Japan Pilgrimage I Day 11 - Guest Blogged by 浪迹天涯小狗

*Peep*

The bunch of us set off for Kyoto again (Rem we're based in Osaka). Kyoto Imperial Palace this time round. (Nvr got near the palace so no pics)


Jidai Matsuri

Its a procession of nearly 2,000 people, decked out in period clothes depicting the different eras of Japan. Now, this took roughly 1 hr 45 min, I wonder how long China will take if they have something like this. 5 hrs?












They're really playing the flute, not just posing with it.






This fella is grinning to his frens in the crowd ard me.




Looks like Aladdin's mat. So long..































After suffering from leg numbness, leg pain, leg cramps, mistress & gang set off for Gion and Kiyomizu temple to chance for Geishas.


Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清水寺)





None still...

At around 5, we took a long ride up Mt Kurama for the Kurama Fire Festival (鞍馬火祭り). Man, the que was already freaking long and the 2 carriage trains were jammed packed with each load up the mountain.

Once we reached the station, its another shoving and pushing time to at least manoveur to where the festival is supposedly to be. We din get too far, probably 50m from the entrance of the residence area. Pity the residences on this side of the mountain who had to deal with this every yr. Probably they dreaded the crowds destroying their peace of the scenic mountain.


The crowd




They keep parading the pine up and down.








One side waiting


The other side pushes forward.










Looks kinda like a battle of fire.

This festival is kinda exciting. At least much better than those costume parades with no music or introductions watsoever. The shouting is enough to make you go wow~

We din stay long, only till the fire starts to battle on the other side and we got swarmed by the tourists crowding behind the "attacking force". And since its a long way down the mountain, a long way to Osaka, a long way to Tennoji, we thot its good to go while the parade is still on-going. But alas, the train station already has a snaking que about 100 meters long. Horrors.


Tengu (天狗)

Mt Kurama is a nice place for relaxation and really disconnect from the world. There's a pretty nice temple there (research) and hot spas. But the journey is quite a challenge.


Not often u get 2 types of food in a train signboard

We reached Houkousen at 12.35am, due to limited express not in operation, which was actually way past their door close hours. Quite embarrassing.

Japan Pilgrimage I Day 12