shashcha blog: Kyoto: Arashiyama and more

Kyoto: Arashiyama and more

What’s Arashiyama? Well one can go geographically, materialistically or philosophically to describe it. But in fact Arashiyama is much more than that. At the most, just to get a faint idea one may say, what’s Lonavala –Khandala for people from Pune and Mumbai Arashiyama is for people of Kyoto! Is it really so? No, absolutely not, because people from the world over come to visit it for its various attractions.

Geographically it’s a hilly province on the western skirts of Kyoto and Kyoto Metro Transport operates till the end. Bus no.28 takes you from Bus terminus at Kyoto station to Arashiyama. Train too operates on the same route but I decided to take the bus to have a good look at the city passing by. It takes around 45 minutes from the Kyoto central bus stop to Togetsukyo Bridge, which is considered as the center of Arashiyama.

Materialistically it’s escape for common Japanese worker, office or otherwise, from the mundane but cut throat competitive field of employment. It has all the ingredients what a fun loving merry making person on the picnic longs for.

For one seeking philosophical nirvana Arashiyama is known for its Buddhist and Shinto temples. One has to book in advance may be for months together to pay visit to Saiho-ji temple. There others like Tenryu-ji and Gio-ji.

All the tourists’ attractions are on the either banks of river, Katsura. An artificial lake is created by building a small bund for boat riding activities. The only bridge, Togetsu-kyo that crosses it, is significant in many ways. It has a history of almost 400 years. The wooden bridge stands on wooden pillars with cement embankments on the either ends but mostly it’s known for its aesthetic beauty that’s the essence of Japanese artistic traditions. The actual meaning of Togetsu is moon crossing the bridge.

While standing on the bridge you can devour the natural beauty around. The mountains on the north have dense forestation and so in any season it’s worth a watch. In spring the entire hill is decorated in whitish pink to dark pink Sakura while in autumn the yellow, red and brown, the colors of the fall dominate the scenic picture.

It was so crowded; it took me more than 30 minutes to cross the distance of hardly 150 meters. On the other side there are few restaurants, cafes and jetties, there is also famous monkey park of Kyoto. For any fees a visit to Monkey Park for a person from India was not worth it! Somehow Sakura on this side was more glorious. Slowly I walked back to other side to visit Tenryu-ji Temple.

Tenryu-ji Temple. It’s actually a temple complex having few other shrines like Hogon-in temple on the premises. Tenryu-ji temple is head temple of some sub-sect of Buddhism. Built in 1339 for the first time but was renovated many times due to damages in fires and wars. At the entrance, is Chokushi gate where one has to pay entrance fees of Y 500. Absolutely serene and quiet, with large open halls where one can really meditate. There were many other pavilions too for different purposes. [Hojo, Shoin and Kuri].What I liked the most about the temple is its dry or rock garden. Bordering on the central pond the designs made on the gravel were really having some deep meaning because they absolutely transfixed me. The patterns had some hidden force that told many untold stories if one have keen sense for it. And, they are for it, liberation of mind!

Rock Garden

Figurines

At the entrance of Shrine Hogon-in there are many figurines in stone, I could not decipher their meaning, nor could pamphlet offer any explanation. Sakura was in full bloom over the entire premise giving it floral ambiance of Mother Nature’s spring celebrations

Arashiyama is most famous for its Bamboo Grove. Surprisingly there is no entry fee for it. After getting out of Tenryu-ji temple’s north gate a left turn takes you to Bamboo Grove.

Bamboo Grove

Even though it was crowded [I think now there is no need to say this, in Japan during Cherry Blossom season everything overflows, be it roads, buses, trains or souvenir shops.], you realize that you have reached some different jungle and it gives that sense of otherness after walking under the canopy of tall bamboos even for few yards. I started training my mind to omit the crowds and the experience was phenomenal. Just forget the crowds and then you are alone in any surroundings, enjoying its pleasures to your heart’s contents. It’s like going for a movie in a group. But the one who is viewing the movie is you and you alone. When I realized this, the pleasures of solo trip tripled!

Play of Sun-rays through leaves

It was so thick and so tall that sunrays hardly reached the ground. Where they reached, their play with the bamboo leaves was absolutely gorgeous. Any amount of words is pure wastage; one has to visit it, really to know what it actually is!

In the melee at the souvenir shop I got wrong sized clothes for Arsh. She showed me the correct size in the sample but while packing a new set she gave me the size that fitted me as a swimming trunk! This I realized only after coming back to Mumbai!

Due to unprecedented rush to go back to Kyoto, I caught the first bus that came on the stop. And it was a mistake. It took me to Kawaramachi commercial district of Kyoto which was far away from the Kyoto station. But it turned out to be blessing in disguise!

I got down at the corner of Sanjo Bridge that joins the commercial part of the city to other side. It runs over Kamo River that flows through the city. River has illuminated promenades on both the banks; while the Sanjo Bridge is major part of city’s night life. It holds music concerts under its belly. After wandering around for half an hour or so, I caught Tozai line at Sanjo Keihan station and changing at Karasuma Oile reached Kyoto station, in just 15 minutes. I did have good experience but lost much money on IOCCA card.

On the last day of my stay in Kyoto I had decided to visit Kiyomizu dera in the morning and set out for Hiroshima in the evening as it was hardly a travel of 60 to 90 minutes.

Ibis Styles served Lotus Stem tempuras along with Japanese pan-fried chicken in the breakfast. I had my reservations about lotus stem because it is extremely fibrous. I never liked it along with bamboo shoots and Mung bean sprouts. Nothing but fibrous roughage. But Lotus Tempuras served in the breakfast changed my opinion about them. Very tasty and so crispy that I could not hide the noise of crackles.

On swapping it at the gate IOCCA card started acting truant. Along with screechy beep, the gate started flashing red light. May be the balance was over as I had travelled a lot on the previous day. To recharge I put it under the scanner of the vending machine. To my surprise not only did machine not allow recharge but started flashing, ‘This card is invalid’. I was flustered. I had used it only for a day, may be travelled enough, but that should not make the card, ‘Invalid.’ I was ready to pay for the recharge but that too was rejected. There are attendants deployed to help in such matters. I approached one. He coolly told me after putting it under his scanner that, ‘This is invalid card, nothing can be done.’ I tried to argue with him in whatever way I could but his poor English, his attitude to stick to the rules, my trying to converse in writing….nothing helped. ‘If you want to renew the card go to Sin-Osaka’. Next big station, may be the headquarter for that area. It was definitely not an option for sure!

I stood there for minutes not knowing what to do. I was not ready to buy another card, single day fares are expensive Y 600 for a day, which I was not going to utilize fully plus I was to catch another Shinkansen to Hiroshima in the afternoon. Kiyomizu dera was as good as out. I decided to execute plan B. Rather than wandering aimlessly in Kyoto why not reach Hiroshima earlier and explore her beauty in the twilight.

Hurriedly I gathered my luggage from the hotel and set out to catch a train to Hiroshima. After leaving three trains which were not covered under JR pass I caught the fourth one as directed by the attendant on the platform. And it was super, super fast. Inadvertently I had caught Nozomi Shinkansen that is barred for JR pass holders. I started sweating in AC. TC came three or four times but did not bother to check anybody’s ticket. May be it is considered insult to ask for ticket, as it is taken for granted in Japan, [that much of faith], why would one break the rules?

I got down on Hiroshima station at around 2.30-3 PM. It’s under renovation. [Still?]Google maps really helped this time and at the 9^th minute I was in the lobby of Toyoko inn.com. My room was ready but check in time was 4 PM. I was asked politely, ‘Should we take care of your luggage till you come back from the stroll?’ I had the same plans so I put the luggage in her care and set out for a stroll.

Hiroshima has Hop on Hop off bus service and it’s free for JR pass holders. There is a tram terminus just outside the station which was few minutes’ walk from my hotel. The attendant there kept on waving her hand in the direction of station, saying; ‘That side, that side’ at the same time. I after some efforts gathered that she meant on the opposite side of station. Like Kyoto, Hiroshima station too has big pedestrian crossing passing through a big mall. Rows and rows of shops and franchises. Surprisingly restaurants for fine dining too!

Office of H.O.H.O. Bus was in a kiosk at the end of the pedestrian passage. Lady attendants in Japan are sugary sweet, not that you don’t like it but after few experiences a lingering doubt appears, ‘Are they ‘TOO’ trained to do it?’ She explained to me all the details in good English and asked me to come back next day morning at 9.30 AM sharp to catch H.O.H.O. bus

Yummy!

On the way back at one of the posh Coffee houses I had French toast. It was three layered and it had dollops of fresh cream along with ice-cream to accompany! Just looking at it I felt satiated.

Sakura on the River Banks

Ekimae-ohashi Bridge

The hotel Toyoko inn.com is located in an absolutely scenic area. On a continuously flowing thoroughfare it has Enko River just opposite it. Hiroshima has 7 rivers flowing though it so it’s also known as City of Seven Rivers.Lined by cherry blossom trees in full bloom on its promenades, stroll along it was absolutely relaxing. Ekimae-ohashi Bridge on Ekimae –Dori Avenue coming from the station has ornamental lamp posts with figures of eagles in flight, perched on the top of ornate pillars at its ends.

Eagle on the Minar

Dusk descended slowly on Hiroshima and the street lights went on. I am really crazy for photographing lamps and it was feast for me. But more than that ‘Sakura’ in that lime light was stunner to the eyes, more to the soul! The reflected light passing through its delicate flowers created such an aura that I could not close my eyes, along with my heart!