This city stole my heart. There are many reasons, so let’s start. When I first came to Japan, I was surprised to see so many foreigners.
The journey was full of pain, literally. Walking in the heat a few kilometers with an 8 kg backpack is uncomfortable. Since the bus transportation scared me a little and the system was too different from the one I knew, I walked to my accommodation instead. Maybe stupid, but these are good mistakes to learn from them.
The first night in Kyoto, I walked around to see the neighborhood and missed Gion with Maikos, just one street away from me. However, I met two little kittens in the Yasaka shrine complex, saw lit lanterns, and was happy to travel alone when I met a group of foreigners following their Japanese tour guide.
So different from Tokyo in its buildings and vibes. Machiya houses still remind us of the past. Far too many cyclists are on both sides of the road without showing the direction where they want to go. Quite dangerous, for them normal. Make sure to watch out, especially on the narrow streets.
Due to a change of plans, I got here one day earlier, so I switched hostels in Kyoto. The first wasn’t so pleasant. Predominantly foreign customers and a big mess in washrooms, the space was too cramped, even for Japanese accommodation. It didn’t feel like the other places. Plus might be their ability to speak English.
The next one is not so modern, located far from the center, yet close to the bus stop, my enemy. The atmosphere was pleasant, like in a family. They served cold matcha tea to their customers and okashi (sweets), so gratifying care. It was finally explained how buses work, which is surprisingly easy. The proximity to the Nishijin textile center led me to spend a lot of money on yukata (a light version of the kimono).
It’s around 40°C, and the cicadas are making overwhelming noise. Many people are around me, but it feels like I’m the only one in the world. When my bare feet touched the wooden floor of Tenryuji Temple, it was like traveling back in time. I have never been so far, yet it was closer to my heart than at home. As the wood changed into bamboo tatami and the sensation, I only enjoyed being here at the moment. Tourists around me didn’t matter at all. The scenery, so tranquil and harmonic, left me breathless. A small stream running across the garden, making pleasant noise in the background, yet too beautiful to be captured in a photo. Every tree, stone, and blade of grass was untouched by humans but as well as changed. Even on the hottest days, beauty doesn’t fade in my eyes.
As I’ve never seen a bamboo forest in real life, I longed to go. The Arashiyama bamboo forest enchanted me. The smell was so indescribable, profound with tones of sweetness, which is unfamiliar to Europeans.
In Arashiyama are many small shops with various things, but the only one is full of treasure. As beautiful Japanese music lured me in, I found many colorful fans, chopsticks, and other perfectly crafted objects. How hard it was to choose. As it was nearing afternoon, I headed to Fushimi-Inari.
In Japan, as a foreigner, I always feel like someone who doesn’t belong, partially to my lack of elegance and different appearance. Walking steep rocky stairs, I admired Japanese women for their grace with high heels and work outfits, looking great even in this high temperature. And Japanese men in their suits, undoubtedly uncomfortable, students in uniforms, all coming to ask gods for a favor. But I stopped in the middle, unable to walk further in these conditions.
Another day led me to Nijo-jo, the castle of the Tokugawa in the Edo period. Since I like this part of history, I couldn’t miss this opportunity. It’s not the typical Japanese castle, but it was the first I’ve seen and my favorite.
The gold combined with black carvings of cranes, peacocks, tigers, and flowers is something special. But even more beautiful is the interior. However, it’s prohibited to take pictures inside of the castle.
As I have written above, when you enter the temples, castles, or other places in Japan, you must take off your shoes. Thanks to this you can also enjoy the feeling of the wooden floors. Here in Nijo Castle, the floor is creaking in some places to warn the lord of possible ninjas (shinobi) about assassinating him. The walls are in golden colors with pine branches, tigers, hawks, herons, and other nature motifs. Only one room has a painting depicting humans, made in ink. Here is where the last Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, resigned and stepped down to return power to the Emperor.
However, I got up late this day and started in the Manga National Museum, where I bought four manga out of curiosity and as a souvenir. Since I’m not into this kind of stuff, I didn’t stay there long.
At the end of the day, I went to Kinkaku-ji (The Gold Pavilion). As I wasn’t prepared for this, I couldn’t believe the gracefulness of this building. I saw gold this day once, but not in such a range as here. The lake mirroring this beauty with small islands growing pines is like a painting.
Here I bought incense sticks, which I stored in a box full of treasures from Japan. Every time I smell this, I am home.
As my days here ended, I had to return to Tokyo to board my flight. It was amazing to explore this ancient city, which I visited one year later again.
