Exploring Kyoto in unstable weather

Woke up, made morning preparations and headed out. I had plan of going to see mountain park in Arashiyama(storm mountain) and the nijou castle where I had passed on saturday and then reconsider what to do. Wasn't too sure what I would want to do today.

I gave in key, got out and returned right away to room. It was raining! Putting on rain wear I left again and headed toward the castle which was about 2 stations north and 0.75 stations to west. Kyoto is quite nicely designed in grid-pattern with major streets going straight with stations on steady intervals. Coupled with major roads having actually names(unusual in Japan) it makes navigating Kyoto unusually easy for me.

Obon is over so life is back to normal in Japan. Lot less yukatas visible, lot more workers and school kids going on their business.

 Got to love Japanese formality. "We kindly accept permission to rest between 17th and 21th of August". Not that they really asked permission but fairly standard expression to indicate "we are fishing" :D

Dolls representing samurai of old.

 

 By now it had stopped raining and I was sweaty. I started to think rain wear might not have been best of ideas. So I stopped under the gate and removed them putting them back to my backbag(handy thing this btw. More useful than the laptop bag I have used before).

 This time tree felt quite rough to touch. Lots of gold detailing!

Unfortunately photographs inside were forbidden so can't show the interiors :( Was quite interesting looking from the inside with life sized dolls representing Shoguns, ministers etc in various rooms. Gave nice view of how things might have looked back then. Also seems that the restaurant of Imperial power(ie Shoguns gave up their in-reality rule of Japan back to the Emperor after Emperor had been for centuries just ceremonial figurehead with Shoguns de-facto ruling Japan) was announced in this castle. That I DIDN'T know. I thought it would have been Imperial palace instead.

After this I headed to the Arashiyama and this time I did bother to spend money to transportation ;) (later realized I could have used JR pass to get there for free but that would have been lot more walking. Nah I'm not THAT poor that I need to skimp on less than 2 euros!). This place has been on my go-to-see list in both other times I have been in Kyoto but never had time to really go there so 3rd time is the charm.

Arashiyama's main attraction is the monkey park. At the top of 160 meter climb there's wild monkeys(about 140 or so) living which you can take photos and feed(from inside building with fence between you) them. Bit like Hell's valley I visited last year except no hot springs this time.

 Seems one can't climb a mountain here without running into shrine or temple in Japan. There's definitely some special meaning to mountains for Japanese.

 It would be about 20 minutes or so climb according to staff of ticket office.

Another "give refreshment to passerby's" device. That fan shoots thin water mist along.

Heat is serious issue with this climb. I was sweating a lot by the time I got toward up. One route was closed for danger of heat strokes. I presume it's more sunny path. The route that was open at least went in shade of trees.

 There was this slide for kids but seeing how dirty it was(mokey poop?) wouldn't be recommending letting kids slide it.

I was SOAKED in sweat by now. Hot hot hot. At least I had dried up after taking out the rain wear at which point shirt was completely wet.

 First sight of monkey spotted!

 Nice view of Kyoto from here!

 You could feed the monkeys here(guess the fence gives extra security and they learn that food is only available HERE). Very cute monkeys. Was funny watching them eat.

 Unlike Hell's valley no hot springs here. Nor was it weather to swim in one albeit. Instead these amused themselves by climbing trees.

Short video I took while going path close to pair of monkeys. One was laying so still for a while I thought it was dead actually.

Guess even monkeys find the heat and humidity awful!

Today wasn't so much hot as HUMID. Yesterday was lot hotter but I'm sweating lot more today. That humidity is killer!

 With Arashiyama explored I headed toward temple on fan-shaped map I had been given(thanks!). In between this big Katsura river. I could have took a boat ride to watch surroundings in traditional Japanese boat but that costs about 30e. Didn't feel paying quite THAT much.

 Stopped to eat tempura soba for a lunch. Tasty!

With stomach filled it was time to continue the travelling. Tenryu-ji temple called in. Was nearby so why not? Can't get enough of temples!

 Think these are actually statues of Buddhas. Not quite sure though. Need to find out. Getting curious what they are.

 This temple is one of Zen-school of thought.

 Eh...What's with the face?

 One thing I like about the old style Japanese buildings is that those tatami mats are sooooooo nice to walk on. Feet took that as a blessing to walk in.

 Nice garden outside. You had to pay separate fee to go to park. Wasn't sure what's the point(especially as garden was more expensive). You can see it inside as well? Well bit more to see there you can't see from inside..BTW go to temple first, then to garden. Garden got me into exit gate so going back to temple would require backing up.

 Another feature I like about old Japanese building style. Wall paintings! Obviously they weren't likely cheap so were likely only be found in big important places like temples and homes for nobilities etc.

 This path led to other part of the building. That's not too easy thing to walk with shoe sores in your feet. Need to avoid stepping over the edges.

 And that stone stairway was NOT good at all. Also that wood was warned to be slippery. I'm walking it in socks.

 With this I headed toward temple. But it started to rain again so I(stupidly) put in rain wear again.

 Got to see nice views when I climbed the hill behind. There was something worth paying for afterall.

 

I ran quickly into exit gate. Huh? Thought about should I head back and see if I missed anything but don't think so. Sure hope so! This was nice surprise though in that this led me where I had considered going anyway. Bamboo tree! Never seen these up and this was north of temple so had thought to go see it. Didn't have to search for it.

 Interesting looking trees.

 Was nice walking beneath these TALL trees.

Now the problem was that this didn't seem to lead anywhere I really wanted to go. Routes to station was either take long walk around or go back where I had just come from. The other round was bloody long since I needed to find crossing of railway so I settled for walking back a bit.

I also got myself my 3rd stamp book(1st is for Shikoku pilgrimage, 2nd for Chichibu pilgrimage, this one I'll use for random temples I visit). Should have got this lot sooner. But last 2 trips I didn't even know this sort of thing exists! Now I want to start filling this with stamps ASAP!

I noticed sign saying JR station nearby so checked how easy it would be to get to Kyoto station by it. Got to love access to internet here. Turns out very easy. Direct line leads there! This is how I could have got here for free but didn't know it and too much walking from the castle to the Kyoto station. However this time walking distance would be about same regardless of which way I take so I opted to use this station instead.

Rain had stopped by now and I was again so sweaty that I quickly got out of the rain wear. I swore I would not use those anymore. I swear I could be dryer if I jumped to sea with clothes on than I would have been with the rain wear on. Way too hot for those!

I was steaming!

With back to Kyoto I opted to go see if I could buy stamp to my new book in Nishi Honganji. I visited it on my first trip to Kyoto and showed photo outside on first day in this trip as well. And it was in between Kyoto station and hotel.

 Big building. Also there's serious repair works going on. Japanese want their old buildings stay tiptop.

There was very nice moment when I went in. I sat close to the main area of the temple(this being Buddhist temple btw) and just sat there quietly enjoying the silence. Not religious moment by long shot as a) I'm pretty much atheist b) wrong religion anyway. Haven't turned into Buddhist! But it was nice quiet moment where I could just rest, think and enjoy finer points of the building. Don't think I'm taking enough moments like these?

Unfortunately one other tourist either can't read english and very clear picture or simply didn't bother as she came in taking pictures. NO PHOTOGRAPHING ALLOWED! Can't be too hard to comprehend?

Ruined mood for me and for some this IS religious place to say your prayers. Some consideration please?

Mantra outside it. "no despair in human life, in any kind of human life there is no despair in any way" if I can translate this correctly.

Random note. Kanjis do have ther use. Last two kanjis formed word I didn't even need to have seen before to know it means "repeated occurences" just from meaning of the kanjis. So "warning, on this road bike accidents occur repeatedly".

I came to hotel early. Think I call it quits for today. Another 7 hours or so spent moving around. Enough for today. Also was bit expensive day. Sightseeing is surprisingly expnsive due to all tickets etc(but then again temples don't get any money from goverment so their budget IS what they can get from visitors) and that meal was on pricey side + the stamp book. Still not in danger but with feet tired called it quits.

Tomorrow is awfully early rise to see the Itsukushima temple's torii gate in full tide. That requires me leaving Kyoto VERY early. Also hope to do climbing of mountain there as well. Hopefully not too hot weather tomorrow!

Funny incident. Leaving the last temple it started to again rain. I looked up at the sky and said aloud "iie kamisama. Mata damasarenai yo!" meaning "oh no god. Won't be fooled again!". Maybe not best of things to say out! Cue in rain volume notching up several levels.

I don't believe in supernatural things but sometimes life does give you second thoughts...