciples of Buddha. These statues, in keeping with rakan traditions, are generally humorous. The one in the middle I liked as he laughs, head tilted back

Many are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure like in some sort of archaeological exploration of a previously hidden culture.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple. Many of these statues are covered in moss and crumbling away, but this just adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of discovering a lost treasure like in some sort of archaeological exploration of a previously hidden culture.

There is everything from cute to scary to sad to serene to funny to bizarre. We spent a long time here, trying to absorb all the various faces we could see. Some of the ones in the photos below include one with kind eyes and a smile, one wearing shades (and a scary wrinkly one behind him), one playing peek a boo, and one with a funny face behind a scary mask, among others. We saw ones with an owl pet, two that were drinking together, even one with a tennis racket, and more.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. This one on the left has kind eyes and smile Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. That one in the front is wearing shades I think... Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple features 1200 stone sculptures of rakan, the Buddha’s disciples, all with different facial expressions and poses. Is the one in the back playing peek a boo? "Otagi

Overall, I really enjoyed Otagi Nenbetsuji in that it reminded me of the little nuances that each person has to contribute, and that there’s also joy even as time continues to march on with us and one day past us. This was one of F’s favorite temples we visited in Japan, and mine too.

As I mentioned at the start, the visits above in the Arashiyama area were essentially from lunch on – so just a half day.  We first headed to this area for lunch since I knew it would make vegetarian F so happy to have a known, completely safe Buddhist vegetarian meal with lots of dishes. From Tenryuji Temple through the Bamboo Forest and Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple to Otagi Nenbetsuji Tempe was about 3 km, or a little less than 2 miles, total one way.

We then hopped on a bus that we had seen on our way there to get back.  We also then got a little lost as I got frustrated that Google Maps wasn’t translating the bus lines and numbers even though the buses themselves had English – trying to match kanji or katakana is no joke. We ended taking 3 buses back, transferring to another bus by Togetsukyu Bridge, then at Kyoto Station to the Gion area. So lest you think our travels are always smooth – no, we totally get lost too.

And this was an intense walk day of 24509 steps, or almost 11 miles!

What do you think of the Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama versus the famous temples and shrines from last Travel Tuesday’s post of the famous Temples and Shrines of Kyoto?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Japan Travel: Kyoto Temples and Shrines

March 22, 2016 by 3 Comments

If you visit Japan, I highly recommend including Kyoto during your stay if you can. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan from 794 until 1868. Because of that long history as being the capital for 1000 years, you can find a lot of older buildings reflecting traditional architecture that are entire streets and neighborhoods, as well as literally thousands of temples and shrines. In fact, Kyoto has the largest concentration of designated Cultural Properties in Japan.
The Deva gate and three-storied pagoda at the entrance of Kiyomizudera Temple. Also one super fierce dragon sculpture. Details at Kiyomizudera Temple.
Details at Kiyomizudera Temple

Kyoto is also famous for its cuisine because as a city away from the sea it grew a lot of unique regional food fit for royalty, and even Kyoto water is reknown and used by many sake producers. With the combination of palaces as well as temples in its culinary lineage, you can choose from enjoying elegant kaiseki cuisine or Buddhist vegetarian temple cuisine. For today’s post, I’m going to focus first in Kyoto Temples and Shrines.

After our onsen stay and dining on ryokan cuisine for breakfast, we then spent a travel day getting from Lake Kawaguchiko by Mount Fuji to Kyoto. You can see it took a few transfers but it is a pretty popular route – so much that the entrance at the Kawaguchiko train station had this nice sign showing the main travel and transfer points.

After our onsen stay, we then spent a travel day getting from Lake Kawaguchiko to Kyoto. You can see it took a few transfers but it is a pretty popular route that the entrance at the Kawaguchiko train station had this nice sign: Kawaguchiko to Otsuki, transfer there and ride to Hachioji where we transfer again until we reach Shinyokohama (same area as the Ramen Museum I covered last week), and from there a shinkansen to Kyoto!

For us, this means Kawaguchiko (the red dot you see to the left) to Otsuki, transfer there and ride to Hachioji where we transfer again until we reach Shinyokohama (same area as the Ramen Museum I covered last week), and from there a shinkansen to Kyoto! It sounds like a lot of transfers, but checking out and catching a train around 11 AM, we still got to Kyoto sometime around 4 PM in the afternoon to relax the rest of the evening.

On our first full day in Kyoto, we decided to stretch our legs from all that sitting on the train on our travel day by doing a self walking tour of a few of the beautiful and most famous Kyoto temples and shrines. It’s so easy to walk and find a temple or shrine along the way everywhere in Kyoto that you actually need to be careful you don’t get “templed/shrined out” where you see so many they start to blur. I found the Japan Guide on Kyoto extremely helpful in planning which stops we wanted of the many options thanks to their descriptions and photos of each of the sites which are organized by districts in Kyoto.

In planning your Kyoto Temples and Shrines to visit, I recommend adding each of the destinations you are interested in into a custom Google Map like I covered previously in a how to. This then helps you create your own tour based on where everything is, and you can see exactly the distances. I tracked each option in a spreadsheet with its attributes of what made it special, hours of operation, and admission fee to help me distinguish the options until I narrowed it down to which would be on this walking tour.

I recommend adding each of the destinations you are interested in into a custom Google Map like I covered previously in a how to. This then helps you create your own tour based on where everything is, and you can see exactly the distances. I also tracked each option in a spreadsheet with its attributes of what made it special, hours of operation, and admission fee to help me distinguish the options until I narrowed it down to which would be on this walking tour.

So here is my list of Kyoto Temples and Shrines you can visit in a single day just by walking. These I am sharing today are all located in Southeastern Kyoto. I have another walking tour for visiting temples in the Arashiyama District of Kyoto in a future post. This walk starts from Kiyomizudera and goes about 3 km or about 2 miles north to Heian Shrine, but with all the sights along the way it really is an all day excursion.

Kiyomizudera Temple

Kiyomizudera Temple is famous for it’s wooden balcony that gives visitors a view of Kyoto as well as cherry blossoms and maple trees in spring and fall, respectively. Since I came in winter and currently parts of the temple are going through reconstruction, it was not the stage that stood out from Kiyomizudera for me.
The most famous part of Kiyomizu-dera temple is Kiyomizu Stage, which is the veranda of the Main Hall extended over a precipice The most famous part of Kiyomizu-dera temple is Kiyomizu Stage, which is the veranda of the Main Hall extended over a precipice

Instead, it was

1. Jishu Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. Right after passing the balcony, which is super crowded, you will see stairs leading upwards to your left. You should walk pass the god of love himself, Okuninushi, and his rabbit companion, Hare of Inaba who is a messenger.
Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine has a statue of Okuninushino-mikoto, a Japanese god in charge of love and good matches and the rabbit besides him Hare of Inaba is a messenger - you saw his picture with the rabbit on some of the ema boards Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine has a statue of Okuninushino-mikoto, a Japanese god in charge of love and good matches and the rabbit besides him Hare of Inaba is a messenger - you saw his picture with the rabbit on some of the ema boards

Specifically for Jishu Shrine, there are two stones on either side that you are supposed to navigate from one to the other with your eyes closed in order to have luck in finding love. Some have people help guide them a little, which means that you will find love but with help.
Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well. Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well. Kiyomizudera Temple has Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well.

This area is also full of various shrines to different gods besides love to pray for other kinds of wishes, as well as various talismans varying from ema boards,  incense, omikuji (paper fortunes), etc. There are even hitogata paper dolls to “wash away” your health problems by placing them in buckets: when the paper dissolves in the water, your troubles will be cleared up.
Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes like here Daikoku Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes. Okage Myojin is the god who is believed to be a guardian deity especially for ladies. The Japanese ceders behind this shrine were used for Ushinotoki-mairi or 2AM visit where the ladies of old days would nail a straw doll on the ceder of their enemies putting a curse. Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine offers many different also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes) as well as gods to pray for wishes. Here, you write down your troubles on a hitogata paper doll and put it into the water - when the paper dissolves in the water, your troubles will be cleared up.

You can purchase charms /omamori varying from good health, long life, conception, children, to successful study to traffic safety. Unlike most temples who offer omamori, here at this shrine they have English translations for all the charms and all the altars which helps give a lot of context to what you are seeing.
Lots of charms / omamori at Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking Lots of charms / omamori at Kiyomizudera Temple Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking

2. Otowa Waterfall is the reason Kiyomizudera Temple was founded here. After going downhill from the balcony to its bottom, you will find three streams of water where visitors use cups attached to long poles that are disinfected each time using UV rays. The belief is that each individual stream of the three streams offers a blessing of long life, success, and a good love life. Drinking from all three streams is considered greedy, so make your choices carefully!
The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life

Higashiyama District

On the way from Kiyomizudera Temple to our next temple, Kodaji Temple, you will be walking through the Higashiyama District which is a historic shopping street area, also referred to by the actual street names of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. These streets with its old fashioned storefronts has been serving those on temple visits for centuries and lets you stroll around what feels like the traditional Kyoto of old.
Kyoto - walking in the Higashiyama District, a preserved historic districts that feels like traditional old Kyoto, with the wooden buildings Kyoto - walking in the Higashiyama District, a preserved historic districts that feels like traditional old Kyoto, with the wooden buildings

Stores range from selling lots of lucky cat and other animal trinkets to ceramic kitchenware, including lots of chopstick rests that they had glued below their windows as decoration. Besides lots of little stores, there is plenty of food, from restaurants to snack stands including versions of the temple and shrine snacks I highlighted earlier in a post.

store in the Higashiyama District that had lots of cat but also other cute animal trinkets store in the Higashiyama District that had lots of ceramic kitchenware, including lots of chopstick rests that they had glued below their windows as decoration

Higashiyama District also has a whole map of various healing Buddhist statues you could seek out to touch/rub for merit with your right or both hands. I didn’t visit them all, but I found quite a few without seeking then out.  I rubbed Hotei a potbelly deity of good fortune thought to bring prosperity, Daikokuten an Indian deity one of the seven gods of good fortune that you can wish for prosperity, the Temmangu Ox said to bear your suffering for you if you touch the corresponding area of the ox, and statues of Hideyoshi and Nene which you can wish for a happy marriage like them and for peaceful remaining years surrounded by many people like Nene. It can’t hurt to touch just in case it does work right?
Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub. Hotei is a potbelly deity of good fortune thought to bring prosperity Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit to touch / rub, including Daikokuten an Indian deity one of the seven gods of good fortune that you can wish for prosperity Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit - this one you could rub for health aches and pains to go away, the Temmangu Ox here is said to bear your suffering for you. If you have an ailment on your body, touch the corresponding area of the ox Higashiyama District had a whole map of various Buddhist statues you could seek out for merit. These are statues of Hideyoshi and Nene which you can wish for a happy marriage like them and for peaceful remaining years surrounded by many people like Nene

Kodaji Temple

Kodaji Temple was established in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s historical figures who helped play a part to unify Japan, by Hideyoshi’s wife Nene. What is notable about this temple is its Zen Gardens, aka the carefully maintained rock garden. It’s not as famous as Japan’s most well known Zen Garden at Ryoanji Temple (also in Kyoto), but the location in this area is more convenient to seeing a lot in one day, and still evokes the same beauty, even if interpretation of what the designs mean isn’t quite as enigmatic.

I was surprised that this was one of F’s favorite temples/shrines that we visited because he really enjoyed the moss landscaping,  and I really liked the delicate shapes in the rock garden. The peacefulness here was very inviting of contemplation and worth the small entrance fee.
Looking back at the gate from the path that led to Kodaji Temple in Kyoto Kodaji Temple in Kyoto is famous for it's Rock Garden Kodaji Temple in Kyoto is famous for it's Rock Garden Kodaiji's Tsukiyama garden with Kaizando Hall

Yasaka Shrine

Now continue walking north to Yasaka Shrine. The most distinguishing characteristic of this shrine is it’s great location not far from Gion (Kyoto’s entertainment and geisha district) and there are lots of great restaurants just outside of its gates along the streets of Shijo Dori and Higashi Oji Dori.
Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine

This Shinto Shrine has lots of gorgeous lanterns that look great both in the daytime and in the nighttime (it is always open, always free). You can see since it’s close to New Year’s how the stage happens to be decorated for the year of the monkey.

Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine Yasaka Shrine

Chionin Temple and Shorenin Temple

Chionin Temple‘s Sanmon Gate is the largest wooden gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s. It’s on the way to our final destination for today in Kyoto Temples and Shrines. We didn’t stop at Chionin, just walked by so we can admire the entrance. If you do enter, make sure you check out the largest bell in Japan, weighing some 74 tons and cast in 1633,  it requires 17 monks to ring the bell at New Year. The temple grounds are free, but there is an admission fee to visit the gardens and the “Seven Wonders” of Chionin, one of which is  a uguisubari or nightingale floor that chirps with every footstep so no one can sneak around!
The massive Sanmon Gate of Chionin Temple, Kyoto is the largest wooden gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s.

We also walked by Shorenin Temple without going in (there is an admission fee). Mainly, we admired this beautiful mossy tree just outside. This temple is not as busy as the famous Kiyomizudera or Chionin, and has a tranquil, secret feel with multiple gardens and ponds, teahouse, and paintings to admire that are connected all by covered walkways between the buildings.
Mossy tree in Kyoto by Shorenin Temple entrance Mossy tree in Kyoto by Shorenin Temple entrance

Heian Shrine

I knew the Heian Shrine gates was supposed to be huge – it is after all the largest Torii Gate in Japan. I was still shocked when I could already see it down the street – way down the street, but still really visible – from the Shorenin Temple a little over half a mile away. Below, you can see how it compares in sizes to a huge tour bus and cars/people behind me.

First sighting of the massive Torii gates of Heian Jingu, or Heian Shrine in Kyoto - it's the largest Torii Gate in Japan. Built in 1929, it is 24.2 meters high; the top rail is 33.9 meters long the massive Torii gates of Heian Jingu, or Heian Shrine in Kyoto - it's the largest Torii Gate in Japan. Built in 1929, it is 24.2 meters high; the top rail is 33.9 meters long

In truth, the Heian Shrine isn’t that old – it was built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto (then named Heian-kyō). The buildings convey the atmosphere of the Heian Period which had artistic integration with Chinese culture. Heian Shrine is supposed to be a 2/3 scale replica of the original Kyoto Imperial Palace (now destroyed).  It was refreshing to have such a big open courtyard space to walk in after the smaller spaces of all the previous stops.
The shrine’s main buildings convey the atmosphere of elegance of the Heian Period (794-1185). In those days, the Japanese people welcomed Chinese culture warmly, and we can still find in this shrine today many features and artifacts connected with Chinese culture. The actual shrine grounds themselves are very spacious, with a wide open court at the center. Kyoto was shocked and depressed after the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1940. Later, the citizens came together to build a new city after World War II. The construction of Heian Shrine was a symbol of revival for the city. The revival consisted of the new Kyoto in education, culture, industry, and daily life, where at the same time the

We were pretty beat by this time (it was late afternoon) and I really only wanted to see the main courtyard and the giant gates, so we walked back to our lodging to relax and rest our feet before dinner after this. If you still have some wind though to keep going, there are also huge gardens to visit (the Heian Shrine is free, but there is a fee to enter the garden).

Even though the distance between Kiyomizudera Temple and Heian Shrine is only 3 km or about 2 miles, when I looked back at my phone pedometer at how many steps I took that day, it totaled 19725 steps – or about 8.75 miles!

So of all these stops I’ve shared today in Southeast Kyoto, which do you think you would most be interested in? Do you put together DIY tours in a neighborhood or area when you travel?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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