Day 4, part 2, walking in Kyoto: Gion buildings

In part 1 of Day 4 we had walked from hotel south via Pontocho to Gion Dori and then east to Yasaka Shrine. Returning to our hotel near the Sanjo Bridge, beginning in this second part, we went north west through tiny streets of Gion, red light district at night, some astonishing design visible during the day, to emerge from Shinbashi Dori and walk beside the canal on Shirakawa-Minami Dori, down to the river then north on the east bank of the Kamo River....  the area just over the river in Hiroshige's painting from the 1830s, copied here from wikipedia

above the Yasaka Shrine, we found people setting up for Saturday lunch under the last of the cherry blossoms. This is a short video clip.

Then we walked northwest through narrow streets of Gion, a redlight district when the sun is not shining. Many people would only see this at night. Daytime reveals astonishing combinations of traditional and modern building.

and then, at the corner above and in this little video, we arrive in Shirakawa-Minami Dori, with canal and cherry blossoms. Photos from the next part of the walk in the next blog entry.

Day 3, part 2: Arriving and walking Kyoto, including Philosopher's Walk

Feature of this day was walking the 'Philosopher's Walk' in this wonderful spring season.

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Lots of information on the web about the Philosopher's Walk.
This map shows several bus/train routes from Kyoto Station to the northern end of the Philosopher's Walk, distance about 8km (5 miles).

You need a bus going near to Ginkakuji, also named Jishoji (-ji = temple), which you may also have time to inspect. Fare from downtown Yen 240. Enter the back of buses in Kyoto, exit at the front where there are two machines beside the driver: one for changing coin or notes (at least Y1000 notes, perhaps more), the other for deposit of exact fare, no change given.

The Kyoto subway system is not to be compared with Tokyo's system. The buses are excellent.

All of our time in Kyoto was spent in the area of this map.

Some photos and story

From Kyoto Station we had to find our hotel which was small (30 rooms) and very new, not visible on street view google, or not to us. Just south of Sanjodori [Sanjo Street] on Kawaramachidori. Great location. We took a local subway trip, two stops to Shinjo and walked a kilometre and a half.

Always choose the minor streets.

before diving into the Nishiki Markets on Hajiyacho street

I steal from next day for breakfast we bought in this market, wonderful.

from this fish shop.

Leaving our bags at the hotel we set off by #5 bus for the Philosopher's Walk. No doubt a pleasant wander at other times, stunning during the cherry blossom time. This is 11 April 2014, other years may vary.

Movie of Philosopher's Walk embedded at the top of this entry

Great day.

new movies

I've made four more movies, will have to attend to writing later.

Assembling movies not too hard, though there are some silly things done by Apple, in shifting iMovie down to app form. Why necessary for all photos to have the 'Ken Burns effect' - shifting around in a seasick manner? Let me choose, please. Also, someone in the design department thought it would be nice if captions had a bell ring every time a caption starts or ends... 

Anyway, here they are...

1 Riding the Shinkansen, with glimpses of Mt Fuji

2: The Philosopher's Walk, Kyoto

3: Some unexpected musical entertainments

4: The amazing Kyoto Station

Day 3, part 1: Shinkansen to and from Kyoto, views of Fujisan

Our  Shinkansen (bullet train) took 164 minutes to cover the 500+km from Tokyo to Kyoto as part of a longer run to Osaka and points beyond. They leave every few minutes, they never leave late, they have had no accidents since they began running in 1962 (there was uproar in about 1970 when the Prime Minister delayed one by five minutes). Seating more comfortable, more leg room, than economy air travel, in the standard Shinkansen cars. I kept thinking I should put my seat belt on.

The seven day Japan Rail Pass at $A300 is a little less expensive than Tokyo-Kyoto return by Shinkansen with reserved seat. Get the pass!

We left home early to be sure not to be left behind, taking the elevator in the wall across the street from our apartment down to the very deep Asakusa (Tsukuba) station, from where we went two stops on the 6.08 Tsukuba Express to Akihabara to catch the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Station. This is how the world looks at 6.25am Friday on the Yamanote Line. Social media not yet dominant.

We were early for, safely in place to move smartly on board, the 7.03 Shinkansen Hikari out of Tokyo forr Kyoto. Some glimpses of it in a little movie here. Also glimpses of Mt Fuji (Fujisan)

Day 2, part 2: a tale of three, or six, trains

From Ueno we travelled the Yamanote line, the rail line that encircles and runs through Tokyo and links to every other line. And as this is Japan Rail, the JR Pass works, you show it on entry and departure at the information window of each station, it does not work through the turnstyles.

We went first to Okachimachi, one stop on the Yamanote Line from Ueno, to see the fabled market. The market was huge but mainly run-of-the-mill packaged goods and some produce.

Between the north and south entrances to Okachimachi Station, on the market (west side) we found locals queuing to get into a little sushi place as it was opening at 11am. No greater recommendation. We ate very well and sufficiently for total Y1400 , say $15, for two.

So first train movie, a sushi train movie, is here

After lunch we took a longer ride, clockwise from 3 o'clock to 8 o'clock , to Shibuya, to ride the Keoi Line to Shimokitazawa, which we had heard compared to Koenji but which turned out to be at least at first glance more muddled trendoid and uneasy, so we fled back to Koenji , where I got a wonderful therapeutic massage, thanks to Emiko for providing a Japanese language note to the issues in my shoulders. 

The run from Okachimachi to Shibuya is though business centres. Long and tiring. 

This next video shows the ride for one stop from Okachimachi.  See signs and hear announcements in Japanese and English. Easy, get the map, get the Suica card, get on board, like this:

We took a glimpse from the JR station of the Shibuya crossing. 

Koenji seemed home on second visit, the massage practice , a block north from the station, was very good, spotless, courteous, professional. Change to tshirt and loose shorts as provided before being strong armed for an hour. Planning two more visits next week. 

Beginning the ride home at 4pm on the Chuo Line, the crowds thickened, so we chose to change at Shinjuku, the worlds busiest station, for completion of the outside Yamanote, clockwise to Ueno. Called 'outside' on the circle run because trains like cars here run on the left. 

This was the scene on the Chuo Line which we could have ridden onwards across the Yamanote circle, like an omega slash across the circle of the Yamanote Line. 

At the northern end of the circle of the Yamanote line the crowd thinned and I was able to stand at the glass wall of the driver's compartment to record this film. You will see how frequent the Yamanote service is from the green trains running the other way on the inside line. The driver has a cold, has a mask, like others above. If you get a cold, do be civilised and wear a mask, about $5 for a box of sixty masks at the supermarket, 

Day 1, part 3: Hanami, Ueno Park

In the Japanese language, there is a special word for the annual opportunity to celebrate the arrival and departure of cherry blossoms: hanami.

We came to Japan at this time of year, April, because it really is a wonderful season, but also because it's the time for hanami. Lots of celebration, lots of lolling about in the park. On this Wednesday morning, a great array of people meeting, greeting, moving, marvelling at life.

Here's a half minute of it.

Also see my favourite information resource, Japan Talk.