2016 Japan - Arashiyama

27 Nov 2016

Arashiyama is the second-most important sightseeing district in Kyoto. It’s a fair distance from the center of Kyoto by train, generally taking about 30-minute. It was a rainy day today, but it’s worth it for the number of great sights here.

We were amazed by the autumn foliage scenery at every corner, from the moment we stepped into this district. 

The Togetsukyo Bridge (lit. "Moon Crossing Bridge") is Arashiyama's most iconic landmark. It was originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185) and most recently reconstructed in the 1930s. The bridge looks particularly attractive in combination with the forested mountainside in the background. 

It never stopped raining and we were getting colder and colder due to the wet clothes. I couldn't wait to stop for lunch so I could grab some warmth in a restaurant. Queues could be easily seen at the front of different restaurants when it was closed to noon. We didn't want to queue under the rain and hence we just walked in to one without queue. 

Tenryuji (天龍寺) is located a short 10 minute walk from the JR Arashiyama Station. Tenryuji became ranked first amongst Kyoto’s “five great Zen temples”, which gave it the recognition needed in order to register it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is the head temple of its own school of Buddhism, which falls into the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese religion. The entry fee is 500 yen, which is standard of most temples in the area

We walked to the Bamboo Grove which is one of Kyoto’s top sights and for good reason: standing amid these soaring stalks of bamboo is like being in another world. From Bamboo Groove we further walked to Jojakkoji Temple. As usual, there is an entrance fee. We paid a visit to only the main entrance. The cold made me feel so uncomfortable that I suggested to skip next few spots and head back to Kyoto. 

If you are on a rickshaw, you can ask for a rickshaw tour in Bamboo Groove

Muachi, a sweet dessert sold along the main street

We were back to Kyoto station. Right after collecting our luggage from baggage storage center, we immediately changed our wet shirt, pant and especially socks which have been keeping us cold for few hours.

While waiting for our next train to Takayama, we lodged a report for my mother's lost phone in the police station despite their limited understanding to English language. What puzzled me most was that they refused to provide the copy of the report. We were only given a form which stated our case ID and the police station contact information. There were not any name, stamp, signature or even date but thankfully we still successfully claimed the loss from insurance company with just this "report".

We boarded on Japanese high speed trains Shinkansen

We couldn't find a place to put our big suitcases. Eventually we managed to fit them in front of our seats and we still had room for our legs.

Most shinkansen trains are served by small food carts with a selection of snacks, drinks and boxed meals (bento) which periodically pass along the aisle.