Category Archives: Kyoto

Kodaiji Temple

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Kodaiji temple was my favorite temple on this trip. The zen qualities of the temple was soothing among the busy rhythm of this trip.  

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This temple was built in 1605 by Kita-no-Mandokoro, also known as Nene, in honor of her late husband Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However the temple is named after Kita-no-Mandokoro’s honorary name Kodai-in. 

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Peaceful zen stone garden in front of the main hall. 

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Kaisan-do, Founder’s Hall, with bonsai trees.

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Hojo, main hall, rebuilt after being burned down in 1912.

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Garyoro corridor, named after the resemblance to the back of a reclining dragon.

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Mausoleum enshrining Toyotomi and Nene.

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Shigure-tei teahouse constructed by bamboo and logs interwoven in a radiating pattern.

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Next up on my house plans will be a bamboo forest.

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Huge goddess statue.

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Admission: 500 yen

(Japan, 〒605-0825 京都府京都市 東山区下河原町八坂鳥居前下る下河原町526)

Matsubara Dori

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After enjoying Kiyomizu-dera, I suggest walking down Matsubara Dori. Brace yourself for the hordes of people.

It’s worth it to try out the snacks and tea the shops offer to lure the tourists. One shop sold flatten mochi, which was chewy and delicious. In another, I picked up a snack sized bread filled with custard for only 60 yen. After consuming it, I wished I had bought more.

The machine in the back makes these bite sized snacks.

Ganko Sushi

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After wandering around Kyoto all day, we were starving and on the hunt for good food. After much research, we settled on Ganko Sanjo Honten. Like all good food in Japan, it is a chain so you don’t have to travel all the way to Kyoto to try it. I noticed them in every city we visited. They also have branches that serve only ramen or gyoza. It’s easy to spot as the tough Japanese chef is their logo and their entrances are known for its overwhelming displays of plastic food.

We sat at the counter and had an fun experience communicating with the chef as he only spoke Japanese and we knew little to none. 

Toro, boiled crab, and salmon. Despite its appearance, the salmon was smooth and fresh; I ordered it twice. 

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Negi toro roll was nothing special.

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I noticed everyone ordered eel, so I too had to try and it was deliciously sweet and toasted! The unagi had gone through the toaster twice. The uni in the back was mediocre. Sadly the chef served us from the bottom tray of uni, which didn’t look as nice as the top display tray.

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Overall, the sushi was mediocre. Some were amazing, like the salmon and unagi, but nothing to fawn about.

(Japan 〒604-8004 京都府京都市中京区中島町京都府京都市中京区三条通河原町東入中島町１０１)

Kiyomizu-dera

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Kiyomizu-dera is the temple of pure water because it was built around the Otowa waterfall, which flows spring water from the mountain. The temple has been burned down several times, a reoccurring theme in Japan it seems. The current buildings were rebuilt during the Edo period. The temple is now a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Deva Gate

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West Gate

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Hideously colored pagoda

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The main hall (hondo) houses the eleven faced and thousands armed statue of Kannon. The infamous extended Kiyomizu stage is made out of wood 12 meters high and held together without nails.

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No nails used to support the stage….

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You may drink the water from the Otowa waterfall. Each stream represents  longevity, academic success, or fortunate love life. You may drink from more than one stream but to drink from all three streams is seen as greedy.

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Loved the spring mountain back drop.

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View of Kyoto.

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Secret pagoda for some peace and quiet away from the people pollution.

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Admission: 400 yen

(294 Kiyomizu 1-chome, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0862 Japan)

Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

Kyoto is known for it’s love of desserts. Where ever you go in Kyoto, you will find plenty of shops selling matcha green tee ice cream. I didn’t catch the name of this place but it was on the way to Kiyomizu-dera.

The little old man that runs the place was adorable as he was the front man of the shop and also the behind the scenes man. He had to keep taking his shoes off to run to the back of his shop to fill up a cone. It was selling like hotcakes that the owner had to turn customers away because his ice cream machine broke down. 

Fushimi Inari-taisha

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Home to the infamous thousands of red (vermillion) torii gates shrine. Below is the Romon Gate donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1589. Behind it is Honden, the main shrine building.

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Fushimi Inari is named after the mountain it sits atop, Mount Inari,

and the Shinto god of rice it gives homage to, Inari. Foxes are known to be Inari’s messengers. Therefore, you will see them everywhere before the shrines.

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Beginning of the ascent to the thousands of red torii gates.

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One of the many mini shrines that dot the mountain.

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Senbon trail is the parallel rows of mini torii gates. Each torii gate is donated either by an individual or company in hopes of prosperity. The small gates start at 400,000 yen while the larger ones can cost up to 1 million yen.

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One is not like the other.

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After about a 40 min ascent, you will come across Yotsutsuji intersect with a view of Kyoto. Tip: Bring some snacks and water with you as it is mostly uphill. Onigiri is a small and filling snack. 7-11 offers a decent variety.

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If you’re adventurous, you can continue the path for another 1.5- 2.5 hours to reach the full summit.

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Admission: free.

(68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 612-0882, Japan)

Ippudo

Served at Ippudo is the Akamaru Modern (pictured above). It has a tonkotsu pork broth with handmade thin noodles with a splash black garlic oil. It’s topped with three slices of pork, scallions, fungi, and bean sprouts.

The broth was intensely rich in flavor. The noodles were firm and the chasu was delicious!!!

They serve a strong barley tea to compliment the ramen. On the table are pickled bean sprouts, veggies, and ginger to snack on while waiting. They also have garlic and a garlic mincer at the table if you want your soup to be more garlicky.

Ippudo is a chain restaurant and can be found all over Japan. However, the stores are discreetly hidden and hard to recognize. Be on the lookout! You don’t want to miss out on their decadent broth.

Below is a map of Ippudos in Japan and New York.