Japan Pilgrimage II Day 5 - Guest Blogged by 浪迹天涯小狗

WARNING: Image Intensive.. Still..



Arashiyama, one place which might not be in our itinerary if not for K-On!

Yup, the otaku RR suggests we head here, which was a really good choice for all the sights that Arashiyama has to offer.

Rode to Saga-Arashiyama on the JR line, hurriedly bought our Sagano Romantic Train tix at the Torokko Sagano station and grabbed some bites before hopping on the next train.


Halloweenie display~


19th century locomotive on display at Torokko Saga station in the 19th century hall.
These trains periodically sound their horns and spurts out white steam for the realistic feel.


Route for the Sagano Romantic Train ride


Mio takes in the lovely sights


while Mugi is busy introducing the view outside the window to Mistress & gang.
The girls have been here before on their field trip in the anime.


Bunch of tanukis greeting the passengers along the way


Dorayaki for Mistress's breakfast. Yums!
And she never realise that it was placed on the wrong side..










The views that so excites the animals on the ride that they were running from window to window, left to right, on the practically empty carriage save for a group of obasans.

Indeed, they were great. It actually resembles the Taroko Gorge in TW in some ways except for the difference in temperature and of cos, without the need to hike!


After taking a round trip, the animals alighted at this station to do some walking.


The tunnel where the Sagano Romantic train runs through. A very big hole..


A miniature display of the surroundings.




The start of the Sagano Bamboo Grove


Very very tall bamboos


A truly zen place for a peaceful little walk, taking in the fresh air while being shaded from the sun.


The path leads us to Tenryu-ji. Admission fees at 500 yen per adult, and I'll say it'll be a very well spent 500 yen for the splendor and beauty of nature.

Mistress and gang somehow took to macro photography during this time, stopping at almost every flower!




Relaxing tai-tais.


A pity that the leaves are still green!


Papaya plant


One of the few trees that had changed its colors early.


I suppose you have to hit the head of the frog with your coin to have your wishes come true?


Tahō-den


Rejuvenate Stone!


Ōhōjō




Sōgen Pond


Sōgen Pond again


The Teaching Hall, which links to the Ōhōjō and provides an elevated view of the Sogen Pond. An additional 100 yen is required for entrance.


Shoes had to be removed and changed into their indoor slippers.


Ermm.. I sneaked in.. shhh..


Actually, the reason to spend the extra 100 yen was simply to utilise their barricades for taking pictures of the girls.
As for all the cultural / heritage treasures.. ermm... HAHA! :p


Mio & Mugi!


+ the inquisitive me!


It started drizzling again as we made our way out of Tenryu-ji compounds. The animals had to take out their brollies (Mistress unwillingly..) and we went around searching for one for Birdy, who had been "hooding" in the rain.


Another rare tree.


Along the streets of Arashiyama where the tourist traps lie.


Togetsukyō


Dividing the Hozu River and Katsura River


Katsura River side of Togetsukyō


At the branch of Katsura River behind Arashiyama Kyoto Monogatari shop.
There's a crane lifting the canoes up for storage.


Photo credits to Google Maps
Inconspicuous entrance to Hōrin-ji.

Definitely not the main entrance as we were greeted by the back of a performing stage after a climb up a long flight of dark, not well-maintained stairs in the rain.


This would make a nice lomo just that.. Mistress's Diana Mini died!


Hōrin-ji. Very deserted with only a couple of other visitors.
We didn't really venture around the temple as it looks closed/forbidden but we managed to find this area that overlooks the town.


Mistress likes the rock displays for reasons unknown to me.


Overlooking Arashiyama Nishiichikawacho.


Gate to the viewing area on the right of Hōrin-ji

We went back to the main street after spending probably 20 minutes in Hōrin-ji, with most of it spent on walking to and fro the temple..


.. and we were subsequently conned by the sign on the left!

So in search of "Great View", the animals ascended another flight of stairs..


So, which is the right stairs??


Ichitani Munakata Jinja 櫟谷宗像神社

..And we thot this is IT! The "GREAT VIEW"! So the animals went searching for the "GREAT VIEW", i.e. some platform overlooking the city, but NO!!! All they found was another signboard that points into the Iwatayama Monkey Park entrance next to the Ichitani Munakata Jinja!

So after much deliberation, and bcos there's admission charge @ a not-cheap 600 yen per person, we bought the tix from the vending machine on a since-we-already-climbed-up-the-stairs/already-here, might-as-well mentality.


HORRORS TO HORRORS! MORE STAIRS instead of GREAT VIEW greeted us!!


The animals walked and climbed and walked and climbed (simply hike) in the drizzle for x minutes, passing by the ever-so-occasional groups of gaijins, and finally reached this place, panting away.

And guess what, this place is just at the first turn from the bottom!
∑(O_O；)!! ULTIMATE SHOCK!


Another if-only-the-Diana-Mini-is-alive photo..

With unanimous approvals, the 3 cannot-make-it animals decided to screw the "Great View" and the 600 yen, for fear that they either get stuck up there with heavy rain, or someone (most likely Mistress with her friction-less soles) does a humpty dumpty + jack & jill, or all 3 of them dun have anymore energy to make the descent.

The map above has since been renamed "The Point of Return" by the animals.

(I think they jus happily boarded a pirate ship.. 600 yen for a few photos with a map!)

So starts the not-as-tedious walk downhill in the rain, and I bet the attendants at the gate must be wondering why this group of girls are back so fast, we exited the Monkey Park without seeing any live monkeys except for 3..KYAAAaaaaa!!!

ﾟ･ﾟ*･(ﾟOﾟ(☆○=(｀◇´*)o

VIOLENCE VIOLENCE!!

Sorry.. continue..


There's boat tours available along Katsura River but I suppose business is down due to the rain.


Back to the main shopping belt as the animals hunt for food, we spotted a group of girls wearing their traditional kimonos crossing the road. Later, as we entered our restaurant of choice, we spotted even more of these girls. Wonder where they come from.. K-On type excursion?


Unagi kamameshi. Absolute yums after all the walking.

More walking after the nice meal, but easy touristy traps viewing this time round as we make our way back to the station in the drizzle.


Mistress saw this little store selling croquette and simply had to buy one even thou she is still full to her throat.


Another yums!

Not just Mistress alone. Birdy went to get some crepe thingy just bcos it looks interesting.


The house plays Mind Games..


JR Saga-Arashiyama station

We rushed back to visit our final sightseeing spot for Kyoto upon raving recommendation from Mistress.
Kinkaku-ji!


Still as impressive as ever, even thou its just a small building, even thou we cant really see what's being displayed inside the building (Buddha's ashes per wikipedia), even thou the floor is still wet and muddy from the rain..


An interesting mini waterfall.


That's a whole lot of coins!


Another lake within the compounds.

The animals took a brief walk around the compounds before hurrying back to the hostel to grab their luggage and haul them all the way to Tokyo.

Was already very late when we checked in embarassingly at House of Ikebukuro, way past their check-in times. Got the room that Mistress stayed in the previous trip and after throwing the clumbersome luggages around, assigning futons, off they went in search for late late dinner.

They hopped into this teppanyaki restaurant just around the corner which was surprisingly very good to have in the cold weather, except that Mistress finds it a tad on the salty side but nevertheless yummy.


Hamburger steak that Mistress ordered.


Close up

After filling their tummies, stinking their clothes & hair, the 3 of them returned to the hostel, pulled out all their dirty clothings and proceeded to utilise the washing machine provided. And as Mistress was bathing, the other 2 animals got complained for being too noisy.. :p It was already pretty late anyway. Haha!

So 1st night in Tokyo.. Cold, Wet (still drizzling!) and Very Tired~!