Kyoto Trip Day 1

We went to Kyoto last weekend. It was a long 3 day weekend, and we asked off 2 days to make a 5 day trip. It was the nicest break so far after we started working!! We like Kyoto!!


After the 3 hours of Shinkansen train ride, we arrived Kyoto. Taken at a street with a pretty river and bridge.







"Why is there a river in the middle of a street?" Mike was confused...







Kyoto was very pretty. Some of the places actually looked a bit like my image of Hang Zhou in China?! (well... yea, haven't been to Hang Zhou yet... so just imagination for now...)




"Hello, everyone!!!~~~" Carol waved and said energetically.

"Stop it, you are scaring all the Japanese people!!!" Mike replied.

"Oh...."



Kiyomizu Temple 清水寺 (Pure Water Temple)


This is our first stop in Kyoto - Kiyomizu Temple. This temple is one of the most famous, must-visit places in Kyoto, because of its nail-less wooden terrace.






No nail was used in building the terrace
supporting the temple (which was up on a high mountain). Pretty amazing!!





From the top of the temple, you can see a water fountain at the bottom of the mountain. The water there is supposed to be some "magic" spring water, which has healing power and also gives the temple the name "Pure Water Temple".

I can't really imagine the water running through some not-so-clean-looking stone pipes, and you drink it using the same wooden bucket that everybody else uses will have healing power...




Kiyomizu Temple - taken from the bottom of the mountain.








Can someone tell me why Japanese people like these stone baby Buddha with red bibs so much??!!







There is supposed to be some hiking trails near the temple, but we couldn't find it... oh well.... may be next time...











You can see temples everywhere in Kyoto. And for some reason, Japanese people like the color orange... (it's true!! think about Tokyo Tower!!)











Higashi Yama District (東山) - East Hill District


Higashi Yama Area is the eastern part of Kyoto, where a lot of famous touristy temples are located, such as the Kiyomizu Temple (清水寺) and the East Temple (東寺).









Happy us!!!












Mike and Temple




























Very pretty view of Kyoto. (and thx for the nice weather!!)
















Story of a successful shot and a ... failure shot!!


Success~







And failed.... =)














Me in front of a Pangoda.












Back to Central Kyoto


River along the Gojo district (五条).









Mike and I - Evening view of Kyoto.










Central Kyoto at night looks a bit like Hong Kong...











Interesting Streets/Alleys - Kyoto Collection

We saw lots of intersting-looking streets in Kyoto: modern, anicent, busy, quest, etc...


A windy street in Kyoto with signs of some tofu gourmet of a small restaurant. (taken while we were getting lost, haa...)







Doesn't this street look like from an anime or an old-school samurai movie?














A secret alley behind some resident's house.
















Very straight street with shops on the side!! (sounds like some kind of food description!!?)













Streets with people in Kimono (Japanese traditional clothing).

Actually, this is one of the street on the way to the Kiyomizu Temple; Crowded with tourists and lots of shops selling snacks and omiyaki (souveniors).












Street with yummy green tea, vanilla ice-cream. hehe... yum yum....







Street with lots of fancy, expensive restaurants (near Gojo District)














Kyoto alley at night.


















And now - Something random....



Geisha crossing the street - i have never really seen a Geisha anywhere else. (Well... "Memory of a Geisha" does NOT count as a real Geisha!! And FYI - I refuse to pay money to see that movie!!!)






A very weird looking building in the middle of Gion district 祇園 (central Kyoto).















Hmm.....














Oh My Gosh... ain't this adorable? A bunch of yarning kitten cats...... stuck together?!?!








And that... concluded our very busy first day in Kyoto !!!!