Japan Trip: Cultural Performances in Gion Corner

Going to Kyoto won't be complete without watching cultural performance at Gion Corner. In Gion Corner, you can see 7 Japanese traditional performances in about 2 hours. The entrance fee is 2,500 yen. The performances include Chado (tea ceremony), Koto (japanesse hap), Kado (flower arrangement), Gagaku (court music), Kyogen (ancient comic play), Kyomai (Kyoto style dance), and Bunraku (puppet play). Before the show, you will get a leaflet abouth each of the performance. So, even though the show is in Japanese, you still able to enjoy and laugh together with the local tourist.

Gion Corner entrance ticket

Chado (tea ceremony)

Koto (Japanesse harp) at right and Kado (flower arrangement) at left

Gagaku (music court)

Kyogen (ancient comic play)

Kyomai (Kyoto style dance)

Bunraku (puppet play)

Before went here, I read some review about the show, some reviewer said the show was boring and only waste of time. Bur as a tourist, for me Gion Corner was really insightful and gave me experience that I might not find again in other city. So it was definitely worthy.


XOXO,
The Tourist

Japan Trip: Maruyama Park and Kiyomizudera Temple

Maruyama park is located at the east end of Gion street in Kyoto. It was a big park that usually used for hanami during cherry blossom season. But since we came in autumn, there's no such thing like cherry blossom :(

intersection between gion street and maruyama park. the long road behind me is the gion street.

On the way to the park, we meet the famous Yasaka Shrine. This shrine also called as Gion shrine in the past. This shrine has a famous dance stage that has many lantern hanged under its roof.

Yasaka Shine Dance Stage

That afternoon, many people came to Matuyama Park and the shrines in the park. People did various activities here. When walking from Yasaka shrine to Maruyama park, I saw a few people gathered together listening somebody else story, I guess it was a story telling event. And from Maruyama park to Kodaiji temple, I saw a cowboy became a street singer. I also saw some peoples using the same costumes, and it seemed like they're joining a music contest or something similar. What I love about this place is there were many girls and women dressed in kimono. I really tempted to get their pics whenever I saw them.

the story teller

cowboy as street singer

a pond near the street singer

getting ready to perform

girls in kimono

Actually my main destination was Kiyomizudera temple. And to get there from Maruyama park, me and my travel partner had to walk uphill along the preserved historic street. The street was really beautiful and really showed the traditional old Kyoto. There also plenty foods and souvenirs seller along the street.

map to Kiyomizudera temple

souvenir shop along the preserved historic street

cute store display

the crowded preserved historic street

After the uphill track, I was welcomed by the huge Deva gate. Then I took the stairs to get to the ticket entrance. To get in, I had to pay 300 yen. And after I got in, I directly went to the Kiyomizudera stage. Because of its uphill location, from Kiyomizudera stage I could see the beauty of Kyoto city in far away. I even could see Kyoto tower from there. Not far from the porch, there’s a walkway in front of Amida and Okuno-in Hall. From this walkway's balcony, l could see the Kiyomizudera stage with beautiful background of Kyoto city. Just staring at this scenery could make me feel calm and peaceful.

Kiyomizudera temple entrance ticket

Deva Gate

the view of Kiyomizidera stage from the walkway's balcony

From walkway balcony, me and my travel partner walked to the ground of the temple. There were Otowa waterfall where people done some cleansing ritual. I also saw small restaurant in there. The restaurant looked so hommy and warm. Nearby the restaurant, if I looked at my back a three-storied pagoda behind the trees. 

view of Kiyomizudera stage from below

Otowa waterfall

restaurant under kiyozumidera temple

with three-storied pagoda as the background

After finished getting around Kiyomizudera temple, we had to walk downhill to gion street to catch up the Gion Corner performance. Many stores in the preserved historic street closed in the evening, but some of them were still full of buyers who wanted to get some fan, snacks, or chopsticks as souvenirs.

preserved historic streets at evening

XOXO, 

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Chojiro Sushi, Kyoto

My next stop in Kyoto was in the famous region in Kyoto, name Gion. Gion is like the most ‘tourist’ place in Kyoto. Many souvenir shops can be found alongside Gion-Shijo, from foods, cat statues, snacks, fan, iphone case, and many more.

It was already lunch time, and we felt so hungry. My travel partner decided to open tripadvisor application in his phone and looked for a recommended and affordable place for lunch nearby. It showed us a sushi restaurant, named Chojiro. Since our stomach was so Indonesian, so we felt hungry 2 hours later than the Japanese. So when we came to the restaurant, they were quite empty.

The food order method was new to us, we could choose our food through iPad, and our order automatically sent to the chef. If we only drink hot ocha, they already provided the glass, hot tap water, and green tea powder. So we could adjust the taste of the ocha and drink as much as we wanted.

ordering with iPad

the green tea powder

We ordered the sushi lunch set. It already complete with 9 different sushi, chawanmushi and enoki mushroom. We also ordered tuna nigiri sushi and premium sashimi set. The taste of its Tuna sashimi was amazing, so fresh like jelly.

the lunch set

getting ready to eat

Nigiri Tuna Sushi

premium sashimi set

Our dishes cost us around 2000 yen, and it accept credit card as well. For me the price was worth the taste. So fresh and yummy.

XOXO,

The Tourist

Japan Trip: As-Salaam Mosque in Kyoto

After sightseeing Fushimi Inari, we took a time to pray Dzuhur and Ashar in a mosque in Kyoto. The nearest mosque is As-Salaam mosque, near Jingu Marutamachi station. From station to the mosque, we had to walk alongside the river for about 15 minutes. The river was clean and many people gathered around there and had a barbeque party or just had some sports activities.

the bridge next to Jingu Marutamachi station. The Mosque near the next bridge in the back.

After ariving at the mosque, it did not look like a mosque, but more look like a regular building. In the front of the door we found a name “As-Salaam”. Inside there, we directly knew that place was not only a place to pray, but also a moslem community place. We were greeted warmly by an Indonesian who in charge in that place. It was nice to meet a people from your own country managing a place like that in foreign country.

The entrance of As-Salaam mosque

The mosque itself quite small, and the praying location was separated between male and female. At that time there was some malaysian students who just finished their dzuhur praying. I felt so happy to be able to pray in a mosque in Japan, its like finding an oasis in the desert.

with the As-Salaam building in the background. this building is located in a narrow alley.

After praying we had to walk alongside the river again. The chilly wind was blowing again, but because the autumn leaves already appeared in the trees near the rives, we didn’t really care about the weather and just enjoyed the scenery.

autumn leaves along the river side

XOXO,

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Thousands of Torii at Fushimi Inari

Since I had Kansai Thru Pass, I can travel to Osaka's neighbor without think twice about its cost. So I deciced to travel to Kyoto. Kansai Thru Pass only cover subways, so to get to Kyoto, I took Keihan Main Line Ltd Exp from Yoyabashi station to Tambabashi and continue using Keihan Main Line Ltd Sub Exp to my destination, Fushimiinari Station. The whole travel took me 46 minutes. But if  I use Shinkansen, the travel from Osaka to Kyoto will only took me 22 minutes, because the 40 minutes using Keihan Main Line Ltd Sub Exp will be replaced by 14 minutes using Shinkansen. Kansai Thru Pass doesn't cover Shinkansen, fyi.

Once I walked out from the fushimii inari station, I found out that Kyoto was more “village” than Osaka. A village that still full with tradition.  To get to the shrine, I had to walk for about 5 minutes. Along the street from station to shrine, there were lots of food seller, from grilled fish to itty-bitty snack could be found there. Since the weather was chill, me and my travelling partner felt a little hungry, we decided to buy a Taiyaki, a fish-shaped cake with chocolate, red bean, or green tea fillings. We bought the chocolate one, and it tasted sweet and yummy.

baking Taiyaki

Taiyakin ready to be served

In the front of the shrine, there are a huge gate, called Romon Gate, which was really eye catching. Besides the Romon Gate, there was a Temizuya (water pavillion) where peoples did the cleansing ritual before entering the shrine. After passing the Temizuya, we arrived at main shrine. Near the main shrine, there were talismans that were being sold by the shrine office. The price of the talisman was around 100-200 yen (I forget the exact price). 

view after the Romon gate (the big shrine is the main shrine)

Temizuya

Talismans in shape of mini torii

Then after entering the gate and hiking some ladders, then we met the famous Senbon Torii (thousand of torii). There are two tunnels that we can choose, both were identical. 

Fushimi Inari map, from Romon Gate to the top of mount Inari

Entrance before the Senbon Torii

the famous Senbon Torii

yes, it is a long vermilion tunnel

At the end of seibon torii, we arrive at Okusha Shrine. Actually there are many worship places in Fushimii Inari. It's like getting prize for the torii tunnels that you have been through. Even if you walk to through the torii until reach the top of mount Inari, you will find a worship place called Ichi No Mine. We didn't get ourself to the top of the mountain, because we only spent one day in Kyoto and had more destinations to catch up. So we took our way back to the entrance through the senbon torii again. Then we realized that there are names behind each torii. Those names are the names of the torii's donor. Each torri was donated by individuals or company, and their name was crafted behind each torii. I heard that the bigger the torii, the higher the price donated by the donors.

people prays at Okusha shrine

names of the donors

Around Fushimi inari, there were a lots of fox statues. Foxes known as the messenger of the Shinto God of Rice, Inari. There were also lots of cats statue sold around the shrine. Actually, I don't know the relation between fox and cat. But as a cat lover, it’s really hard for me to take my eyes off of their cuteness.

XOXO, 

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Kaiyukan Aquarium and Tempozan Ferris Wheel

The best aquarium in Japan is the one in Okinawa. But because Osaka to Okinawa is far and needs plane or Shinkansen + Ship, so I decided to to visit the second best aquarium in Japan, which is Kaiyukan Aquarium, in Osaka. This aquarium located in western Osaka, and if you use subway, you can stop in Osakako station. I visited the museum on Saturday, so when I got out from the train, I saw many families and young couples walked to the same destination like me. From Osakako station, you can walked to the aquarium by following the directions that were appeared in almost everywhere.

That day was rainy, so when we walked from the station, we saw everybody using their own umbrella. It was seems like everybody had prepared for the rain and brought their own umbrella. After walking for about 5 minutes, we finally arrived at the aquarium. The shape of the aquarium is not common and really eye catching.

in front Kaiyukan Museum

After paying entrance fee for 2,300 yen/person, we walked into the museum. The concept of the museum is from the top floor to the bottom. So, at first you should take a long ascending elevator, and then you walked in downward spiral way to the ground floor. With the concepts Ring of Fire and Ring of Life, Kaiyukan recreates natural environment around the Pacific Ocean as faithfully as possible, with hopes that all the visitors feel and reconsider the preciousness and wonder of life and the importance of nature environment all round them. Unlike the other aquarium I have visited, I saw "balance" in this aquarium. So you can see various animals in one aquarium with perfect harmony. The belle of this museum is the Shark Whale. Shark whale is the biggest largest known extant fish species, so you could imagine how huge the aquarium was. Another interesting species is crab. I amazed seeing Alaska King Crab, since its shape was almost as big as my head.

every tickets have different pictures

the long and ascending elevator

Seals are taking some rest

my traveling partner almost kiss the prehistoric fish

yes, the aquarium was this huge

with the famous shark whale

me and the Alaska King Crab

cool jelly fish

just some penguins chilling out

After visiting the aquarium, we walked to the nearby attraction, which is Tempozan Ferris Wheel. The Ferris wheel was made in 1997. It is one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world with 100m in diameter and 112.5m in height.

with green-lighted Tempozan Ferris Wheel as the background

The ticket for the Ferris wheel was 800 yen/person. But because we have Kansai Thru Pass, we got a discount coupon to enter this Ferris wheel. The amazing thing about this Ferris wheel is the lights of the wheel. The light’s color inform about the weather forecast for the next day. Orange lights indicate a sunny day, green lights a cloudy day, and blue lights indicate rain. What I saw that day was green, so the next day should be cloudy.

the entrance ticket

view from Ferris wheel

view of Akashi Strait Pearl bridge from the Ferris wheel

XOXO,
The Tourist