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21 December 2024
Alan Morris in front of the Komakitsune shrine in Kyoto.
Alan Morris in front of the Komakitsune shrine in Kyoto.

Today, I spent a day exploring Kyoto. Unfortunately, my ankle was causing me a lot of pain today, and I missed seeing a couple of places because of it.

When we left the hotel today, we all climbed onboard the coach, and we were driven through Kyoto and the district of Arashiyama. We were dropped off and had a short walk to the mystical bamboo forest and the Tenryuji Temple.

Bamboo Forest.

The Bamboo Forest in Kyoto, also known as the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, is a breathtaking natural wonder. It is located in the Arashiyama district. We walked to the bamboo forest and were given 20 minutes to look at it before we went into the Tenryuji Temple.

I didn't walk far into the bamboo forest because it was hectic, and the part of the track that I could see had quite a slope. I stayed close to the entrance of the Tenryuji Temple and took some photos without having to push past hundreds of people on the pathway through the forest. I would have loved to have spent more time there and walked right through the forest, but only if it had been quieter.

Tenryuji Temple.

Tenryu-ji, also known as Tenryu Shiseizen-ji, is a renowned Rinzai Zen temple located in the picturesque Arashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan. Established in 1339 by the shogun Ashikaga Takauji in memory of Emperor Go-Daigo, the temple was officially consecrated in 1345. The temple's first chief priest was the eminent Zen master Muso Soseki, who also designed the beautiful Sogen Pond Garden, which remains in its original form to this day.

Our group was being given our tickets to go into the Tenryuji Temple when one man realised his wife was missing again. This time, her son was with her, and while the rest of the group entered the Temple grounds, the man stayed outside to try to contact them.

The grounds of the temple were very nice. It would have been nice to have more time to take in the tranquil surroundings. I stopped to take a few photos of the beautiful pond and the large Koi carp swimming in it. Our guide told us a lot of information about the layout of the gardens and the history of the temple.

When I left the temple grounds, I walked back to where our coach was waiting for us right outside the temple in the car park. I sat down in the cool air rather than sit on the bus straight away. I was glad I sat outside. The man whose wife had gone missing again had contacted his wife and son by phone, but they had got lost somewhere. I was beginning to think the lady should be tied to a bit of string as everywhere we went, she got lost or was the last person back.

After giving the lady and her son time to get back, neither of them arrived. The guide told the lady's husband, who was on the phone with her, that they would have to get a taxi back to the hotel because the rest of us were now missing out on our tour of Kyoto. We all got on the coach and left the car park. As we were driving up the road, the lady and her son were spotted walking up the road, and the coach stopped to pick them up. We then went back to the hotel, where we picked up a few more people who were joining the tour today. This seemed a ridiculous way to run a tour, with people joining it and leaving it throughout the tour. It meant our day was broken up again. When the new people joined our tour at the hotel, we set off again and headed towards the Fushimi Inari Tower Gate.

We had to park a short walk away from the Fushimi Inari Tower Gate, and we walked from where the coach dropped us through a busy tourist area to get there. When we arrived at the entrance, we were all told to meet back at the same spot in 40 minutes. I decided that as we had limited time, I would head off on my own to see the Fushimi Inari Taisha Sembon Torii, which was another place I had seen photos of and wanted to see myself.

I set off and found a disabled lift, which saved me from having to walk up a lot of the stairs to the beginning of the Thousand Torii Gates.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Sembon Torii.

The Fushimi Inari Taisha Sembon Torii, also known as the Thousand Torii Gates, is one of Kyoto's most iconic and mesmerizing sights. This famous path is lined with thousands of vibrant red torii gates that lead up to the sacred Mount Inari. Individuals and businesses donate the gates, each inscribed with the donor's name and date of donation.

Walking through the Sembon Torii is a unique experience, as the gates create a tunnel-like effect that feels both enchanting and serene. The gates are in two sets, one set to walk up and one to come back down. I walked through the first set, admiring them as I walked through them to the first shrine. I had a look around but decided against going any further as the walk could take two hours, and I didn't have time. I walked back through the second set of gates and made my way down to the Komakitsune Shrine.

Komakitsune Shrine.

The Komakitsune Shrine, also known as the Koma Inari Shrine, is a lesser-known but charming shrine located in Kyoto. This shrine is dedicated to the fox deity, Inari, who is associated with rice, fertility, and prosperity. The shrine features several fox statues, which are believed to be the messengers of Inari.

This shrine was close to the Tower Gate, and I had a quick look around, took some photos and watched other people milling around it before walking down to the Tower Gate.

Fushimi Inari Tower Gate.

The Fushimi Inari Tower Gate, also known as the Romon Gate, is a prominent feature of the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Kyoto, Japan. This impressive two-story gate was reconstructed in 1588 with funds donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful feudal lord after he prayed to Inari for his mother's recovery. The gate was later relocated and restored multiple times, with significant renovations in 1694 and 1974.

The tower gate was quite impressive and obviously a photo hot spot. I sat and watched as hundreds of Japanese tourists all stood patiently for their turn to have their photo taken in front of it. As the crowd thinned out a bit, I took a selfie in front of it before returning to the place we were supposed to leave. I sat and rested for a while because, unfortunately, my ankle had started to swell up a lot, and I had to start taking painkillers.

A short time later, we were all walking back towards the coach. We walked the the very packed tourist area and across a railway crossing just before the gates came down. We continued and walked across another railway crossing but had to wait for people who had been taking their time to look in the shops. It was the same lady that we had already lost early today and once on a previous day. When she caught us up, we continued back to the coach, and once onboard, we all set off again and were soon at Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Kyoto Imperial Palace.

The Kyoto Imperial Palace, known as Kyōto Gosho, is a historic site located in the heart of Kyoto, Japan. It served as the residence of the Imperial Family until 1868, when the capital was moved to Tokyo. The palace is situated within the expansive Kyoto Imperial Park, which also includes the Sento Imperial Palace and other attractions.

On our way to the Palace grounds, our guide told us the history of the Palace but also told us that much of it was empty as no one lived there anymore. When we arrived, we were told we had 40 minutes to walk around and to meet back at the coach. My leg was very sore, and walking had become difficult, so I told the guide I would get a drink in the cafe near the entrance and stay near the coach. I sat outside the coach on some grass in the woods that surrounded the Palace grounds. It was quiet, and I sat watching the birds hopping around. I tried to forget the pain my ankle was in. I took another painkiller, and when the rest of the party started to return, I got back on the coach.

When we left the palace, we drove around Kyoto, and our guide pointed out many places to us on our way back to the hotel. We were told that there would be another trip this evening to the Gion area of Kyoto. We would be driven there but would have to make our own way back. Because my ankle was so swollen and I was still in pain, I decided to rest my legs. I stopped at the hotel and had an early night.

Kyoto photos.

Fushimi Inari complex photos.

 Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo.

My hotel tonight is the Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo.

Address: 17, Nishikujo-Inmachi Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8412, Japan

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