First-timers’ trip to Japan: 4 weeks, an unexpectedly awesome trip
Jan 24th, 2024, 05:08 PM
#281
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I think we were a week in Kyoto a week after progol, and didn’t find the Philosopher’s Path busy either. Between walking it in November and our previous walk in February, I liked the winter walk a bit more though. There was a light snow that morning and gave the area a completely different atmosphere.
Jan 25th, 2024, 03:47 AM
#282
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I think we were a week in Kyoto a week after progol, and didn’t find the Philosopher’s Path busy either. Between walking it in November and our previous walk in February, I liked the winter walk a bit more though. There was a light snow that morning and gave the area a completely different atmosphere.
Jan 25th, 2024, 06:26 AM
#283
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Japan is so, so pretty! Thanks to you and tripplanner001 I'm now focusing my Kyoto planning on less well-known sites.
I am a bit of a souvenir shopper, and between the stationery, the treats, and the pottery, I may have to bring an extra suitcase with me!
I am a bit of a souvenir shopper, and between the stationery, the treats, and the pottery, I may have to bring an extra suitcase with me!
Jan 25th, 2024, 06:58 AM
#284
Join Date: Aug 2023
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Hey Progol! I am sooo jealous right now! Japan is one the places on my bucket list and going through your journey through these pics has been nothing short of a joy! Thank you so much for posting so many pics. I especially loved the pics of the shrine! You're making me want to visit japan even more now haha
Jan 25th, 2024, 07:40 AM
#285
An easy visit from Fukuoka, the Arita-yaki towns are in Saga-ken which also has famous onsen:
How to get to and around Arita and Imari: Access, Transportation and Orientation (japan-guide.com)
Feb 19th, 2024, 11:15 AM
#286
Original Poster
Oh, my everyone! I’m so sorry I haven’t responded to you all or finished my report (which I do promise to do soon). A recent death in the family has taken the stuffing out of me and I haven’t quite had the oomph to finish. I am just beginning to focus more on it (coincidentally, as I plan a return trip for next year to Japan and adding Taiwan!).
memejs, you’re going to have a fabulous time, and I have no doubt you’ll be filling up your suitcase! There are so many beautiful things - we’re committed to carry on only so that does limit my shopping. But I’ll just have to make sure to carry on less so I can fill it up more!
katherineallen, I do hope you get to Japan sometime! It’s funny how it’s pulling us back - and I didn’t expect we’d ever return.
mrwunrfl, thanks for the link to the pottery towns. I’m not sure now that we’ll go to Fukuoka, but if we do, I’ll keep them in mind.
memejs, you’re going to have a fabulous time, and I have no doubt you’ll be filling up your suitcase! There are so many beautiful things - we’re committed to carry on only so that does limit my shopping. But I’ll just have to make sure to carry on less so I can fill it up more!
katherineallen, I do hope you get to Japan sometime! It’s funny how it’s pulling us back - and I didn’t expect we’d ever return.
mrwunrfl, thanks for the link to the pottery towns. I’m not sure now that we’ll go to Fukuoka, but if we do, I’ll keep them in mind.
Feb 19th, 2024, 11:26 AM
#287
Original Poster
Sunday Nov 12
We visited the Kokedera Temple, known as the Moss Temple because of its garden. You’ll see why it’s called that way once you look at the photos!
The lovely staff at Hotel Mume had recommended the visit after learning about our interests in traditional culture and religion. This is a place that should be reserved ahead of time (though, truthfully, when we arrived there were people who had not made a reservation and had no problem coming in). The staff took care of the arrangements and handed me the postcard with our time and date which is our “ticket” for entry.
This is a bit out of the downtown area so we took a cab for our 10am entry. It had been raining on the last couple of days and I was relieved when the weather held up for our visit. Not much in the way of sun but that made for a wonderfully evocative experience.
This is a Zen Buddhist temple and visitors are first given a sutra, or Buddhist scripture, which we first copy (or trace). The goal is to focus on the process and quiet the mind. Once this is completed, we continued on to explore the garden. No photos are allowed by the main hall where the visitors are working on copying their sutra.
And what a garden! This is perhaps one of the most serene experiences we’ve had (ironic, though that we are documenting every moment of the walk with our iPhones - and we are not alone!). But its lush beauty is mesmerizing and calming at the same time. And, for the most part, people are quiet as they walk through the grounds. It was heavenly.
We visited the Kokedera Temple, known as the Moss Temple because of its garden. You’ll see why it’s called that way once you look at the photos!
The lovely staff at Hotel Mume had recommended the visit after learning about our interests in traditional culture and religion. This is a place that should be reserved ahead of time (though, truthfully, when we arrived there were people who had not made a reservation and had no problem coming in). The staff took care of the arrangements and handed me the postcard with our time and date which is our “ticket” for entry.
This is a bit out of the downtown area so we took a cab for our 10am entry. It had been raining on the last couple of days and I was relieved when the weather held up for our visit. Not much in the way of sun but that made for a wonderfully evocative experience.
This is a Zen Buddhist temple and visitors are first given a sutra, or Buddhist scripture, which we first copy (or trace). The goal is to focus on the process and quiet the mind. Once this is completed, we continued on to explore the garden. No photos are allowed by the main hall where the visitors are working on copying their sutra.
And what a garden! This is perhaps one of the most serene experiences we’ve had (ironic, though that we are documenting every moment of the walk with our iPhones - and we are not alone!). But its lush beauty is mesmerizing and calming at the same time. And, for the most part, people are quiet as they walk through the grounds. It was heavenly.
Last edited by progol; Feb 19th, 2024 at 11:32 AM.
Feb 19th, 2024, 12:21 PM
#289
Original Poster
After our lovely visit to the Moss Temple, we walked through a neighborhood toward a large and very busy shrine, the Matsunoo-taisha Shrine. This was filled with families with children dressed up to celebrate their milestone years and many (I assume) engaged couples who were taking photos. It felt very far from the tourist world and we both felt privileged just to be there. Somehow, photography felt intrusive and we just watched for a while before we left.
On the way there, we asked a 3-generation family for directions. M charmed them no end with his use of Japanese, and before we took off, the grandmother reached into her bag and handed us an orange. It was that kind of gesture which happened so often that made us fall in love with the people and the country.
Views along the way…
On the way there, we asked a 3-generation family for directions. M charmed them no end with his use of Japanese, and before we took off, the grandmother reached into her bag and handed us an orange. It was that kind of gesture which happened so often that made us fall in love with the people and the country.
Views along the way…
Feb 19th, 2024, 01:04 PM
#291
Original Poster
We stopped at a small cafe across the way from the train station, then boarded the Hankyu Railway Kyoto line. A short time later, we arrived at Kyoto-Kawaramachi, a central shopping area near the Kamogawa River, the river that cuts through the city. Crossing the river, we are back in Gion, and an easy walk back to Hotel Mume.
After a rest at the hotel, we went out in the later afternoon to explore the Chion-in temple, located very close to our hotel. It’s the head temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhism, one of the most popular sects in Japan. It’s known for its massive Sanmon Gate, the largest wooden temple gate in Japan, and dates back to the 1600s. The temple is up a wide and high set of stairs so we worked our way up slowly. This is a popular temple to visit though I imagine the grey weather kept the numbers down - or we were just going late in the day, so it was quite manageable and another lovely experience.
After a rest at the hotel, we went out in the later afternoon to explore the Chion-in temple, located very close to our hotel. It’s the head temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhism, one of the most popular sects in Japan. It’s known for its massive Sanmon Gate, the largest wooden temple gate in Japan, and dates back to the 1600s. The temple is up a wide and high set of stairs so we worked our way up slowly. This is a popular temple to visit though I imagine the grey weather kept the numbers down - or we were just going late in the day, so it was quite manageable and another lovely experience.
Feb 19th, 2024, 01:11 PM
#293
Original Poster
Feb 19th, 2024, 05:15 PM
#295
Original Poster
Monday, Nov 13 day
Kyoto has been a delight, though we’ve seen more rain in Japan in the last few days than we’ve seen on our entire trip. Today we started out slowly, waiting for the chilly rain to let up. We took the bus first to Chishaku-in temple, a Shingon Buddhist temple complex with a small museum that contains some remarkable wall paintings of the 4 seasons. They are national treasures, and deservedly so. It was a good place to get out of the rain and we were happy that we found one museum open on a Monday (most are closed).
No photos allowed, sadly, but here’s a link which includes a description of the paintings and an image of one of those paintings.
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/chishaku/
We then went to the Sanjusangen-do, a temple containing 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of compassion, and statues of her 28 deities who are guards, housed in a long temple hall, the longest wooden temple in Japan. Again, no photos are allowed, but it was awe-inspiring to see them lined up.
Happily, while we were there, the sun came out and we walked around the site admiring the colorful structures and the foliage.
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/sanjusangen-do/
Kyoto has been a delight, though we’ve seen more rain in Japan in the last few days than we’ve seen on our entire trip. Today we started out slowly, waiting for the chilly rain to let up. We took the bus first to Chishaku-in temple, a Shingon Buddhist temple complex with a small museum that contains some remarkable wall paintings of the 4 seasons. They are national treasures, and deservedly so. It was a good place to get out of the rain and we were happy that we found one museum open on a Monday (most are closed).
No photos allowed, sadly, but here’s a link which includes a description of the paintings and an image of one of those paintings.
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/chishaku/
We then went to the Sanjusangen-do, a temple containing 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of compassion, and statues of her 28 deities who are guards, housed in a long temple hall, the longest wooden temple in Japan. Again, no photos are allowed, but it was awe-inspiring to see them lined up.
Happily, while we were there, the sun came out and we walked around the site admiring the colorful structures and the foliage.
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/sanjusangen-do/
