Travelling Japan D1 [Kyoto]

Our free and easy virgin Japan trip with help mainly from JapanGuide and google map. It is so much easier to travel with smart phone and data plan nowaday. Google map enables mobility, we are able to roam around strange land without feeling too lost. 

 JR ticket office of Kansai Airport to purchase Icoca & Haruka ticket 3000yen each, journey to kyoto takes about 75min.

The Icoca & Haruka packages consists of 

a) a ticket that can be used to travel from Kansai Airport to Osaka, Kyoto or Kobe and 

b) an Icoca prepaid card valued 2000 yen (500 yen refundable deposit plus 1500 yen worth in train and bus fares) that can be used on urban transportation in the Greater Osaka region.  

Kyoto (京都, Kyōto) served as Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face.

 Spend hours getting lost in Japan subway, took a painful way to get to understand how their system works. Lunch was a quickie from 7-11 on our way to Nijo castle, glad it tasted good.

 Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijōjō) was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep.

After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened up to the public as a historic site. Its palace buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and the castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.

Nijo Castle can be divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and some gardens that encircle the Honmaru and Ninomaru. The entire castle grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded by stone walls and moats.

 It's autumn, season of chrysanthemum. Huge blossom welcome us with vibrant colors.

 Amazing details from centuries ago.

 Garden in Nijo castle

 We stood in awe, autumn should be like this. One day i will relocate to a four season country.

Lost sometime earlier in the subway, have to strike off the famous 500 years old soba house Honke Owariya (本家尾張屋) from our itinerary. 

Since 1465, Owariya noodle restaurant, originally a confectionary shop, has been loved by the people of Kyoto. Besides serving Kyoto restaurants throughout history, Owariya has also been patronized by the emperor's family and monks from Kyoto's historic temples. In the Edo period we served our noodles in the imperial palace, and even today, the royal family visits us when they come to Kyoto. We have been keeping our traditional tastes and serving from our hearts for over 530 years. We hope that you, too, will enjoy this tradition.

 Next destination, i made reservation for DIY wagashi 和菓子 making class in Kyoto famous 200 years 7th generation wagashi store【亀屋良長】. Wagashi is a traditional Japanese confectionery made with azuki bean paste which is often served with tea. DIY classes are available at 2100yen/pax, 4 piece of wagashi you made to bring home.

 Design of the wagashi will change according to season, the one i saw was cherry blossom but it is autumn now so we made maple leaves and persimmon.

 A piece of sweet and tea for us to enjoy before we leave the premise.

 Bought a piece of shop signature.

 Dorayaki (pancake) with grilled caramelized persimmon.

 Walking up to Kiyomizudera 清水寺

 Really good macha soft served 300yen, almost $5SGD, why is soft served so expensive in Japan.

 Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism, but formed its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The main hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple's primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon.

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. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy.

 Stunning view from Kiyomizudera temple.

Mochi red bean dessert, i dont find it nice but the husband enjoyed it.

  

  

 Husband's ever love, Oden.

Dinner in a store small cozy restaurant near Kyoto shijoomiya station and our hotel.

 Yuzu seasonal, finally trying them.

 Niku udon. The husband is asked to finished the soup.

 Zaru soba tempura

Villa Fontaine Village Kyoto, recommended by Ee Mian.

 Modern tatami room

Delicious ume time after our hot bath

 Clean and chic toilet 

 Call me lucky, i am always along in the osen. Only when i am done, pools of obsan will then rush in. They provide all Shiseido shampoo, conditional, body wash, toner and moisturizer, everything you need in your bathroom, they have it. 

With that, we ended our hetic day one in Japan.

Disclaimer: Partial captions (location history) are credited to JapanGuide.com, this trip is heavily planned using JapanGuide.com, captions are for my reference to pictures i took.