A Detour To Arashiyama

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Kiyomizuderadid not fully satisfy my quench for autumn, it was too early to experience the full beauty of the autumn foliage. My other planned day in Kyoto initially included visiting Kinkakuji/ Golden Pavilion and some other Kyoto city sights, but I wanted to try something else. Somewhere to experience autumn again. One of my roommates suggested I go to Arashiyama.

Arashiyama is a district outside the Kyoto city district. To get here, I just had to ask my roommate for directions – that’s why I love staying in dorms!

How to go to Arashiyama (from Gojo Station): (Hankyu Line)

  • Walk from Gojo guesthouse to Gojo station – I think this is just one or two blocks away.
  • Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line: From Gojo Station(K10), Shijo Station (K9) - JPY 220
  • From Shijo Station, go to Hankyu Railway Karasuma Station.
  • Hankyu Railway: From Karasuma Station, ride train going to Katsura - JPY 180 (until Arashiyama)
  • Hankyu Railway: From Katsura , ride the line going to Arashiyama
  • From the station, you can walk going to Arashiyama District.

BE CAREFUL OF RIDING EXPRESS TRAINS. I rode one and this skipped Katsura station. I was a couple of stations past Katsura before it finally stopped, I had to ride a non-express train back to Katsura. This cost me around 20 minutes of my travel time.
Hankyuu Arashiyama station.


Hankyu Arashiyama station:



I took a picture of the map at the exit. I had minimal research about the place, so I took pics of the maps as I saw them sprout along the way.


Some bright lime green frogs greeting people along the way.  
 
Kerokerokeroppi
Autumn is still on its way to Arashiyama.



I noticed that I was missing one of my gloves. I retraced my steps and found it still on the ground. Walang nagtangka.



Orange! Red! No.... Vermillion! (Magamit lang ulit)


Arashiyama is huge district. A daytrip can be done but is impossible to cover everything while enjoying it. Since this is  a detour, I focused on finding the Togetsukyo Bridge for the view of the forest mountainside and the Bamboo Groves (highly recommended by my roommate). 


Mixed greens, yellows, and orange-ishes.



A group of pinoys on a study tour was also walking along the river. Pagkakataon! I asked them to take a couple of my pictures. I chatted with them. They were students (how lucky, how rich!) and they were on a travel study tour for two weeks!

Again, my outfit clashes with the autumn colors. I wasn't ready when the timer went off. Too funny not to share.

Paparazzi shot!

The path to the bamboo groves.


Bamboo trees.


Walking in the bamboo groves was so nice. But it wasn’t very relaxing; there were cars going by and loads of tourists oooh-ing and aaaah-ing like me.

Crowd

Now do you feel Kenshin’s presence? Charot! I remember some of the scenes with Kenshin running/ flying in the bamboo woods.
Kenshin in the bamboo trees
 
The movie

You’ll inevitable find Tenryuji Temple after walking through the bamboo groves because most people seem to head there anyway. You’ll shell out JPY 500 for entering the complex. I just paid the fee to visit the gardens, visiting the buildings costs a minimal entrance fee.



Tenryuji Temple is the largest temple in Arashiyama, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tripod shot

Nice as it is, the scenery is a recurring theme in all Japanese gardens and temples. 


Not a lot of people going around the gardens. I only have these short poles where I can anchor my tripod. The result:
 
Minsan, kelangan lang pagtiyagaan kung ano ang meron.

Orange trees and ladders in a lush scenery.
 

Thank you wonderful stranger for taking this photo. I clash with the autumn colors, but so what? Hahahaha.

Decent picture finally
Now it was way past lunch time and I was hungry. I already ate my snacks and drank my water supply so I needed to find some real food. There were no vending machines in the area. I walked and walked, got lost. I just followed some signs. I planned to go to the Golden Pavilion since I still had time. I found a cluster of restaurants after ??? miles and more hunger pangs later. I chose some place serving ramen.



With food, I could think clearly. Time to find Kinkakuji.

Comments

  1. jjOctober 5, 2013 at 10:56 PM

    it looks like you're too early for the peak of the autumn leaves.i had the same picture of the river and the mountain in the background and at the time mas may kulay na sya although i was still a week earlier.sayang mas maganda talaga sa peak but sobrang daming tao.

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