| 11 Nov 2005 Kyoto East |
0100 Changi
Airport Terminal 1,
Singapore, SQ986 0800 Arrived @ Kansai International Airport, Osaka 0920 Airport Limo Bus to Kyoto Station  Lunch
@ わらじゃ (warajya)-> Eel set lunch course -> Omacha (thick froth green tea) with hu-lu shaped sweets -> Yuzu starter with mushroom -> chopped eel soup with leek and fu (wheat gluten strips) -> sliced eel, seasonal mushroom in japanese rice/porridge -> Melon for dessert  三十三间堂 (sanju-sangen-do)-> 1001 live size golden figures of kannon (goddes of mercy) Check-in to Shimizu Ryokan Hot bath and off to dinner Dinner @ Kyoto Station |
| 12 Nov 2005 Kyoto East |
清水寺
(kiyomizu-dera) -> full wooden structure of japanese cypress, constructed without a single nail -> 音羽山滝 (Otowa-no-taki): drinking the water from this small waterfall is believed to cure illness Enroute -> Sannen zaka, Ninen zaka ( -> saw quite a few ladies dressed as Maiko/Geisha for photo shoots Lunch
@ 有喜屋 (清水吉晴庵)-> tofu paste/sauce cold soba 高台寺 (kodaiji)Snack @ 泉门天 （sen mon ten) - 50 gyoza Dinner @ Ramen store in Portal in Kyoto Station |
| 13 Nov 2005 Kyoto West |
JR Train to
嵐山 Saga-Arashiyama Station 渡月桥 (togetsu) -> Nice area but not totally breath taking as most book make it out to be あだしの念仏寺 (adashi no nembutsu-ji )-> Kyoto city bus 62 to 鸟居本 bus-stop -> 8000 stone buddha original used as grave stones -> 6 face/sided Guardian of Souls 二尊院 (nison-in)-> enshrines 2 principals images of Shak and Amida (National treasures) -> Another good place for red maple viewing especially the grounds behind the temple on the hill Lunch
@ 寿乐庵-> Nabeyaki udon, yudofu (hotpot tofu soup) -> おうす セツト (green tea warabi jelly and omacha) 清凉寺 (seiryou-ji)-> enshrines the "living status of Buddha", carved of the Buddha when he was 37 years old as an indian prince -> silk objects shaped like human organs were discovered in the statue, implies the present of advanced autopsy in ancient china more than 1000 years ago Teahouse at Seiryou-ji - grilled mochi balls with miso sauce. Fried tofu balls with chestnut from tofu next to temple Dinner
@ small shop in Arashiyama - yudofu (tofu soup in hotpot)JR train back to kyoto station |
| 14 Nov 2005 Kyoto Central |
东福寺
(tofuku-ji) -> head temple of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism -> this is one really huge compound 通天桥 (tsuten) -> the tsuten bridge area is very excellent, totally surrounded in different shades of maples (green, peach, orange, golden yellow, bright red) 方丈庭园 (hojo) -> 4 zen gardens by Famous garden builder Mirei Shigemori -> defnitely worth a visit -> North garden: 4 rock composite symbolizing Elysian island, eight rough seas and 5 moss covered sacred mountain -> West garden: moss and azalea shrubs trimmed in chequered pattern -> North garden: square-cutted stones and moss in small chequered formation -> East garden, 7 cylindrical stones in moss field as the main starts of the the Great Bear of heaven 三门, 本堂 -> view of the massive 3 door gates leading into the main hall building of tofuku-ji Lunch
@ 京寿司 (kyosushi)-> serves the famous saba fish sushi Bus ride to Ohara via Kyoto "red and cream" bus 19 Arrived at Ohara bus stop, called for pick service and check-in to 大原の里 (Ohara-no-sato)  Outdoor onsen, dinner @ 大原の里->
Miso chicken nabeyaki, tempura, sashimi, fish
with lots of roe |
| 15 Nov 2005 Kyoto North |
Onsen,
Breakfast @ 大原の里三千院 (sansen-in) -> Ojo-Gokuraku houses Amitabha Trinity (National Treasure). -> 10th century image of Amitabha flanked by Kannon, for mercy on the right and Seishi for wisdon on the left -> performed sutra copying -> One of the most beautiful moss garden contrasting with the red maples Enroute -> Ice Kyuri (Ice cucumber in vineger) unique to Ohara -> Ate chestnut ice cream, freshly baked rice cracker, grilled mochi (rice cake)with miso sauce 音无 たき -> quite a long hike up to the waterfall, quite a disappointment though -> not quite "noiseless" as it claims 来迎院-> quite a small temple in simple, quiet, serene settings. -> Established by 天台宗 which brought the practice of chanting of buddhist sutras to Japan 宝泉院 (hosen-in)-> Famous of the 500 year old pine shaped as Mt Fuji -> Entrance fee included OMacha to enjoy the hot tea and the garden view Onsen, Dinner @ 大原の里-> chicken sukiyaki |
| 16 Nov 2005 Kyoto North |
寂光院
(jakko-in) -> Temple led by a line of royal blood as the head num -> did not get to observe much at this temple Lunch @ 鱼山园 -> Lantern bento set, Cha soba, Chirashi zushi Bus back to Kyoto Station. Got delayed by Bush who held up the entire road at Nijo Check in to 枳榖荘 (kikokusu) Kyo-Kaiseki
dinner @ 枳榖荘 (kikokusu)-> Yuba, mixed sashimi, cold starter (escargo, mochi, fish paste, prawn in egg yolk ball) -> Steamed prawns -> Tempura prawns -> Salad (Japanese cucumber, ginger in sesame dressing) -> Miso soup with Goma tofu -> Rice and pickles |
| 17 Nov 2005 Kyoto Central |
No matter
how temple fanatic one is ... a break is needed. So it is
shopping day today at Sanjo & Shijo and for me to hunt down some
famous old shops in Kyoto Morning coffee at Ogawa Coffee at Sanjo -> pretty good cafe latte and they use porcelain from 清水烧 (kiyomizu Klin) 船はしや (funahasu-ya) Rice Cracker Shop -> Established 1885 , this shop still stands on the original site -> fresh locally baked o-kaiki (rice crackers), more than 50 variety 内藤 (naito) Broom Shop ->Built in 1869, it has a different broom for every purpose -> fancy a Yen23,000 hand-tied hemp palm broom ? Strolling around 新门前通 (antique lane), 花见小路 (famous Gion shopping and dining stretch), 四条通 (main shopping stretch) Along the way, ate 大福 (daifu), 芋餅 (imo) Lunch @ 一钱洋食 -> fast food okonomiyaki Famous canvas bag shop 一泽帆布 (ichizawa hanpu) Kyo-Kaiseki
dinner back @ 枳榖荘 (kikokusu)-> Sashimi prawn, bream, selection of small starters, green tea fu, chestnuts, escargo -> Steamed daikon,pumpkin,pea -> sashimi uni, hotate (scallop) -> tempura fugu (puffer fish), green pepper, mushroom -> rice, japanese clear soup with multiple colour fu ball -> strawberries |
| 18 Nov 2005 Kyoto Central |
金阁寺
(kinkakuji) - The Golden Pavilion -> The pavilion has 3 style of architecture, 1st floor - palace style, 2nd floor - samurai house and 3rd floor - Zen temple style -> Both the 2nd and 3rd floor are covered with gold leaf -> The Kyoko-chi (mirror pond) provides a perfect reflection of the pavilion -> 600 year old bonsai tree shaped as a boat Lunch
@ 實徳 （みのり） (minori)-> downhill from ginkakuji busstop, simple shop selling only 5 type of soba dishes -> good freshly made buckwheat soba (both hot and cold) 银阁寺 (ginkakuji) - The Silver Pavilion -> Zen temple established in 1482 -> 1st storey is based on Shoin, traditional japanese residential atchitecture, 2nd storey based on chinese temple style -> massive Zen garden (silver beach) Shopping @ 寺町通 Dinner @ た き川 Inn -> Hotpot soya milk with tofu, sashimi, tempura |
| 19 Nov 2005 Kyoto West |
Breakfast @
fastfood joint Lotteria -> ebi burger (prawn) is quite good JR Saga-Arashiyama Torokko train was fully booked so we did not get to ride it 大觉寺 (daikaku-ji) -> famous for fusuma paintings of the Momoyama period -> 2 styles of painting - gold based colourful peony flowers and pine trees, or plain black indian ink of live-sized animals -> Osawa Pond (Teiko) - modeled after Lake Tungting in China さが
美-> This place has the BEST hot and cold soba -> 三色そば 3 colour soba - hot soba with 3 condiments half-boiled egg, daikon and kake 祇王寺 (ghi-ohji) ->Small temple set at the foot of ogura hill, in a maple forest and beautiful fresh green moss covered garden Enroute -> passing through same small plot of farm houses, some with thatched roof, -> bought permissions (in season) -> road side van selling roasted japanese sweet potato -> tofu and black sesame ice cream 天龙寺 (Tenryu-ji) - Temple of the Heavenly Dragon -> Only had time to visit the attached garden which as picture perfect japanese stone/lake and maple tree garden Shopping @ 河原町四条 Dinner @ Supermarket bento -> grilled beef set, sashimi set |
| 20 Nov 2005 Kyoto South |
JR
姚山(momoyama station) 御香宫 (goku shrine) -> 七五三 まつり (Blessing ceremony for kids 7,5,3 years old) -> 御香水 (gokosui) - One of the 100 best water in Japan. People are said to recover from sickness after drinking it and good for sake brewing. Otesuji - Shopping arcade with a few sake shops、fruits stall, pottery shops Stroll along the Fushimi river, willow tree lined river with sake brewery in back ground Visited sake brewery/shop - 月桂冠 (gekkeikan) -> Bought one of their draft sake 吟醸生酒 - 月桂冠 酒香房 Lunch
@ 鸟せい (torisei)-> deep fried chicken skin, thick white broth of chicken hotpot made from sake paste, chicken yakitori -> grilled duck slices, Yuzu Ice Cream, deep fried chicken , salt grilled chicken wings -> 神聖 (shinsei) Sake, nice fragrant and dry Sake Ice Cream from 神聖 shop next to torisei Dinner @ 蛸長 (takocho) -> 東山区川端通団栗橋東诘東北角 (075) 525-0170 -> Small counter only shop only 15 seats, shop house is at least 100 years old -> Best Oden place serving up unique dishes like taco (octopus), maguro (black tuna), kamo tsukune (minced duck meat balls), cabbage rolls, 老海芋 (ebi imo), daikon, tofu, yuba, simmered fish paste ... etc -> Most serious and professional oden place i have seen Stayed at たき川 (takigawa) 本馆 |
| 21 Nov 2005 Kyoto Central |
东寺 (toji)
Flea Market 1200 Airport Limo Bus to airport 1635 SQ983 back to Singapore 2300 Back in Singapore |
