Oh Kyoto!
We arrived in Osaka about 10 PM at night. The train trip was LONG heading back south from Sapporo. The trains as I mentioned, are very comfortable, but after 12 hours even comfort becomes cramped. We booked a place to stay in Osaka, since pretty much everything under $200 a night was full in Kyoto. It only being a 30 min train ride away, it was a totally fine location for seeing all that we came to see, and bonus, got to see a bit of Osaka- which is super cute too.
Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan. Its beauty dates back to the 700's (yeah). While it's seen its share of action, it became a national landmark of sorts during WWII, as it was kept off of bombing lists to preserve the historic beauty. It's just as beautiful as you can imagine. It really is. It's majestic, and quaint, it shows the history of Japans dedication to beauty and perfection throughout the ages.
We set out to find the Bamboo forest. I had seen photos' of this magical place, and upon researching realized there was much to see in the town/park area that housed it. What we soon found were TOURISTS. More than I have ever seen anywhere at one time. Bad move on our part by going on a Saturday, but I'm talking lots of people- like more than I've seen at rush hour on any NYC sidewalk. I would be lying to say this didn't take away from the quiet beauty of this place, but we managed to find some peace deeper in the woods. We followed a path along the river that lead up to a Zen Monastery. The autumn leaves here were remarkable, and we came upon a floating restaurant that sold grilled squid and beers. Although it was meant more for the boaters to pull up and take a way, we found a quiet spot to sit and eat and reflect on the beautiful river and banks surrounding us.
Also -there are stalls lining the street with all kinds of delicious street food... I found a pickle
We hopped a ride back from the top of the river. The authentic long boats are so quiet, while the man operating it, simply pushes a long bamboo stick to the bottom of the river bed and shoves us along the way.
It's always hard to really feel connected to a place that is swarmed with tourists, the Bamboo forest path was no exception, and after reading it was actually built by an actor who wanted it as the path to his extravigant home, the magic wore a bit thin. So, I think I'll stick with my original story, that the sprits of the forest planted these enchanted groves and mother nature took them as high as the eye could see. That walking through you are a tiny fairy looking up at the sky scraping stalks and feel miniscule.
There is SO much to see in Kyoto and the surrounding areas. We did not schedule enough time, and if i had it to do again, I would certainly have stayed longer. We barely scratched the surface. But what I will say, is that this city is further proof of the beauty of Japan, and the dedication and drive to perfection in all the Japanese do.
Now it's time to hit the road again, and see what else this country has to show us.
