Kyoto: Top Places To Go When You Only Have One Day in Kyoto

We started the trip with a Shinkansen ride. It isn't called a bullet train for nothing - it is the fastest train in Japan, and possibly in the whole wide world. 

Because it is fast and efficient, it is not surprising that passengers could sit back and relax during the ride:)

While Japan is highly industrialised, there are ricefields and agricultural patches outside of the big cities.

This is literally a quick snap of the country side - taken from a blink-and-you-miss-it zipping train.

We reached Kyoto within two hours from Tokyo, a trip that would have taken 6x or more longer elsewhere.

Our first stop was the Heian Shinto shrine.

Though relatively new (built in late 1800s) versus other shrines in the city, Heian has its own charms, and perhaps one of them is its wide open space - the complex has a huge quadrangle covered in white pebbles. In the short span of time we were there, we also managed to witness a traditional Shinto marriage, a very quiet and dignified affair.

I chanced upon these two girls who just came out from the shrine. I've also seen pairs in the other shrines back in Tokyo. They always seem to walk about in pairs. According to my Japanese friend, they help out in the shrines, and perhaps they are the closest equivalent of nuns in the Shinto tradition.

Next stop is Sanjusangen-do, a temple that houses a thousand Buddhist Kannon statues and the 28 deities guarding them. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos inside...for good reasons. Preservation is one of them, but also it is out of respect to these religious relics.

It is said that one could always find his or her own face among the thousand buddhas. I tried to look for my double but could not easily locate. I know though that among the 28, I was inspired by one of the deities whose name is Mawara-Nyo. She represents the "indomitable spirit and the gentle energies of the universe".

Third stop was the #Kiyomizudera temple. Though crowded, it was not stifling, perhaps because the weather that day was perfect! The temple is on top a of a hill, a short climb from the bus stop. The street leading up was lined with cafes and souvenir shops. Many visitors were wearing traditional Japanese kimono, but our guide explained that many of those in costumes were tourists who wanted to experience authentic Japanese lifestyle as much as they could. 

The first pagoda.

This is the view from the back of supposedly the oldest temple, built in 778 AD, even older than the city of Kyoto itself.

Another pagoda is tucked in a more quiet area half-way through Mt. Otawa. This photo is taken across the mountain, from the main temple.

In shrines and temples, there is a small hut that houses prayer votives - wooden blocks that hold the prayer petitions of the faithful.

Venturing a little bit from the madding crowd, we encountered this refreshing treat in full bloom!

And there were more of these hydrangeas along the trail.

A closer look at the pagoda that we had seen earlier from the main temple. Not many visitors would venture all the way up to this site especially when crunched for time. This was the more quiet area, and is a good place to catch one's breath and reflect on nature.

And this is the temple as seen from the other side. It is a wooden structure but well supported by stronger pillars allowing it to accommodate the throng of tourists that come each day.

Nearby, hidden by trees, is a fountain where guests queue up and pray for their wishes to be fulfilled. The fountain has three streams that represent Love, Health, and Wisdom.

Back in the city, we saw this red bicycle in its cozy nook. And for a second I wondered, which came first, the bicycle or the parking slot?

A visit to the #Torii gates was not part of the Kyoto tour that we joined. But it was just two stops away from the Kyoto station and so we decided to check this out on our own. We took the local train, alighted at Inari, and walked 5 minutes to this entrance:

We reached the gates (Fushimi Inari Shrine) late in the afternoon when, good for us, the crowd was already thinning.

A trip to Kyoto would not be complete without a visit to these thousand gates. Start counting!

One of the buildings near the entrance

While waiting for the ride back to Tokyo. 

The one-day trip would not have been possible without the fast Shinkansen ride.
And while a day-tour provides only a brief glimpse of a famed old city,
it was well worth it, even if only to see the Torii gates...and the ramen that we had
in one of the noodle shops at the station :)

#Kyoto #Japan #Kiyomizu #Sanjusangendo #HeianShrine #Shinkansen