Day 4

Last day. Wondered if I should change to an earlier train back to Tokyo as my schedule was sort of loose today. I didn't want to exhaust myself too much as time was reminding me that Monday was coming. Expected to see less people on the street today it was never the case. Dropping off at Kyoto station, I walked in the speed of light to get a locker for my bag. People were also rushing at my back to fight for a locker. Ready, set, and I went ahead to Tofuku-ji, which was recommended by my boss as one of his favourite places.

It was just a stop away from Kyoto station but look, the whole train of people was all going to it, and it was like a few hundred of tourists arriving in every 10 minutes, in an early morning before 9am. In fact, I was already a bit fed up with maples, so today I was going to take pictures of crowds. Normally with such a long queue outside the entrance, it would definitely turn me off and I would just go away. But I had time, I was patient enough to wait and I felt so funny so see so many people were queuing up. The wooden bridge flying over brushes of maple trees was the main spot of this temple and I could only see heads on this bridge. Some guards were shouting loud and trying to maintain the order. I was afraid such a bridge built of ancient wood couldn't afford the weight and would break into half. Failed to take a video of how desperate people were trying to take pictures as it was really too chaotic. What a mess. What is the point of taking pictures like that?

Regained my breath at another end of the bridge, I saw people congested every single lane and every space of the garden down the slope was filled up. Not interested to get myself into trouble to be swamped by faces and so I left and decided to walk back to Kyoto station. On the way back there was no single tourist except me, it was the genuine quiet morning of Kyoto. I needed not read a map but just being guided by my sense of direction. Kidding, such a tall tower in front of the station, who could ever miss it and get lost on the way?

Saw that there is a drama about Jesus Christ staring by all Japanese actors. Very interested in it but it is now only on show in Kyoto threatre and I was leaving today. Then I went to tenth floor to check out my favourite restaurant – Sasebo burger. It was not yet open and still a bit early for lunch, so I just wandered around on the roof of the station, taking some pictures of myself, which is in fact a very rare action. It’s been a year but I cannot stop thinking about it. A huge burger which you have to squeeze it with your palm before eating, so you can see how supersized Americans are when you look at the size of this burger. I bet it is only a meal for boys. Especially fond of the crispy grilled bread and juicy bacon, I think I can swallow two if I am really starving. It was a bit eccentric and unaccustomed to have burger in Kyoto but believe me after three days of traditional food, that’s something to fresh your taste with something very American.

My energy was fully charged and I started walking again. I relish walking in a warm afternoon. My destination would be Higashi-yama. As I walked on this route before, so I knew the estimated time would be an hour or so. Counting how many kilo I’d been walking these days, I guessed it would be more than 80km by my normal walking pace.

Approaching the area of Higashi-yama, crowds and cars were messing up the roads again. No matter how jammed it was, this area is still my favourite place to walk around. Wanted to find a delicate porcelain teacup, with the theme of autumn. Looked around in many shops but still couldn't get any love-by-first-sight. Finally, I made one for myself. It was so funny to design and polish the clay into any shape that you like and I just made a random design with a lip opposite to the place where I suppose to drink. No ear, but two dimples on its face which fit my thumb and index finger. Pretty silly I laughed by myself when I was making it, didn't know if it scared other participants. Can’t wait to receiving my masterpiece.

Shopping mood was aroused and I got a handmade tie with classic dyeing style. As every tie was unique, it was so hard to make up my mind, while the salesgirl kept showing me more and more style. Just remembered I already have a blue-based one so finally I picked the silver white one with pink dye.

Another thing I’d bought was incense stick. Sandalwood is the customary scent of Kyoto and its smell is flowing on the street all days. As I already have a big pack of it, I was looking for musk. However, it was sort of expensive when comparing to sandalwood, even though sales was persuading me with the classic and elegant fragrance of musk. After all I chose something cheaper and but smells classic like. It’s called the scent of red leaves.

Walking along the bank of Kamogawa in the dusk of the evening and the twilight was shining on my back. Then I turned around and walked back again. The riverbank was full of pairs of lover but somehow I was enjoying the solitude of wandering slowing with some music. Had my very last dinner at the time not yet reaching 5pm so that I could eat slowly. Sometimes when I eat alone and see a big crowd waiting outside, I feel a bit strange of occupying a table by my own and turn out finishing quick. But tonight I didn't have to. That was my last tofu dinner.

It was still too early to go into the gate and so I grabbed a latte and sat on the staircase, looking at the twinkling Christmas tree. It was cold. I planned for long to spend some idle time on this staircase and the flyover tunnel, listening to those songs I listent to, when I visited these places five years ago. Places remains unchanged but I've been changing, so does my thought and sense.

一路上有人太早看透生命的線條命運的玄妙

有人太晚覺悟冥冥中該來則來無處可逃

***
I try to figure out why I particularly like Kyoto. I said I love Okinawa because of its stress-free nature. But what about Kyoto? What quality of it that attracts me? I don’t know. Just a special susceptibility from its historical stories. Many relationships as love, hate, life, death were planted under its soul, which grows as roots of affection that accelerate my sensibility. The feeling is complicated, but I can smell it through the clear air when I see all people on the streets as transparent. What I can see, is only its historical air. I don’t have a surge of moving there, but still, I have a feeling towards it.

I know I will be back soon.

PS
Once got on board of the train, I was exhausted. Might be the train was too warm and ventilation was bad, plus the thought of reality revived, I felt like vomiting when I saw the person eating sushi next to me…

*** Links
http://www.logkit.jp/

Day 3

Another early day. Took train right straight to Kawara-machi and grabbed a white mocha and a taxi and went straight to the starting point of Tetsugaku-no-michi. Oh yes, my modeling picture was taken there. But at the time when I was setting my camera on the bridge, people passing by were just staring at me and wondered what so interesting for this guy to take, because the scenery around wasn't special. Some aunties even came and asked me the way to Ginkoku-ji. I felt like I were a tourist ambassador.

Started walking along the stream but red leaves weren't that magnificent. Still the quietness was enjoyable. I was stepping on the pave stones and felt like a chess walking on a chessboard.

我像是一顆棋子　來去全不由自己　舉手無回　你從不曾猶豫

So strange that people weren't enjoying the tranquility but walking like jogging or running beside me. Whenever I wanted to wander slowly, they walked fast, and vice versa. Weird people. I kept my pace of strolling like a chess piece. Arriving at Eikan-do, I saw people were flowing into the temple area. I was still going as this temple was said to be the no.1 must-go in Autumn Kyoto. Trees were flaming everywhere and it was so hard to decide from which angle you should press your shutter. I l somehow lost my direction in the red and I could merely follow the flow of tourists. Spent much time there as I expected and it was about 11am when I headed to Nanzen-ji. The faces of people were turning off from walking farther into this temple and as I’d visited it 3 times already, I turned right and went directly to see if that tofu restaurant was open for business yet. Luckily, I went there earlier as there was a crowd following me right after I left my name at the reception. After securing my seat, I went back to the entrance gate of Nanzen-ji, procedurally took a few pictures of this prominent gate, and then returned to Jun-sei.

Kyoto cuisine is always healthy without too much meat and deep fried food and so different from Tokyo’s eating habit. Those tofu I tried in Arashi-yama yesterday was excellent, but this time, tofu specialist really has its own knack, my lips and tongue tasted its softness and it kissed me back so gently. It was a wonderful sweet kiss. What’s more, I had 8 bricks of tofu to repeatedly feel this static. While I was eating, I was also thinking if I could get a pack of such high quality tofu at the supermarket around my home?

It was a warm afternoon when I was on my way again. Got onto a bus and heading to Shisen-do way back to the direction where I started this morning. Massive tourists were getting through the small grassy gate and I’d been waiting for so long to take such a no-person picture in 0.01 second time. The tiny temple was also filled up with tourists and there was no more space to accommodate anyone else. But the view from there was really spectacular. Sunshine was adding heat to the redness of maple and trees were covering people like umbrellas, made us fell like baking in an oven.

Walked farther to Manjyu-in but turned out I didn't buy a ticket to enter it. Maybe I needed a break to stop taking pictures of red things as they were hurting my eyes and I felt a bit fed up. Still, a tree attracted every tourist on the way. I wondered if some of its leaves were fake. How could there be 3 colours for leaves on the same tree?

Time for an afternoon nap. Another random bus took me back to Gion. This time I remembered where is the weeping willow at the corner along the river Shiragawa. Time was like passing quicker near evening as the sun was drowning towards the horizon at an unusual speed. A bit irritated by mountain of faces when I tried to find a place to take a rest. Turned into an alley and surprisingly I found a nice quiet café with no one there! I loved it and the family-operated feeling was so warm and welcoming. Had a green tea ice cream and stretched my legs. My tiredness was accumulating.

Tonight I would have an early dinner of Kaiseki. Those old wooden buildings in sunset looked so romantic when I saw it turning from golden yellow to dark. Pale yellow light was glowing from paper windows. Then I entered the restaurant which I made reservation long before.

O-ko-shi-ya-su.

The first time I heard of such a greeting. It was so sexy and mushy. It made me feel like a very special guest when the receptionist told every waitress about my arrival and everybody knew my name. The damp lighting and elegant decoration were so cozy and waitresses were receiving guests with refinement. I wasn't told what I was going to have for my dinner course, which made me feel so excited for everything presented to me. It wasn't only about food, but art of eating, with not only mouth, by eyes and nose. What I paid was worth. The whole dinner took me more than two hours.

It was still early when I walked out, so I went to Kodai-ji and wanted to see the night scene. The endless queue shocked me but I might regret if I didn't go. After all what I had was time and I am now much patient to queue up than before. The moon was shining round and bright overhead but seemed that no one noticed it. People were just looking at their steps. Luckily, the queue was moving fast and soon I climbed the staircases and entered the temple area. Kodai-ji is dedicated to one of my favourite historical person Nene, wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and it was my first time to visit this temple even though I've been to Kyoto for so many times. The whole temple area was lighten up, but I was imagining how dark it was if there would be no light around, and how Nene spent the rest of her life here. She chose this place to pray for her deceased husband, their defeated kingdom. Everything passed just in a blink, she just wanted to withdraw her power and get rid of the reality and hid in the dark, recalling her memories with Hideyoshi? In the non-stop flashlight, seemed I saw the image of Nene praying in the dark, lowering the burden as a powerful woman in the history, retreated into the darkness.

Going back to Umeda, I ate another bowl of noodle. Yes, I ate after 11.30pm again.

***
Some friends can take very good pictures of places where they visited. Photography doesn't necessarily need to be equipped with professional skill. All it depends on how you see things through your heart. The lens and shutter are just intermediaries to express your feeling towards what you see. Pictures are in square, but our feeling is boundless, which is not limited within the frame. Adjust your angle of viewing this beautiful world, you are capable to take great pictures for your own gallery too.

*** Links
http://www.to-fu.co.jp/ma.html
http://r.gnavi.co.jp/k382201/

Day 2

In order to avoid the crowd I needed to start up early. Reached Genko-ji right at 9am but there was already a small crowd. The wall with two round and square windows is a prominent feature of this tiny temple. They are called the realization and lost. They metaphorically represented the lost of human being framed by the four unavoidable edges of birth, aging, disease and death, contrasting to the spherical perfection of the universe. It is a hard to get its meaning but seemed no one cared but just aimed at taking as many pictures as possible. But such a picture would be a very good reference on the farther path of our life.

Another temple opposite to Genko-ji was another temple which I forgot its name. But its entrance was so impressive that I would never forget. I doubted if they irrigated those maple trees with coloured water which made its leaves turn into flaming colour of red and yellow. People were slowing their steps through the pavement which took us forever to go along the maple tunnel.

As I couldn't figure out how to take bus to Myoshin-ji so I chose to wave my hand.

It was a huge place like a palace than what I thought. Just randomly picked a small temple and had a green tea at the balcony facing a garden. Finally, I could find some peace here. I found a plate describing a tea house, which said 有德 不孤 別有鄰. It was told by Confucius.

Okay, it was time for lunch. I managed to have lunch at around 11.30am to avoid the crowd. I hate queuing up and can’t understand why it looks like a must to eat at noon but not 30 minutes earlier. Arrived at the restaurant recommended by guidebook. It offers fusion cuisine of Japanese and French. As expected I was assigned to sit at the counter table but I didn't mind. That’s so normal for 1 person customer and I could see those chefs working in front of me. Usually Kaiseki lunch won’t last as long as dinner but still it would take you like at least 1.5 hour. I didn't have a tight schedule so I could enjoy it slowly and no one was going to urge me, that’s the service quality of Japanese restaurant.

Jumped on a random bus and couldn't help stop dozing off once I sat down. Got one more transfer and I arrived at the riverside again. Let’s take a walk after lunch, lazybones. The headwaters area of Kamokawa was like a simple weekend with just a few people walking and biking alongside the river, reading books under the sun or playing group games. Such a relaxing view that I was long to see in this trip. The weather was super fine. That’s Kyoto, even without a single piece of read leaf, it is still as peaceful and elegant all the time. While I was taking some faceless pictures of myself, this song coincidentally came up from my earphones.

曾經跟他影過　一些合照麼曾經單手影過　一些獨照麼

Slowly I walked towards to the shrine at the confluence of two rivers, trees weren't dyed in red colour yet and around me it seemed like Meiji Shrine. Once I walked out of the green the sun was slowly setting to the West, and cherry trees on riverbanks were shinning like golden leaves. Giving myself an excuse of being relaxing but in fact I felt tired for even few hours walk, I went to a random café for an English afternoon tea. The plain scone was so tasty serving with Darjeeling and the sunshine was pleasantly shinning on me through the cute window. Wanted to stop acting like a deaf guy and plugged off my earphones, but there came three ladies who were having some sort of debate, and another old guy was about to smoke, so I wrapped up my writing and ended my lovely afternoon.

The station to Kibune was right at the junction outside the café. I was attracted by the pamphlet promoting the illuminated maple forest in Kibune. I planned to go and wait for the evening came but the sun set quicker than expected, it was already quite dark when I got off the train. By the way, that train was so cold but without a heater. I wondered why it was so old-fashion but later I realized the reason.

Rather than waiting in the queue for bus, I walked uphill. The bloody colour of autumn was dissolving into the dark through the way. I was the only loner and looking around, I had the illusion that today was in fact St Valentine’s Day. I didn't do much research if lovers use to pay homage to this shrine at mountainside. All trees were just illuminated like what I saw on the pamphlet, sort of artificial but still were film killing. I found myself walking quite fast and nobody or maybe everyone was enjoying the romance in the dark. Another advantage of walking fast was to warm up my numbed body. It was so bitterly chilly. The dark also reminded me of the time when I did the trailwalk in May. I felt like in a nightmare even though I conquered it after all. I didn't feel comfortable to be alone in the dark. After dark it wouldn't be a good idea to walk down again so I waited for the bus. It was so packed and the glass was misted. So at this moment I realized why that train wasn't equipped with heater. Because if it did, the temperature contrast will mist the glass and nobody can see the illuminated trees outside. That may be the reason.

Seas of faces were already waiting at the station to board the train. A woman was grumbling that I was standing so far away from the window and she couldn't access closer. Be smart, if I stood right in front of the window, then my body would block the whole window and turned out no one could see anything. I was just being considerate to step back. Anyway, the light was switched off and we went through the red leaf tunnel. It was fascinating and worth to see. although it only lasted for less than one minute. My stomach was rumbling. I needed to eat but I had no idea of where I should go.

Back to Shi-jo after 9pm and I thought it wouldn't be that difficult to find a single seat in any random place. But I was so wrong. Had been walking around for an hour I found no place to feed myself. After all, I went to have that traditional grilled pancake where I thought they should have a higher customer turnover. That was true I could get a seat immediately but again, as I was the only single customer, they missed out my order and I needed to wait for 25 minutes before I could eat something warm. It wasn't a tiny thing but just far from filling my stomach. So headed back to Umeda and tried the noodle shop right outside of the train station. Eating after 11.30pm, it was sort of unusual to my habit. Who cares, I was on a trip!


***
A friend wished me a romantic trip by myself. I've never imagined a self-trip can be romantic. In the sense of being sentimental, self-trip has the impression of solitary and sorrow. Some friends said they could never do a trip alone, while some are doing so. It’s good to go for a trip in group, but if you want to quiet your heart and communicate with your destination in deep, you need to be on yourself. Being too independent, somehow I am so used to travel around by myself. I can’t say I enjoy it, but nothing to trigger a change. Talking to no one isn't really that dull. Put away the thought of how people think you may be a nut, alone on the way is somewhat restful and soothing. Did I forget the feeling of traveling with people?

*** Links
http://www.sakon-kyoto.com/
http://www.issen-yosyoku.co.jp/index2.html

Day 1

In fact I didn't have a concrete itinerary of where to go every day, just had something on my mind only. But the first place I should go doubtlessly is Arashi-yama, a forever-spectacular place where I won’t be fed up no matter how many times I've visited. *Discovered that I didn't have to take JR to Kyoto station and transferred there.

It was freezing and I was breathing out white mist, as if it was my soul, the stunning view was taking my breath away. Decided to rent a bike to save up some time and energy to walk around, but it started to rain once I rode on it. I couldn't feel my fingers at all and my whole body was like taking out from the freezer, wet and cold. On a contrary, what I could see were blazing trees all around me, maples were dazzlingly scarlet, mixing with golden ginkgo and cherry trees.
Roads were jammed with people and cars and my bike didn't help much to get rid of the slow flowing people.

I just had a coffee as breakfast so as to hungered myself for an early lunch at 11am. The place was a Japanese style hotel along the river, with tofu lunch and onsen. It was nice to defrost myself with tofu hotpot and even put myself into the hotpot, I mean hot spring. The sky was getting clear after lunch and I thought it would be so nice for biking. So I went ahead to my next stop with full stomach and warm body.

Saw the recommendation of friends' travelogues and went to pay a visit to this temple, with songs of the late diva. It was my own perception but those songs sounded much sentimental and lively. They moved my heart. Did she sing any song when she visited here?

原來今生心債 償還不是一世

You could never expect what was going to happen with the ever-changing autumn sky. I was frozen again on the way and I saw something falling like snow rain. Went to the northern rural area for a temple which it was said to be a place accommodating many homeless souls. What I could see, were faceless stoned souls standing in the square. It wasn't odd and spine chilling. They were gone all long ago, but still standing peacefully straight in this world. Even though we are moving human, I wonder have we ever been in such a peaceful state of mind.

I couldn't help stop by a café for a green tea.

On the way back to the riverside, I stopped by a shop where I could get a napkin for bubu with his name embroidered on it. The salesgirl said bubu is a very lovely name. Same here.

Walking along the river when it was getting dark, I went back to Osaka for dinner. It’s been 10 years since my last visit to Osaka. I don’t have much feeling towards it though. It’s pretty much like how it looked 10 years ago when I reached Shinsai-bashi. I wonder if Kansai accent means Cantonese, because all I could hear was Cantonese at every corner. I also found that lately it seems to me Hong Kong girls all look alike, just like I find it hard to distinguish among people from Africa. It is quite rude indeed.

Queued up outside the place for grilled squid balls and noodle to see if they could recall my memory. I could say - they were real rip-off! Sadly speaking they didn't taste good at all and I can easily find a better place anywhere in Tokyo. Fame is far highly ranked than real quality, but still people were queuing up for them. Needless to say, they weren't enough to feed me but I didn't know what else I should eat. So end up I went to see my good friend. I didn't know why people were staring at me when I was drinking a mocha outside on the road. Did I look too smart?

***
As I said, I need to have music to mute the environment and I am so right. Fully understand that people were excited to have a trip with their beloved ones, but could they just shut up for a second to savor the atmosphere around, rather than keep talking non-stop? These kind of relentless lousy tourists were everywhere and no one noticed they’d been talking too much and too loud and needed to give their throats a break. Temples and shrines aren't for rowdy crowds, but places to soothe our hearts. It’s the first time I discovered that Japanese can be such chattering.

*** Links
http://www.benkei.biz/

Day 0

I should have taken an earlier train when I found myself finished all my work before 5pm. Anyhow my trip started on time.

It’s good to kill time with food. Unknowingly I bought too much. Fried egg and green salad was my appetizer and the train already passed through Odawara when I had them done. The guy next to me had already finished his own bento in 10 minutes and fell asleep when I just started to open mind. Believe me it was just a prelude. Did I still have the capacity for a dessert? The answer is definitely yes. It was an apple pie and a tiny apple, or something like an apple if it looks too small to be called apple.

Arrived at Osaka late night. Ritz Carlton. Yeah, my hotel…which was next to Ritz. I dreamed I could have stayed at Ritz.

Area around the station wasn't a good place to hang around as there were full of nasty places. I also noticed the number of police patrolling on the streets far outnumbered those in Tokyo. Does it mean this area is worth caution?