When you think of Kyoto (or when you Google Kyoto because who would really think of Kyoto unless they were coming here on holiday) you think of red gates and bamboo forests. And so, today we set off in search of red gates and bamboo forests. In an attempt to beat the Sunday crowds we left the apartment at 8am and in no time at all (because Rory had already planned which trains we needed to get) we were at the Fushimi-Inari Taisha shinto shrine. Here thousands of torii (shrine gates) spread across a thickly wooded mountain, connecting five main shrines and dozens of sub-shrines.
The path is dotted with hundred of stone foxes and they are considered the messengers of the god of cereals, Inari. While the walk is only about 4km, it is mainly uphill and at times can be pretty tough going. While the beginning of the hike was busy, as we descended further in to the forest the crowds cleared and at times we found ourselves completely alone. I would highly recommend dedicating a few hours to what was a beautiful hike with some exceptional views over Kyoto. It was also nice going during the winter as while the sun was shining it was still quite crisp and not too busy!
Leaving the relative calm of the forest we set off in search of Nishiki Market. Hailed as the place to view weird and wonderful food, the covered market is popular with both tourists and locals. Living in China where chicken feet and various pig body parts are considered delicacies, has perhaps desensitised us to “weird food” but the atmosphere was still great and it was definitely worth a visit. It also happened to be close to Katsukura, a TripAdvisor restaurant that specialises in, surprise surprise, Katsu. Crispy breaded pork tenderloin sits beside a mountain of cabbage and is served alongside rice and a sesame based sauce that you make yourself by grinding sesame seeds and adding a spicy or savoury base. While it was a great experience and a “must do” when you’re in Japan, I’m really not a huge fan of pork. It was tender and it did taste nice but I don’t think I’ll be rushing back – this suited Rory because it meant he got to polish mine off. There is no limit to his talents.
He did however struggle to find our next stop – the Bamboo Forest. To be fair, Shackleton, Scott and our very own JR would probably have struggled to navigate what is the most complicated subway and bus system we have ever come across so the fact that he got us there was a real achievement. The bamboo lined walk which features in every guide book and for good reason. Despite the crowds we enjoyed the short walk and my only improvement would be better transport links but I suppose asking an entire city to introduce a more efficient transportation system is a bit much! Today was a much more relaxed day and the evening was much the same. We walked around the Gion district, marvelling at how empty the previously packed streets were and trying to catch a glimpse of a Geisha. We didn’t have any luck finding the famous women but the streets at night were beyond beautiful. After our late night stroll we spent the rest of the evening watching TV and trying an assortment of local pot noodles – rock and roll!
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