And So I Don't Forget...

Taj Mahal, Agra

I have a vertical version of that photo printed BIG and hanging up in my house. 

It was a hazy, polluted dawn when I took these photos, people everywhere even at that early hour, and yet the Taj Mahal was breathtaking. Majestic, imposing, delicate, detailed.

Iconic. 

As I traveled through India and saw all these amazing buildings and palaces and forts, I often questioned how it was that the Taj Mahal was so familiar to us but we'd never even heard of these other wonders. Sure, the Princess Diana photo made headlines around the world (that's 'Lady Di's chair' in the background), but why? Why was this place so special?

Then I went there myself, almost giddy with that 'I can't believe I'm actually here' feeling. 

I don't know why it is that special, but it is. It really is. 

Gion District, Kyoto

I adore these traditional wooden building; simple and calming, minimalist and yet there are so many textures and details. And behind the facades there is a whole different world. 

Gion is home to Kyoto's geisha district, one of the most exclusive in all of Japan. The geiko, as they are called in Kyoto, and maiko, apprentice geisha, entertain in tea houses, known as ochaya. It is a private, exclusive world that exists behind innocuous wooden doors. 

We were lucky enough to see a few geiko, or possibly maiko, as we strolled through the streets of an evening. On one occasion a geiko was walking right behind me for a way, but Mike couldn't work out how to signal discretely. They seemed so self-possessed and elegant, and I felt giddy with excitement. 

KYOTO: Day 8

We slept well, despite experiencing a 4.7 magnitude earthquake in the middle of the night. Australia doesn't shake like that! We visited the Golden Temple where I had my fortune told by vending machine. An excellent fortune, by the way; the slip of paper said so. We walked down the road to Ryoan-ji Temple, known for it's 14 rock garden (although only 13 can be seen once), where we ordered lunch by vending machine at a cafe in the temple grounds. At the Umekoji Locomotive Steam Museum BoyF was enthralled, pointing out how various pieces and parts worked, and we even had a short ride on a old steam train (with all the little kids). After a little shopping in the huge Yodobashi electronics/department store, we returned to the Ryokan for tea, our bath and then dinner. Mike wanted some more familiar food after our very traditional, 'I have no idea what I'm eating', 8 course meal so we returned to the great bar we'd found, Bar Rinto, where the barman actually chips spheres of ice by hand, for a cocktail or two before bed.

Kyoto: Day 7

We caught the train to the Arashiyama area of Kyoto, discovering a little miniature railway display right near the train station exit. We walked through the gardens of Tenryu-ji, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (much smaller than I expected) and paused for a glass of matcha - powdered green tea, blerk! - and cake before looking through the gardens of Okochi Sanso, a villa which had been the home to an actor in samurai films. We got a little lost looking for the small temple Gio-ji but still made it to the station in time to catch the scenic, 'romantic' Sagano train.

Having stayed two nights already in Kyoto, it was time to change hotels; finishing our trip with two nights at Hiiragiya Bekkan, a traditional Japanese inn, a ryokan. The multicourse dinner, known as kaiseki, was somewhat challenging to our western tastebuds. Afterwards we wandered through a local light festival, complete with a maiko preformance, before navigating the rituals of a Japanese bath.      

Kyoto: Day 6

 

 

 

 

A day wandering between temples; Shoren-in, Chion-in, Yasaka-jinji, Kodai-ji and Kiyomizu-dera. We found some lovely traditional laneways and a local gentleman pretty much grabbed my camera and directed us into place, in polite Japanese style, to take a few photos. Mike tried charcoal bamboo icecream, while I stuck with the green tea flavour, and my grapefruit and raspberry soda with dinner was 'squeeze your own'.

Tokyo to Kyoto: Day 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our 5th day in Japan, we checked out of our tiny little hotel room, which had a great view of the Tokyo Skytree, and caught a shinkansen, bullet train, to Kyoto. After a late lunch of Ramen and getting caught in a downpour, we headed to Fushimi Inari Taisha, a Shinto Shrine famous for it's torii gates. I don't think I quite knew what I was in for - the hike to the top was long, steep and sticky hot - but the torii gates are amazing. Dinner was at a sushi restaurant near the hotel before we finished the night walking along Pontocho and in Gion, traditional nightlife areas of Kyoto.

Tokyo: Day 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started the day with a visit to the Tsukiji Fish Market, stopping at one of the little restaurants on the market's edge to have some incredible sushi. From there we wandered into the shopping area of Ginza, which includes the 5 storey stationery shop Itoya. We purchased some wagashi (traditional Japanese desserts) that we took to a nearby park to eat. Catching the train to Harajuku, we walked through the fashion street of Takeshita Dori, feeling very old, before visiting Meiji-jingu Shrine. We finished the day in Akihabara, the computer, gaming and anime centre in Tokyo.

Tokyo: Day 3

With a more relaxed start to the day, we took a river cruise to Hamarikyu Garden before seeking out the Tamiya shop. (On BoyF's to do list since Japan was suggested.) We had sushi for lunch, our first for the trip, before crossing the city to Nippori Fabric Town. (Fabric for wedding table runners purchased.) Wandering through Yanaka, we saw countless little temples before having dinner at Hantei, a kushi-age (meat and vegetables on skewers) restaurant housed in a beautifully preserved building.

Tokyo: Day 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our second day in Japan was a contrast of two extremes - a day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage listed shrines and temples of Nikko before finishing the evening at the Robot Restaurant. Tranquility and tradition; gaudy, loud and skimpily clad girls. Somehow, neither feel out of place here.

In between we joined the throng of people at Shibuya Crossing and I ate my first bowl of Ramen. (I'm a fan.) We also learnt that the Tokyo public transport system pretty much closes down at midnight. A last train closer to our destination and a 1,000 Yen ($10) taxi ride finished the day.

 

Tokyo: Day 1

 

 

 

After an overnight flight and not being able to access our hotel room until 3pm, our first day in Tokyo felt like a hard slog at times. But, we mastered at Metro system, had a lovely multi-dish lunch on the 7th floor of a department store, saw Senso-ji which is the city's oldest temple, perused the Tokyo National Museum and went up to the 350th floor of the Tokyo Skytree.

A bit footsore by the end of it, not a bad accomplishment for a first day.