KYOTO Pt. 2: Golden Pavillion, cheap shopping, and UNAGI

Oh man. I totally forgot to mention in the previous post that we also went to see the Golden Pavillion. It’s a very important and beautiful thing, so how it slipped my mind is beyond me. But because we were running on a tight schedule we could only bask in its beauty for about 10-minutes. Anyway, here it is. Boom.

The Golden Pavillion

Now moving swiftly on to shopping. Japan has a reputation for being ridiculously expensive, which it really can be, but like anywhere in the world – those who seek shall find discounts.

My counterparts decided to station themselves in Takashimaya, which is a department store not far from Gion. Unlike the Takashimaya in Singapore, this one is pretty unaffordable unless you are buying like just eyeliner or something. So being unemployed and all that I thought I’d have better chances going for a stroll down the road and I found this wonderful street:

There were several smaller local boutiques on that little shopping street that were selling items for less than 2000 Yen, which was amazing. BUT that was not cheap enough for me. My persistence paid off as 20-minutes later I came across this underground shop called “Don Don Down”. It’s as Japanese as can be. The clothes were beautifully wacky, and well instead of price tags, the clothes were attached to tags with a picture of a piece of fruit or vegetable on them… I’m not kidding.

Cheap awesome shop in Kyoto

Piecing together some very badly formed Japanese sentences, I managed to procure that sheet (below) from one of the sales assistants. I was looking at this really nice dress that had a watermelon on the price tag and 300 Yen seemed way too good to be true so I figured it must just mean that it’s 300 Yen off the original price right?! Anyway using some more poor Japanese at the counter (“wa ikura desuka?”), the cashier typed “310” into the calculator. Holy cow. 310 freaking Yen? I only had 5 minutes to spare before I had to meet the others to make our dinner reservation so I paid and swiftly made my way back to Takashimaya with my Prada-esque 300-Yen baby. **

Another big plus about this shopping street was that it also happened to be where our dinner reservations were. Recommended by my aunt’s renowned foodie friend we had reservations to eat at the best unagi place in town. For those unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine, or those who haven’t seen the ‘unagi’ episode with Ross from friends, it means eel. And yes, this restaurant just sells eel. So delicious.

Kaneyo restaurant

The English name for this place is Kaneyo restaurant. The portions are very generous as well, so I had difficulty getting through the medium rice bowl. Prices are not bad either, setting us back around 2000 Yen a person. You do have to make reservations in advance though because it’s a relatively small place popular with both locals and tourists.

Woop woop I'm slowly catching up with my posts. Next it's on to Miyajima island and Hiroshima!

Kyoto Part 1, Memoirs of a Geisha

I'll be splitting my Kyoto entry into two, just to prevent my posts from being far too wordy.

I'll cover Kiyomizo temple, souvenir shopping, and the life of a modern day geisha in this entry and shopping and the best unagi ever in the next. :)

We took the shikansen (bullet train) from Shinfuji station to Shin-kyoto in the morning to see more of traditional Japan.

Tip: Shikansen tickets are not cheap. Each of our one-way journeys cost between 10,000 – 11,000 Yen, which is around 100 USD. Tourists are entitled to discounted fares, but you can only purchase the rail card outside of Japan. So if you’d like to make use of it, buy it before you fly in. You can find more information here. A 7-day pass is 28,000 Yen, which if we had purchased, would have saved us around 2500 Yen (25 USD).

Cherry blossoms at Kiyomizo temple

Another tip: Change money at a bank and not a Travelex and definitely NOT in the hotel. The rates in banks are a lot better.

First stop after changing money was the Kiyomizo temple. The walk up to the temple itself is really nice with small shops on both sides selling souvenirs that are nice to look at. There are also many shops that sell this rice cookie called yatsuhashi and you can try loads of samples for free in these stores. You also get people walking around in kimonos – usually people who hire them out for a day so they can take ‘nicer’ photos with the cherry blossoms.

Kiyomizo temple

Tip: I would advise against shopping for souvenirs on this street as we had to learn the hard way that a lot of these things are even cheaper in the airport. For example, my uncle bought a porcelain Kabuki mask for around 3000 Yen, which we later saw at Osaka airport for 1700 Yen!

You should also try the matcha green tea ice cream in one of the stalls on that street. Try the stalls further down the street (closer to the temple), because the ice cream tends to be cheaper there.

Our next stop was to Miyado Odori in Gion to have tea with the geishas and watch them perform a traditional dance. The geishas, referred to as maiko girls, by the locals are still around today. They usually live on Gion, old Kyoto, and roam the streets after sunset. They spend a lot of their time learning dances, songs, and instruments. In fact, they showcase their talents in Miyado Odori.

Miyado Odori

According to our guide, they only perform for around 2-3 weeks in the entire year so their shows sell out fast. Tickets are not cheap either. For 2000 Yen you can get tatami mat seats on the balcony. It’s pretty far up and the show is around 1-hour long so sitting on these mats could get uncomfortable. However, to be entitled to the better seats in the stalls or circle you need to purchase a ticket to the tea ceremony, which you should attend 1-hour to 45-minutes prior to the performance.

Here’s a low-down of the prices and show schedules if you are interested:

The tea ceremony was nothing but a common tourist trap. There was little ceremony to speak of. You get crammed into a bench full of strangers while two maiko girls are on stage. One is preparing tea, and the other is serving. It takes a total of about 5 minutes where they ask you to down your flavourless matcha tea and eat your mochi before they usher in the next group. At least they let you keep the dish they served the mochi on as a souvenir.

You can explore the garden of the maiko girls while waiting for your tea ceremony.

The picture I'm sure you've all been waiting for since the beginning of this post.

The performance itself is worth the good seats. It is absolutely entrancing if you are into unusual theatrical performances and the like. It was fascinating watch how they moved and how they never changed their facial expression. It was as if they were wearing masks. I will not lie… some people around me did fall asleep, but if you’re a drama geek like me, I’m sure you’d appreciate it.

After the show I just had a stroll around Gion, known as the old part of Kyoto, and savoured its beauty. It’s like travelling through time.

The streets of old Kyoto

Old love meets new love on the streets of Gion

Big in Japan: MOUNT FUJI

The following day we made our trip to Mt. Fuji. Fun fact about Mt. Fuji: the mountain is ruled by a goddess. In fact our guide told us that most mountains in Japan are generally ruled by goddesses. How awesome is that?

The trip from the Meguro, Tokyo to Mt. Fuji takes around an hour by car, although for those who want to save money you can take the train to Shinfuji and arrange transport from there. Try taking the slow train as the bullet (shinkasen) can cost around 100 USD for a one-way ticket! **

We stayed there for 2 days but again I repeat what I said in my Tokyo entry... you must spend more time there than that. It is especially the case with Mt. Fuji because you could get bad weather. On our first day the weather was so rubbish we couldn’t see anything. My aunt and I sounded like spastic people, constantly asking any locals where we could view Mt. Fuji because seriously you could not see ANYTHING.

Mt. Fuji viewpoint during crappy weather

Mt. Fuji Viewpoint. You literally see nothing in this weather.

Eventually the rain stopped and we were able to take a walk around Kawaguchiko and marvel the sheer beauty of the Japanese countryside.

Luckily for us, it was all clear skies and sunshine the following day on our way to the Shinfuji train station. Our poor driver had to deal with us getting overly excited about Mt. Fuji and asking when and where we could stop for pictures every few minutes. Anyway he stopped for us at the same viewpoint we went to yesterday and lo and behold here is Mt. Fuji in all her glory.

Isn't she beautiful?

Both pictures of Mt. Fuji are taken from the same viewpoint as the two first pictures. What a difference the weather makes!

Apart from the tranquil views of Mt. Fuji and her surrounding lakes, one of my favourite experiences in Japan so far was staying in a traditional ryokan in Kawaguchiko. We stayed in Yamagishi Ryokan which is a ryokan with modern flair, i.e. there is a lift and the rooms are ensuite. The price range is steep but do get half or full board if you decide to book with them! It's worth the money.

Standard room in Yamagishi Ryokan. The room is then converted to a sleeping area while you are having dinner.

I felt completely immersed in traditional Japan. We walked around in kimonos and slippers, slept on tatami mats, none of the staff spoke English, and we were served a huge Japanese dinner and breakfast in a traditional style dining room.

Traditional-style dining

Kaiseki with bits and bobs of all things yum

In addition to all of this, there was of course a Japanese onsen (hot bath) located at the top of the ryokan. In Yamagishi you had the choice of enjoying your hot bath indoors or outdoors and since it was located at the top floor and the walls surrounding the onsen are out of glass you could admire Kawaguchiko’s skyline from the comfort of the baths without having to brave the cold.

I was sad to leave Mt. Fuji after such a short period of time. Forget tropical island getaways, I would much rather stew in an onsen and walk around the foot of Mt. Fuji in a kimono and eat sashimi for breakfast, lunch, and dinner forever.

If you are planning to visit Mt. Fuji, try to spend at least 3-5 days there so you have a higher chance of getting days with clear skies. For the more adventurous travellers, there are a lot of trekking trails around the lakes of Mt. Fuji, and during climbing season (between July and August) you can trek up to Station 5 or even the summit if you are up to it. Mt. Fuji is 3776 metres high though and the temperatures between the summit and base can have a difference of 20ºc!

Interior of Sylvan's beer house

Before I forget, another honourable mention is the Sylvan’s for its incredible beer. Winner of the World Beer awards several years in a row, this brewery uses techniques borrowed from the Germans to make their own brew and all I can say is, that as an Austrian, that they do a pretty good job. The beer is a little lighter than its German brethren but the taste is similar.

Prost!

All in all, Mt. Fuji is a great destination that offers a variety of activities for any type of traveller. For those looking for relaxation and rejuvenation, the peace and quiet of the towns, the onsens and massages will serve your purpose. For those looking for adventure, there are many trekking trails that vary from easy to challenging (even for the most physically fit people). And for those looking for culture and history, you can find this by staying in one of the many traditional ryokans available at the foot of Mt. Fuji.

Next stop is Kyoto for more cherry blossoms and seeing how the maiko girls (geishas) live.

Big in Japan: TOKYO

Oh where to start? I’m currently on the bullet train to Kyoto and I just don’t know how to find words to describe how freaking incredible Japan is. The people, the food, the shopping, argh! But first I should start with my first destination: Tokyo.

Shibuya at night

Right, I should just put it out there that I have a long-standing obsession with Tokyo so if my post is dribbling with positive adjectives that’s why. Another thing to take note of is that I am travelling with my aunt and several of her friends so this will not be incredibly helpful to those travelling on a budget (although I somewhat am, so I’ll label budget traveller advice with a ** so you guys can filter out what is useful and what not).

We spent only 2 days in Tokyo, which is definitely too short a time to explore the city properly and we also spent the majority of the time on the hunt for cherry blossoms. They only bloom around this time of year for a period of around 2 weeks before they disappear again.

Cherry blossoms (Sakura) in bloom!

Asakusa also known as 'old Tokyo'

We took a river cruise across Tokyo that ended in Asakusa, also known as ‘old Tokyo’. It’s a famous area for viewing the Sakura and when they are in bloom the locals come out with their picnic mats, some food, and drinks, and gather with friends under the trees. It’s absolutely beautiful and a must if you are travelling with friends. Pretty sure it’s not a big dent in the finance department either. **

Locals picnic under the cherry blossom trees in Asakusa

Asakusa, where old meets new

If you walk further down from the underground station you will reach a famous shrine surrounded by cherry blossoms. It’s very crowded and there are weird guys in hot pants asking you if you want a ride on this odd looking thing. To view the sakura in a less crowded area you should go behind the Ana Hotel in Asakusa, on Izumi Street. It’s a secret our guide confessed to us so keep it on the down low yeah? ;)

The weird guy in hot pants smiling for the camera

Omgzzzz look! No tourists!

Asides from hunting down places to see the sakura, we spent most of our time in Tokyo eating. I think I could eat Japanese food for the rest of my life and be really happy. For reals.

For a cheap meal alternative, which I usually did for breakfast, I would just walk down the street to the nearest 7/11, Lawsons, or Family Mart and get some food there. You can get a piece of onigiri for around 130 Yen, a yakitori skewer for 100 Yen, and a bun for around 200 Yen. Cheap stuff. There are bigger meals there as well that are available for 400+ Yen. **

You can also save money by avoiding big restaurants and eating at the little holes in the wall instead. These are smaller restaurants that are kind of 'fast food' joints. Not the kind of fast food joints we are used to but taking the literal meaning that they serve nutritious Japanese food, well, really fast. These usually entail tempura with rice, or rice bowls (known as a don) or ramen. Each meal costs around 500 Yen and the tempura place we ate in Meguro offered us free green tea J.  Keep a look out for chains like Yoshinoya which offer really cheap rice bowl meals that can cost as low as 400 Yen. **

This is actually a Yoshinoya in Osaka, but they're everywhere.

Chain restaurants, such as The Royal Host offer really good food but at slightly higher prices. A meal will cost around 1500 Yen and the portions are not very big. You can try a tonkatsu place, which will have prices in a similar range but larger portions. **

You cannot go to Tokyo without checking out Ginza. It’s the main shopping area of Tokyo and also the most expensive, but you can always window shop right? Anyway we went to the Mitsukoshi department store, which is, as expected, crazy expensive but what I went for was to look at the abnormally sized fruits in the basement. They’re not GMO (not that I have anything against GMO) but they are still so massive! One strawberry will probably be the size of your thumb or more and half the width of your palm. However these suckers will set you back 400 Yen a pop.

I of course had to make a trip down to Shibuya station so I could try and locate the statue of Hachiko for my sister. I couldn't locate the exact statue, because I could barely get through the hordes of people, but I managed to find some tribute to his memory. If you haven’t heard of Hachiko’s tragically beautiful story, read it here.

Tribute to Hachiko at Hachiko-guchi, Shibuya station

Shibuya is also the hip part of Tokyo and near to Harajuku, where the young Tokyoians dress up as anime characters on Sundays. Sadly we were off to Mt. Fuji on Sunday morning so we couldn’t see any of this.


Transport tip: It's probably common sense but if you want to save money, do not take a taxi on your own. Never. The fare almost gave me a heart attack. A 10-minute right could easily set you back 1200-1600 Yen (12-16 USD).

Shibuya

From the brief impression I got of Tokyo, I think of it as the New York of Asia – quirky people, modern, and so full of life! I hope I can return to Tokyo soon and explore some of the weird stuff – maid cafés, cuddle cafés and all of that jazz.

If there are any wanderlusters out there, interested in seeing the weird side of Tokyo as well, hit me up! Of course I’d still have to save an arm and a leg’s worth to afford it but where there’s a will, there’s a way. J

BRB - dancing with fire

Well Holly and I watched some half-dressed people dance with fire in Boracay. We had a jolly good time.

One of the dancers did an AWESOME rendition to the wickedly talented Adele Dazeem's "Let It Go". If you didn't get that reference you should see this right now. Of course I mean Idina Menzel.

Anyway enjoy the fire dance video!

Beijing Revisited: Lost in Translation

As my friend and I wandered around Beijing, we did see some hilarious translations gone wrong. I've uploaded some in this post for your enjoyment. :)

It's supposed to be a common saying in Chinese but sounds mega weird in English

Guess mountains look more like rails in China

They like to set up construction sites just to piss you off

Odd choice of vocabulary

This requires no words

Come on be civilised guys

Discrimination against speaking cellphones and thunderstorms

Good to see they can figure out their priorities even around infinite good scenery.