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