PART 1

Friday 10 May & Saturday 11 May 2013

Rotterdam - Amsterdam - Osaka: 10:15 of flight, 16 hour journey

After 10 hours and 15 minutes of flight from Amsterdam we arrive at Kansai Airport, which was completed in 1994 on a artificially created island in Osaka Bay. We report with our immigration forms filled out at the immigration booth, where our finger prints and photos are taken. Part of the form is stapled into our passport and duly stamped. Our suitcases appear on the conveyor belt real quick which only leaves us to clear customs. We are asked a few questions on our stay and than we are off to the JR West railway station. JR West is the railway company serving the West of Japan. Prior to our trip we have ordered a train ticket for the Haruka train (single to Kyoto) in combination with the ICOCA smart card for public transport on line. It cost ¥3,000. The smart card is charged with  ¥1,500 worth of travel and if you return the card before you leave Japan you get your ¥500 deposit back. The card can be recharged. Although ICOCA smart-card is being issued by JR West it is good for travel in most regions and cities. During our stay we had an exchange rate of 130 yen against the Euro (or 98 yen against the US dollar).

We take 9.16am train to Kyoto. Before we are allowed to board the train is being cleaned by a man with a vacuum cleaner and the seats are automatically rearranged to face the destination. Then we ride to Kyoto in less than 75 minutes. We are immediately introduced with Japanese courtesies. The conductor, wearing white gloves, makes a deep bow before he enters the compartment. We he leaves at the other end he does it again. In Kyoto we take the subway for one stop to Gojo. Our ICOCA-card works perfectly and more or less in the same way as at home. What strikes is that the ticket gates are open unless you do something wrong - like passing without checking your card. Only then they close very fast.  

De subway stops almost in front of the Citadines ApartHotel. Meanwhile it has become Saturday 11am. Here in Kyoto we will stay for  5 nights.The room is ready and we hit the bed as soon as we can. We had to pay half a night's rate for the privilege. Normally you cannot check into your hotel before 2pm anywhere in Japan. At reception an envelope is ready for me from  eConnect Japan with a SIM-card for mobile internet. I insert it in my mobile WiFi gadget (but you can also insert it in your dongle) and that is how we have mobile internet even in Japan. The card is good for 1 GB of data within a month. This offer is only available from outside Japan. It saves us high roaming costs and we can used it both simultaneously.. WiFi is not very widespread in Japan. Not even in hotels. This hotel does have in the room and free as well. SIM cards for making phone calls are only available to people with permanent residence in Japan.

After two hours of sleep we go for lunch at a little restaurant a few door up the street. As we sit down we immediately get a glass of ice water and a wet and warm towel. The meal consists of five bowls filled with noodles, rice, soup, vegetables and meat. All served at once on a tray. It is not expensive at all:  ¥1,200.  After lunch we go for coffee (600 yen) in a Japanese café.

When we want to get some cash from an ATM it transpires that our bank card (with Maestro-logo) is temporarily not being accepted (since April) in 7eleven shops. When we check it out on the internet it turns out that only Citibank and the Post Office can supply us with cash. It has something to do with the transition to banking cards with embedded chip, that Japan is going through right now. We do get our cash at a Citibank ATM. A bit of a pity, because 7eleven are almost at every street corner. Citibank has very few offices and at Post Offices (of which Japan still has a lot) the ATM is often inside the building and cannot be used outside office hours.  

 At night we take a walk into town looking for a place to eat. We find a small eatery, where we can have dinner on the cheap. They have a English language menu, so that's easy enough. We take an early night: 8pm!  

Weather: rain 24°C/75°F. Very humid.

Sunday 12 May 2013

After breakfast in the hotel's basement we are met in the lobby by our guide for today Kenzo Sato, a cheerful and very friendly young man. We booked Kenzo through Chris Rowthorn, author of the Lonely Planet Japan. We first take the subway to Higashiyama station, from where it is a short walk to the  Shoren-in temple. This Buddhist temple belongs to the Tendai-sect and also served as a temporary residence for the imperial family when the imperial palace at Kyoto was burned down.  The temple is simple, yet the garden tastefully designed and the path through it offers nice views. It is very peaceful and quiet. The bell can be tolled to attract the attention of the gods. Kenzo shows us how and Erik follows his example after dropping a coin in the collecting box. Just before we leave we are witness to a memorial service in honour of a monk who was trained here, but then went on to form his own sect. Very special. From here we walk to the  Chion-in, another temple complex, of which we only look at the gigantic entrance gate. It is said to be the biggest in Japan.

With  Kenzo we take a taxi to the Kiyomizu-dera, the most iconic Buddhist temple in Kyoto up in the hills, famous for it hanging verandah and the views of the city. The "temple  of the clear water" it is also called. At the entrance you can try your luck at lifting a big weight. Erik joins in and helps some others with the most heavy ones. In the main hall a Buddha statue is kept, but it is shown only every 33 years. We have to make do with a copy. Erik does the ritual cleansing of the hand after Kenzo has explained it and buys a fortune note, that predicts him the highest form of good fortune. He also burns some incense, which - as the breath of the gods - should contribute to happiness and good health, according to popular Japanese belief. Kenzo tells us with great enthusiasm of the traditions and customs involved with visiting a Japanese temple.  

After that we descend via a very busy shopping street with lots of souvenir shops, most of them selling ceramics. We buy a handmade tea cup, that is wrapped for us in meticulous and professional manner. We carry on via  Sannen-zaka (the 3 year slope) and the Ninen-zaka (the 2 year slope) in a part of the city where the traditional Kyoto cityscape is still visible. We have to tread carefully though on these slopes. A fall can mean 3 or 2 years of bad luck respectively!

We take a  taxi back to the hotel and say goodbye to Kenzo. We take a break and after that lunch near the hotel. We choose from a menu in English with pictures.

At night we eat at  Sushi restaurant Musashi. Small platters with sushi, nari, sashimi and other dishes pass on a conveyor belt from which you can take what you fancy. In the end you pay for the number of plates. The colour of the plate determines the price. The pattern tells you whether Wasabi was used in preparing the dish. After dinner we cross the river into the picturesque district of  Gion area. Here are the clubs where the famous Geisha's work and are being trained. Geishas are ladies for companionship, who trained to have conversations, make music, sing and play board games with their guests. Unfortunately we do not meet any Geikos (the Kyoto term for a Geisha) or Maikos (Geisha-to-be) in the streets. After Gion we take a taxi back to the hotel.

Weather: sunny 27°C/81°F.  

 

Monday 13 May 2013

After breakfast we take - armed with a day ticket for bus and subway (1,2000 yen) - the subway to Kitaoji station. There we have cappuccino at Starbucks before we jump on a bus to Kinkaku-ji, better known as the golden pavillion. It is extremely busy with school groups, but the sight of the Golden Pavilion set on the mirror pond called Kyoko-chi is of a enchanting beauty. The pavilion was originally part of a villa owned by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a former shogun at the end of the 14th century. After his death it became a Zen-temple. Yoshimitsu put all kinds of Chinese motives into the pavilion and its gardens. The pavilion is covered with gold leaf. In 1950 it was destroyed by an arson attack. A replica was made within 5 years. In 1987 the pavilion got its gold leaf back. We walk around the surrounding formal gardens. At the shop we are approached by two 14 year old school girls, who want practice their English with us. The have prepared a list of questions and the give us an information package about their home town of Saga on Kyushu island. After that they want their photo taken with us as proof that they have completed their mission. Next is a taxi to Ryoan-ji temple, ten minutes up the road. Here the meticulously designed Zen - garden is the main focus. The contrast with the exuberant Golden Pavilion could not be bigger. In a carefully raked bed of gravel 15 rocks have been placed. It is impossible to catch all of them in one look from any angle. We explore the park surrounding the temple and walk around the big pond that once held lots of Mandarin ducks. Now there just a few left.  

We take bus #57 to the subway station of Imadegawa (19 stops) near the imperial palace and transfer to the subway back to the hotel.

In the afternoon we go out again. First to the post office to get some cash and then to the covered Nishiki-koji street market, where every food imaginable is on sale. Meat, fish, vegetables, candy, tea, coffee, fruit and lots more. A lot items leave us clueless as to what they are, but fortunately you can taste almost anything. In the market there is a Japanese tea shop, where we have some Japanese green tea with a sweet. The owner does not speak any English and there is no English menu. Fortunately there are two American guests in the house who speak Japanese well enough to help us out.

At night we have dinner at a modern Kaiseiki restaurant on the outskirts of  Kyoto, called A womb. The bus ride on line #5 out there takes over 40 minutes and then a short walk. We pass it at first, but with the kind help of a passer by and the owner on the phone we get there in the end. The interior design is minimalist and the place doubles as a clothing and bag design studio. We get a 7 course dinner with beautifully designed small dishes. The dishes get utmost attention regarding their presentation. Looks are at least as important as the refined taste. The young waiter is a bit uncertain, but the chef knows what he is doing. Delight. Kaiseki is expensive  (¥16.000 incl wine), but we are happy we did it. The bus ride back is a lot quicker now the roads are a lot quieter.

Weather: sunny and warm.  27°C/81°F

Tuesday 14 May 2013

We take the subway to Kyoto station. We have some trouble finding the right platform for the private Kintetsu-line that should take us to Nara. We check in with our ICOCA card, but that turns out not to be sufficient for the limited express train we want to take. We have to buy a supplement from a machine. A conductor helps us getting the ticket that has only instructions in Japanese. The ticket gives a reserved seat, but have not noticed that and we sit down in the wrong seats. The same conductor politely tells us that we should change to our own designated seats. The journey to Nara only takes 40 minutes. In Nara we forget to check out with our smart card, and error that will catch up with us later.

Nara is older than Kyoto and the country's capital in the 8th century up until 794. That was when the emperor moved his court to Kyoto, because he had enough of the meddling of the Buddhist clergy in state affairs. We first visit the  Kofuku-ji temple complex. The main prayer hall is undergoing restoration work, but the Eastern gallery is open. Here we see a number of nice Buddha statues, which we are not allowed to take pictures of. Our combined ticket is also valid for the exhibition hall, where we find a great collection of statues and other religious works of art that were saved from an anti Buddhist campaign in the 19th century. Here too, photography is not allowed. We walk through the beautiful exhibition but the signs in English are very short, as opposed to the elaborate texts in Japanese. Next is a walk to the Todai-ji complex, braving the scorching heat outside. This is Nara's top sight. It is the largest wooden building in the world and the present 18th century reconstruction of it, is only 2/3 of its original size. The temple was founded in 745 by emperor Shomu to ward of a series of epidemics that haunted the country back then. The country almost when bankrupt because of it.  The construction took 15 years. Inside sits a 15 metres tall Buddha on a lotus throne. Around it are more Buddhist statues. The Buddha represents the cosmic Buddha, that rules on all levels of the Buddhist universe. Since it the completion in 752 the Buddha had a rough life of it: its head fell of during a earthquake in the 9th century. Its hands melted in a fire in 1180 and again in 1567. In one of the pillar supporting the roof we find a big hole through children and slim adults try to get through, thus claiming their place in eternal life. Groups of deer are roaming the temple grounds. They more or less tame and keen on tourist who feed them. Most of them hang around the cookie vendors. We walk back towards the railway station where we have lunch.

We take the train back to Kyoto. We buy a paper ticket at the ticket window. Back at Kyoto station we go to the JR sales office to exchange our vouchers for a JR Rail pass for the Pass itself. The Pass allows unlimited train travel during 14 days. We can determine the starting date ourselves. We choose Sunday 19 May. We have ordered the vouchers back home though the website of HIS-travel in Amsterdam. We received the vouchers within two days. The vouchers are only available for foreign visitors prior to their arrival in Japan. We paid  €367 for the 14 day pass. There are also one week and three week passes as well as regional passes. The passes are valid for travel on almost all national, regional and local trains run by the JR Group. Only the Nozumi - a high speed train with limited number of stops - is exempt as are a number of private railway companies. Having the pass allows us to make seat reservations without charge, which we do for a couple of upcoming journeys.  Having done all that we explore the gigantic and hypermodern Kyoto Station, which was designed by the Japanese architect Hiroshi Hara. The hike up the escalators to the roof at 70 metres is an experience in its own right. The from the roof is a bit of a let down. Kyoto is much nicer at the ground level. The terminal building was built in 1997 and is one of the biggest in Japan. It comprises a shopping mall, a 5 star hotel, a cinema, a department store and various government offices. Having seen all that we want to go back to our hotel with the subway, but because we forgot to check out in Nara this morning the smart card is blocked. We ask for help at the subway customer service desk, at a JR information centre and finally we have to back to the office of the Kintetsu-line, the operator where we made our mistake. They help us remove the incomplete check-in. Then we are set to travel again. We find the Dutch solution to this type of problem a lot more sympathetic: you would only loose a 4 or 10 euro deposit, but card would never get blocked.

Weather: 30°C/86°F and sunny.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Kyoto - Miho Museum - Kyoto: 80km

Today we collect a rental car at Times Car Rental. The office is just south of the railway station. We have booked the car through their website. Most foreigners need to show an international driver's license in addition to their national license. This can be obtained from your own Automobile Association (see link). Holders of driver's licenses from France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and Taiwan should be able to show an official translation of their national license. These can be obtained from a Japanese embassy or consulate in these countries. The receptionist at Times speaks only a few words of English, but manages to helps us anyway. One of the mechanics explains us how to set the navigation device and that is essential: although the maps and voice of the device are in English, the interface for programming it is in Japanese. There are no Japan maps available for foreign devices (from TomTom, Garmin, Mio etc), nor for any Smartphone, so we have to use the built in device. The man shows us how to do it twice and make precise notes of what to do. To find your destination it is very handy to insert its landline phone number, because the Japanese address system is very complicated. This works for corporate addresses only, not for private homes. We are on our way to the Miho museum, about 50km outside of Kyoto. It is built into the mountains and designed by the famous architect I.M. Pei, who also did the design of the pyramid at the Paris Louvre museum. From the parking lot we have to board an electric train taking through a tunnel to the museum itself. The collection holds art and objects from antiquity. There is a special exhibition of glass object. The artifacts date back to the heydays of Mesopotamia, Persia, pharonic Egypt and the Greek, Roman and early Chinese empires. The views from the museum on the surrounding mountains is very nice too. We have lunch in the museum. Unusual for Japan, it is a selection of sandwiches.

After the museum visit we drive back to Kyoto, to the Ginkaku-ji temple complex with the famous Silver pavillion. It was commissioned by the grandson of the shogun who had the Golden Pavilion built, but when this junior Shogun died in 1470 the family had run out of money and the builders never got round to silver plate it. The place is very crowded with school groups. We follow the set circuit through the Zen-garden, without the Zen-quiet that should go along with it. It is very nice nevertheless. After the tour of the gardens we drive back to our hotel. We can park the car in the automated car park of the hotel. We have park the car on a turning table, that positions it facing the car parks entrance. We drive it onto a platform and that is it. The machine will store the car for us.

 Weather: 30°C/86°F and sunny, some light clouds

 

Thursday 16 May 2013  

 Kyoto - Koya-san: 113km

 We take our car on the road to Koyasan. The expressway takes us south via Osaka and Iwade. We have to spend a lot of money on road tolls, more than on petro. Our navigator helps us well and tells us what the toll will be at every toll gate we meet. The final 50km takes us to smaller, but well maintained roads. We stop for a fast snack at a McDonalds. American style food but with Japanese courtesy. When we get to Koyasan are guided exactly to the entrance of the Shojoshin-in monastery. Koya-san is a small village in he mountains south of Osaka. It is famous for the many Buddhist monasteries (shukubō), who belong to the Shingon sect. The first was founded here in the early 9th century by the monk  Kukai (774-835) - posthumously known as Kōbō Daishi. He traveled to China and upon his return to Japan is founded his own school of Buddhism based on Central Asian traditions. After his death in 835 his pupil Shinzen continued his work an set up several monasteries in Koya-san. Many of them offer the possibility to host guests. Shojoshin-in is one of them. It is a traditional building. I am welcomed by one of the monks, who paints some instructions with a paint brush on a piece of paper. At the entrance we have to change our shoes for slippers which are neatly line up. They are a bit small for our European feet. The room is less Spartan than we thought it would be.  The floor is covered with mats (tatami) and you are not allowed to wear your slippers in the room. The futon mattresses are already made and lie on the floor. We have a separate sitting room with a balcony overlooking the garden. We can sit on cushions at a low table. A box contains a tea set. There is also a separate room with a wash basin. Toilets are in the hallway. For using them you must slip in to a different pair of slippers which stand ready for use in the right direction. The toilet is modern: heated seat and built in nozzles with remote control.

Koyasan is a stretched out village. We visit the old temple dating from the 16th century the Kongobu-ji. It is the spiritual centre of the Shingon ('The true word') sect. We marvel at the beautiful wall paintings. They are copies made in the 16th century. From there we walk to the Garan, a holy place. In the middle is the  Konpon Gaito a pagodaa like building holding a big Buddha statue.

We walk back to our monastery. Koyasan is around 800 metres above sea level and it gets quite cold due to the mountain breeze. From 4pm onwards the common bath is open for use. Men and women have separate baths. If you want to take a shower or a bath you have to do it now, because it will be closed in the morning. We go there in our Yakata, the Japanese bathrobe. You can wear it anywhere in the monastery, but not outside. It would be much too cold anyway. The hallways and doorways are very low and we hit our heads a couple of times. Seated on a midget size stool we have to clean ourselves with soap and rinse it off with a bucket. When we are completely clean and free of soap we take a dip in the common bath tub. The water is extremely hot at this time of day. We simmer for some five minutes just before getting boiled.

At 5.30 the phone rings. Surprise, as you do not expect a phone in monastery room. The phone is hidden from view under a cloth. We are summoned to dinner. In a separate and private room our dinner is served. It is  Shojin Ryori. The monks do not eat meat, fish, onions or garlic. It is small bowls with small delicacies made of vegetables and tofu, yet very filling. After dinner we are off to our room upstairs.

Weather: some cloud, 24°C/75°F. In Koyasan 18°C/64°F.   

Friday 17 May 2013  

Koya-san - Osaka: 160km  (2hrs 38 mins)

We rise early for the monks' morning ceremony. At 5.50am we are ready in the temple wing. The ceremony start at 6am with a humming singing of sutra's and the burning of incense. Every so many sutras or so a bell is rung or cymbals are used. It is an interesting spectacle. Those who are interested can follow one of the monks at some stage to the altar. After 30 minutes is over and done and we are guided to our dining room to have our breakfast with vegetables, fruit, rice and miso soup. Having eat of all that we are fit to start a walk across the massive graveyard behind the monastery. It is a 2 km walk the length of the yard where over 20,000 people lie buried. At this early hour we have the place virtually to ourselves. At the end of the cemetery  we cross a bridge entering a temple. First we get to a hall with lanterns. It is said that some them have been alight since the 11th century. There is still room for many more. There some monks walking around, but we are not allowed to take pictures. Behind the hall of lanterns is the mausoleum for Kobo Daishi or Kukai, founder of the Shingon sect of Budhism. We walk all the way back. We pack our bags and take our car to the centre of the village. We want to have a coffee, but cannot find a café that is open and take our changes with a vending machine offering canned hot coffee. We cannot believe it, but vending machines sell canned hot drinks here. Does not taste bad at all. We carry on to the city gate at the other end of the village. It is a grand affair with two guardian figures, one on each side: one with its mouth open (the first letter of the Japanese alphabet is the sound "kay") and one closed (the last letter sounds "uhm").

We drive to Osaka. At 12.30 we are in front of the apartment we are renting from Nate Powell through Airbnb.com for the next two days. The apartment is centrally located in the Umeda district with lots of restaurants and shops nearby. Nate is still busy cleaning. We drop off our bags and go and return the car at Times Car Rental. It is not very far, just across the river Yodo. We take the subway back  (1 stop). We have a break and then take the subway to the Osaka castle, Osaka-jo. It is a 20 minute journey with one transfer. The castle is 16th century construction. It is actually a donjon with double wall around it. The main tower is richly decorated on the outside. and has five floors. The upper floor has a lookout. The views are great. The inside of the castle is less compelling. The interior is entirely modern and the exhibition on the castles history and Japan is only mildly interesting and most of the texts are in Japanese. We do not stay for long. We take the subway back to the apartment.

At night we have dinner in an eatery belonging to the Yayoiken-chain where you have to buy a ticket from a machine which you give to the waiter who gets your order. All the dishes are presented on the machine with small pictures next to the corresponding buttons. It is cheap and tastes just fine. After dinner we have a coffee before we go back to our apartment.  

Weather: in Koyasan the night was very cold. In the morning it was around 10°C/50°F. In the afternoon in  Osaka it was around  23°/73°F. Sunny.

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