The Other Tower

Kyoto is a city built in a bowl with mountains encircling the city-center basin. Rising from the center of the bowl is Kyoto Tower. The tower was built in 1964 for the Tokyo Olympics and during my trip to Kyoto it was indispensable for helping me to gain my bearings. The tower can be seen from almost anywhere in city, as you can see.

Although I thought the tower was convenient and comforting, it is sometimes met with strong opposition. Since Kyoto is thought of as the oldest, and most traditional city in Japan the building codes prevent the surrounding buildings from growing more than a few stories. This means that the Kyoto tower will always loom over the surroundings and photobomb in the picturesque scenes of its historical neighbors.

Oddly enough, at souvenir shops in Kyoto there are many postcards of famous landmarks and tourist attractions of the city, but Tokyo tower is not commonly featured. Perhaps just because its there doesn't mean people have to like you.

Even so, I liked Kyoto tower and i look forward to seeing it again next time I visit the city.

The Fifth Season

 

     Between the the pumpkin latte craze and our hopeful commitment to unlikely resolutions is the height of holiday season. Like any other season on the calendar it lasts approximately three months and it brings with it the feelings of wonder, joy, family, and nostalgia that the other seasons generally lack. I have tried so many times to explain this phenomenon to my foreign students. "Yes, for almost a month each year priorities across the nation seem to shift so that the holidays become the focal point of our lives. Weekend plans, household decorations, food, crafts, children games, to do lists, and even water cooler chatter and everything else are enveloped by the season - like a house under too many Christmas lights it can be both cheery and overwhelming. 

        Surprisingly, Japan celebrates many of the same holidays in this season. There is Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years marked on the calendars and merchandised in the 100 yen shops. It is common to buy and send to friends and loved ones (for new years instead of Christmas). There is special holiday food for Christmas (strawberry cake and KFC chicken) and new years (o-sechi: mostly fish and noodles and rice and veggies in combined so that everything has significance). There are even holiday games and family gatherings and seasonal decorations.  Yet the season doesn't seem to be the same in Japan. These preparations do not penetrate all  aspects of life like the American holidays. In America, the intensity as we build up to the actual days is a wave created by  commercializing big businesses and the church that builds in intensity till the holiday arrives and breaks the floodgates. In America I always felt a buzz of anticipation in the air which put a pep in my step despite the season's growing to do list. But Japan does not anticipate. There may be Christmas trees and Santa decorations but these holidays are one day celebrations, not seasons. In the end there is no build up, making the holiday feel a little emptier to me somehow.  

           I am specifically thinking of Thanksgiving as my example. This year in Japan I hosted Thanksgiving and fed almost thirty people with the full smorgasbord. All the familiar flavors were there as were pumpkin decorations and two cornucopias (which are shockingly hard to find in Japan). But when the dinners were done and I was cleaning up I still didn't feel like it had happened. In America the themed decor, school events, foods, cinnamon pine cones, and inundation with gourds bombard us for a month to build anticipation and capitulate with the day. In  Japan the change of seasons is felt in a more passive and polite way - present but not assertive. Without the countdown the consummation was incredibly fun, but did not feel like a holiday.

                                       

It is worth noting here that, although Japan does not celebrate our "holiday season," they do celebrate the actual seasons in stunning and intense ways. 

Futons 布団

So, the first day in my apartment I had very few things on my mind. Find some form of food, stay warm, and make my bed... which was a trickier business than I expected. 

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I am glad that I had the fore warnings from my go-to Japanese guide in America  and also read a how-to instruction guide in the room I stayed in for training because I never would have guessed what to do otherwise. There are variations in bedding in Japan; some people even use western box-spring mattresses. However, I start with the cushion (blue thing)  and the futon.

Then take the (white) futon and put it inside the sheets. There are no elastic corners on these puppies, you just stick it inside and zip it up like a Ziploc bag of bed. It's a much bigger hassle for me than putting the elastic corners on a mattress. However, they also stay on much better so you don't have to worry about  being tangled in your sheets as you sleep. 

Next take out the blanket (also white in this case). 

And place the blanket inside another sheet and zip it up. There is no middle sheet. 

I actually like the sheet-ed blanket better because it serves the same function as the middle sheet without the possibility of getting wrapped and twisted tho wrong way. It also makes the bed easier to make in the morning. 

Viola, a bed. 

Then, every week or so when you change the sheets and hang them out to dry on the balcony because there is no dryer. You also have to hang the futon itself out to dry or else it molds, particularly in the summer. But be careful that it does not rain or snow that day!!!

Unfortunately, I was spoiled in America, and think that this futon is not quite fluffy enough to be completely satisfying... But  they sell padding in the home-goods store to fix that problem if it becomes annoying. For now I am happy with my little Japanese floor-bed.

Oh, the Places You'll Go in Kyoto

I spent my last vacation wandering the historic city of Kyoto, and I want to share some of my best and worst experiences in the city as well as some travel advice in case Kyoto is on your bucket list.

       First and foremost, choose the correct season to visit. In the summer the city is a sweltering 30-33 Celsius with high humidity due to the landscape. Since the city is surrounded by mountains there is no wind to refresh the air and the city bakes in the heat created by the man-made, concrete jungle. Like a bowl, the valley of Kyoto gathers all of the water and sultry sun-rays together. In the winter it suffers from a similar but opposite problem. The outdoor atmosphere is so crucial on my planning list because most of the activities worth doing in Kyoto are outdoors and require you to be exposed to the elements - so choose an enjoyable season. I am told the best is the cherry blossom bloom in the spring and the changing colors of the leaves in the fall, although those are great times to be in Japan in general. Second, schedule in time your first day there for you to get lost. This will happen, especially if you are not used to using trains as your daily means of transportation.

       There are many different types of places to visit in Kyoto. Although I did not visit all of them  -not even close - I did extensively research the attractions and several days over multiple trips to experiencing the places with the highest recommendations. So the following is my personal list of best and worst sightseeing spots, as well as my suggestions for each.

Most Famous Places

Gion: This is a huge shopping plaza famous for geisha(meiko)
. There are also some highly suggested temples and shrines in the area as well as a large bridge and the Philosopher's Walk.

Kiyomizu-dera: This temple is a half day trip, but if you have the time it is well worth it. They are famous for their pottery which is made in the wishing water. If you do drink the water from the fountain, then expect to wait in a long line. According to local tradition it will grant a wish, and the sight from the top of this temple is on of the most iconic in all of Kyoto, if not all of Japan. For
more on this temple, see the section below on "Temples".

Fushimi-Inari-ji: I a mountain covered in hiking trails and the red tori. I go into more detail for this in "My Suggestions."

Ginkoku-ji and Kinkoku-ji: The outside of these temple gold and silver plated respectively and glimmer in the sunlight. They are situated in famous gardens with lakes which are calm and peaceful. It is said that this temple is most beautiful at sunset, but the grounds close before then making it inaccessible.

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle: The castle grounds has a moat, gardens, castle, wall, and palace. If you enjoy architecture or history this can be a lovely sight to see.  You can see the shear size of the structure from the photo on the right where I am standing by the archway.

Ryoanji Temple: A rock garden which is incredibly famous. Often tourists and Japanese alike will sit and contemplated here. There are eleven rocks in the garden and it is said that if you can see all eleven at once then you have reached enlightenment.

My Suggestions

Arashiyama: This is a park area away from the main city with a scenic train ride, monkeys, cultural events, shopping streets, temples, shines, a huge river, and shrines.

Fushimi-Inari: There are more than seven miles of these red gates, but you only need one tunnel for a perfect picture moment. Go early in the morning or your photos will be filled with people walking through the tunnels. My friend and I had to wait a long time for this photo op. * 

Nishiki Market: Hidden on the backside of the mains street is Nishiki Market, one of the most famous markets in all of Japan. Most of the shopping streets are under a huge awning with traditional shops ranging from pickles to wooden combs, pottery, geta (wooden kimono shoes), and more. This is one of the only places I visited multiple times and I could happily spend days wandering around. As you makes your way farther from the main market street you will find small, unique shops with unexpected and unplanned experiences. Try as many things here as you can, or you will regret it later.

Kyogokokuji Pagoda near the Toji Temple: There are four temples, one for each of the cardinal directions of the city. This is the one of them and it has a five story pagoda attached to the grounds. This is an iconic place and features in many anime, movies, and documentary films.

East Temple: Beautiful, old, stunning. If you go early in the morning (7-8:00) it is empty and silent and the architecture is jaw-droppingly impressive. The gate at the entrance is in the photo by the temple section.

Kyoto Tower: Thankfully you can see the tower from anywhere in the city. I have found my bearings because of it many times. It is a great photo opportunity, highly recognizable, and it is only a hop-skip-jump from the station. Not to mention, they have their own restaurants, daily kimono rental, and onsen (public bath). There is also a shopping center at the base.

       Due to the history of Japan, most of the old or beautiful architecture and scenery is associated with the religions. This is especially true for Kyoto, the countries historic capital, where there are close to 3,000 shrines and temples. Visiting either shrines or temples does not require you to pay homage to the religion it houses. They welcome tourists who merely want the photo op since many have been labeled UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If that still makes you uncomfortable you can plan a trip to Kyoto and avoid both shrines and temples, but you will miss a lot of history and grandeur, like avoiding castles or monasteries in Europe. 

Shrines

       Shrines are Shinto places of worship. In response to the cultural value for nature in Japan which associates the beautiful with the divine, some of the most notable sightseeing places related to nature or gardens are associated with shrines. The Japanese word for shrine is ji, so many of the names of temples have that suffix added on. Since the religions of Shintoism and Buddhism are somewhat blurred in parts of Japan, you may see Buddhist and Shinto practices overlap. There are hundreds of shrines of various sizes in Kyoto, but the big names that are usually suggested include:
      Heian shrine to the North East of  the city and is ranked as one of the best in the city and it is impressive for its sheer size. The Tenryu-ji near the bamboo forest. Fushimi-Inari in perhaps the most photographed shrine from Japan, and the tunnel of tori (red, overhead gates) is worth experiencing. Gio-ji is also well known.

Temples

       Temples are Buddhist places of worship. Within the parameters of Kyoto there are close to 1,600. Just google it and see. The Japanese word for temple is dera, so many of the names of temples have that suffix added on. Some of the oldest and grandest buildings in Kyoto city proper belong to temple grounds. This is because of Buddhism's strong influence on education. For example, the iconic five story pagoda is just outside the East Temple complex. In the central city of Kyoto there are four main temples, each guarding a cardinal direction of the city. The oldest and grandest of these temples is the East temple. This temple - its wooden buildings, massive gate, and moat - dates back to the twelfth century. If you visit a temple within the city I suggest either the Higashi Honganji for the age and grandeur or Toji for the Kyogokokuji five story pagoda. Expect a trip to any of these sites to be short. Realistically, you are just there to people watch or admire the impressiveness of the buildings. Doing more than that require religious participation.

       If you are willing to journey a little outside the city, there are some places on the fringe. Perhaps the most famous of these temples is Kiyomizu-dera (http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-temples-shrines/kiyomizu-temple). This temple is built into the side of a hill so that the balcony overlooks the a three story drop onto trees, and there is a saying in Japan that if you jump off uninjured you will have a wish granted. as a result, there is an idiom in japanese about Kiyomizu-dera which basically translates to "a blind leap of faith" (清水の舞台から飛び降りる、kiyomizu-no-butai-kara-tobi-o-riru). Overall, this place may be stunning with cherry blossoms or for fall foliage, but without them it only gets a four out of ten. 

Shopping

The list
You can google a Japan or Kyoto specific list.There are certain gift that Kyoto is famous forsoI suggest being aware of those things before starting out. There are many, many places to shop in Kyoto, but the best places to start might be: Nishiki Market, Kyoto Tower, Kyoto Station

       One more thing, although your time in the city may be limited, beware overbooking your day or at least know what you are willing to take out if your day does not quite go according to plan.

http://www.insidekyoto.com/must-see-kyoto-1-day-itinerary