夏休みーSummer Break

My school gave us a week long break for summer vacation, which finally gave me to explore Japan like i had hoped to last year before my trip was cancelled due to the earthquake and subsequent nuclear plant disaster on 3/11/2011. My trip started out on an overnight bus from Ikebukuro to Kyoto. 

京都ーKyoto

Day 1: August, 25th, 2012

Arriving early in the morning, the instructions that the hostel gave me enabled me to easily reach my destination by bus. A tourist Mecca, Kyoto offers an all day bus pass for 500円、which is a great deal when a one-way trip is 230円. Although a bit tired from the bus trip, (the seats were much less comfortable and reclined much less than the pictures made them out to be), I started my day off at Kiyomizudera.

Kiyomizudera

 Kiyomizudera was founded during the Heian period in 798 and most of the present buildings are from 1633; not a single nail is used in the entire structure. The name comes from the waterfall inside the complex; kiyomizu means clear or pure water.

The main hall has a large veranda with tall pillars jutting out over the hillside. From the veranda, one can get great views of the city.

The temple also includes many the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Okunishi, a god of love and good matches. Two 'love stones' are placed six meters (20 feet) apart). If visitors are able to successfully walk between the stones with their eyes closed, he or she will find love. If one is assisted during the walk, in life, one also requires a go-between to find love. Unfortunately, during my attempt, a woman tapped me saying 'abunai' or dangerous. I had completely passed the stone and was able to fall down the stairs passed it. So much for finding my true love... >_<

Beneath the main hall is the Otawa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a point. Visitors catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting powers.

Shoseien
Shoseien is the second resident of Higashi Hongan-ji that originally was constructed as a retreat of the chief Priest Sen'nyo. The garden is a Chisen-Kaiyu teien (pond stroll garden) with tea-ceremony houes, a large lawn, and several ponds.

East & West Honganji
Nishi Honganji and Higashi Honganji are two large Buddhist temples in the center of Kyoto; they are the headquarters of the two factions of the Jodo-Shin Sect (True Pure Land Sect) of Buddhism. Unfrotunately, when I went, a lot of construction was going on, so I don't have beautiful pictures of them.

I did, however, find the large billboards on the side of the walls surrounding the temples to be rally inspiring.

Nijoujou

Nijo Castle was built in 1603 as the residence of Tokugawa leyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period. After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, the castle was used as an imperial palace. The palace is divided into three areas: The Honmaru (main circle of defense), Ninomaru (secondary circle), and surrounding gardens, stone walls, and moats. The palace was the residence and office of the shogun when he visited Kyoto. A unique characteristic of the buildings are its 'nightingale floors.' A bit paranoid, the shogun desired these noisy walkways so that if intruders entered, everyone could hear their squeaky steps. Additionally, only the highest ranked visitors could enter the main audience room. The shogun would sit on an elevated floor while bodyguards hid in the closets surrounding him. Visitors of lower ranks did not have direct view of the shogun.

Market Festival

Unfortunately, I was not able to find the name of the market/festival/event that was held on August 25th, so I can say little more than describe what I saw. Nearby a shrine, tons of food, knick-knack, and souvenir stalls were set up. I indulged in some delicious takoyaki and okonomiyaki, while browsing the shrine and different items for sale.

One of the stalls had some rather interesting artifacts for sale.

Kyoto Tower

Day 2: August 26th, 2012
Kinkakuji
The Golden Pavilion is a Zen temple whose top two floors are completely covered in gold! It was the retirement villa of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and was built to echo the Kitayama culture of wealthy aristocratic circles. The first floor has a Shinden style used for palace buildings during the Heian Period. The second floor is Bukke style used in samurai residences. The third floor is a Chinese Zen Hall. The original no longer stands as a monk set fire to the building in 1950 and was rebuilt in 1955.

Ginkakuji
Built in 1482 and modeled after Kinkakuji, it was created as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. It became a center of Higashiyama culture. No silver is used in the construction of the Silver Pavilion, however the moon light reflecting on the building's dark exterior is supposed to give it a silvery appearance. A moss and sand garden with ponds, islands, bridges, streams, and various plants surround the pavilion.

Although the pavilion itself isn't as impressive as Kinkakuji, I thought the area surrounding Ginkakuji was much more spectacular than the Golden Pavilion's.

Philosopher's Path
A path between Ginkakuji and Nanzen-ji, it was given its name after an influential Japanese philosopher and professor Nishida Kitaro walked this course daily for meditation. Along the path, a woman was selling small watercolor postcards and paintings; I bought the painting she said was her favorite for 500 yen.

Heian Shrine & Garden
The shrine was built for the 1100th anniversity of the capital's foundation in Kyoto. The shrine's main buildings are a partial replica of the original imperial palace from the Heian Period. Behind the shrine is a garden with many cherry trees (although not in bloom when I was there), ponds, traditional buildings, and various plants.

After viewing the shrine's garden, I went to a nearby free museum where they happened to have a brief show by Maiko. Maiko is an apprentice geisha who perform songs, dances, and play the shamisen. Usually 15-20 years old, they become geisha after learning how to dance. These Maiko showed us one dance.

Shimogamo Shrine
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Shimogamo Shrine (along with Kamigamo Shrine) is one of the most important and oldest shrines in Kyoto, even predating the city's establishment in 794. Shimagamo Shrine is surrounded by Tadasu no Mori, a forest with trees up to 600 years old! The shrine is dedicated to the veneration of Tamayori-hime and her father Kamo Taketsunomi, associated with thunder.

Mitarai-sha

Gion
I stayed in a hostel in Gion District, Kyoto's geisha district.

On my way back from the shrines, I bought a treat at one of the many shops. Mochi covered with shoyu, grilled, and surrounded by nori.

ならーNara

Day 3: August 27th, 2012
Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784 and is home to many UNESCO World Heritage sites. Nara Park is a wide, open park that takes up most of the touristy area of the city. According to legend, the god of the Kasuga Taisha came riding a white deer, so the deer have a protected status as envoys of the god. Resultingly, the city is full of deer that get plenty of biscuits from tourists. To be honest, I thought they were smelly and more of a nuisance than anything, but as a tourist, I figured I had to take a picture.

Toudaiji
Nara's most famous site is Toudaiji, home to the largest Buddha statue in Japan and one of the largest in the world. Daibutsu-den, which houses the Daibutsu (big Buddha) is said to be the largest wooden building in the world.

Behind and to the right of the Daibutsu is a wooden column with a small hole carved through the bottom. If you can squeeze through this whole, you are supposedly promised enlightenment. As a result, children and small asians tend to be the lucky ones. Luckily, I also fit through!

Kasuga-Taisha
This shrine was created at the same time as the capital, dedicated to the deity responsible for the city's protection. It is famous for the hundreds of lanterns hanging from buildings and lining the treats on the approach to the shrine.

Surrounding the Kasuga Taisha are many auxiliary shrines. One of them was quite intriguing to me...Upon showing a Japanese person the photo, she tells me that it is for breast cancer. 

Yakushiji
The temple was built in the late 7th century for the recovery of the emperor's sick wife. It has a symmetrick layout, with the Genjo-sanzoin Garan octagonal hall holding the remains of Genjo-sanzo. The temple was extremely far from Nara Park, but the map's key was quite misleading, so I decided to walk. This ended up being a run in which I got to see a lot more of Nara than I needed to.

And unfortunately, because one of the structures was under-construction, I didn't get the beautiful view that it normally gives. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4105.html

Fushimi Inari Shrine

This Shinto shrine is in southern Kyoto and is famous for the thousands of torii gates that straddle the trails behind its main buildings. It is the most important shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Many fox statues are littered throughout the shrine, because foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers.

京都と神戸ーKyoto & Kobe

Day 4: August 28th, 2012

Arashiyama
On the outskirts of Kyoto lies Arashiyama. While "Arashiyama" technically refers to the ountains on the southern bank of Katsura River, the name is used to describe the entire district.

While Kyoto is pretty much a city, Arashiyama is much more rural with beautiful wildlife, rivers, and bridges.

Tenryu-ji Zen Temple

The temple is ranked among one of the five great Zen temples and is a UNESCO WOrld Heritage site.It was built in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji, who dedicated the temple to Emperor Go-Daigo to appease the former emperor's spirits. Although the original buildings have since been lost to fire (the most recent dating from the Meiji Period 1868-1912), the garden survives in its original form.

Arashiyama is also home to beautiful Bamboo Groves.

I loved the landscape of the surrounding areas.

Kobe
After spending the morning in Arashiyama and plenty of time to spare, I took a train (about an hour or more) to Kobe, Japan's fifth-largest city. It was one of the cities to open for trade with the West following the end of the policy of seclusion. As a result, it is a cosmopolitan port city and famous for Kobe beef.

Kobe's Chinatown is one of Japan's most colorful and foreign-looking Chinatowns. Three gates mark entrances to the Chinatown: the Changan Gate in the east, Xian Gate in the West, and Nanluo Gate in the south.

Outside of one of the shops was a particularly long line.

Apparently the shop is famous for its buns filled with meat. Despite being a pescatarian, I came to Japan with an open mind, willing to eat meat if it was a famous dish that I wanted the experience of trying.

So I tried it. And it was good.

Afterward, I strolled around the port area.

There is a part of town with a lot of western architecture and influence.

広島ーHiroshima

Day 5: August 29th, 2012
Peace Memorial Park's 120,000 square meters commemorate the tragic events on August 6, 1945. Flanked by a river with beautiful bridges crossing it, the area is kind to the eyes.

While the Peace Memorial Museum is a prominent building in the area, the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb victims as well as many other statues litter the park. The A-bomb Dome, also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, is one such structure. Formerly the Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall, a prominent building promoting Hiroshima's industries at the time, a bare structure filled with rubble now remains. 

Many origami paper cranes covered the structures throughout the park.

After a sullen morning filled with war-stricken materials, I went to an okonomiyaki restaurant for lunch. Hiroshima's okonomiyaki differs from Osaka's or Tokyo's and is famous for it's soba noodles embedded in the pancake/vegetable mixture.

Hiroshima Castle

After lunch, I headed to Hiroshima castle. Built in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, it was an important source of power in Western Japan. Although it surived the Meiji Restoration, it was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945. The replica now holds a museum.

Mitaki-dera

A bit out of the way is a historic Japanese temple founded in 809. Although I had not heard of it before I got to Hiroshima, the man at the hostel recommended it and I was not let down. The walk (which of course ended up being a run) to the temple allowed me to enjoy the beauty of Hiroshima.

Although not famous, I found this temple particularly beautiful. Hidden in the woods with a waterfall, the landscape presented a peaceful atmosphere. Additionally, the bridges, small pagodas, and statues were very different from the typical temple. Hence, I really enjoyed my visit.

The pictures unfortunately do not give the stunning waterfall any justice.

宮島ーMiyajima

Day 6: August 30th, 2012
Miyajima is about an hour outside of Hiroshima. From Hiroshima, I took a tram to a ferry, and then the ferry to the island. By the ferry is a small touristy area with many shops.

It is home to the World's Largest Spatula.

And it is famous for its fried manju.

The most famous part of Miyajima is Itsukushima Shrine, a Unesco World Heritage Site. A large floating torii stands in the bay in front of the shrine.

A red-lacquered complex of halls and pathways on stilts in the water comprises the shrine itself.

Daisho-in

Despite being rather unknown, this Buddhist temple was probably the most beautiful one I have been to. First, the hillside location gives it a beautiful atmosphere, nestled right by a waterfall. Further, a number of interesting sights can be seen, including the Dai-hannyaku Sutra, golden prayer wheels said to bring fortune to those who touch them, and the Henjokutsu Cave, a collection of Buddhist icons.

Mt Misen
Although most take a ropeway to the top of the mountain, I elected to climb. It took a little over an hour, but the views were beautiful.

It was an extremely hot and humid day.

The views at the top were extraordinary. 

I rewarded myself with some delicious fresh oysters after the hike.

福岡ーFukuoka

Day 7: August 31st, 2012
I arrived in Fukuoka by bus rather late on the 30th and stayed one night in a hostel. I started the morning at the Tochoji Temple.

Tochoji Temple
The Fukuoka Daibutsu (Great Buddha) was craved in 1988 and is the largest statue of a seated Buddha in Japan.

Shofukuji 
Shofukuji is the first Zen temple constructed in Japan in 1195. None of the buildings can be entered and tourists can only stroll through the gardens surrounding, so my stay at this temple was rather short.

The Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a famous festival in Japan, held during the first half of July. Large Kazariyama floats are created and paraded through the streets during the festival.

The float from the year before is displayed near Kushida Shrine.

I had a delicious lunch for only 500 Yen near Canal City Hakata. I got a free piece of nigiri sushi with an advertisement that I brought as well. :)

After lunch, I went to Fukuoka's Asian Art Museum. The art was beautiful, strange, and colorful. It was a great way to spend an hour or two.

I also spent some time at Fukuoka Port Tower, which was free and gave a nice view of the port area.

Although a bit far, I walked (slash ran) to Fukuoka Castle Ruins. There was little more than a few remaining stones in a large grassy park.

It was beside Ohori Park, however. This large public park is home to a large pond decorated with many different flowers and patronized by joggers, date-goers, and many pet-walkers.

Although a bit far, I again walked (slash jogged) to Momochi Seaside Park. Fukuoka Tower, 234 meters tall, is a prominent building in the area.

However, the beach and scenery just past the Tower are even more beautiful.

The day I went, the sky was absolutely breath-taking.

Fukuoka is famous for Tonkotsu Ramen, so on my way back to the hostel, I tried some at the Ramen Stadium. Tonkotsu ramen is made from pork bone broth. 

Although I didn't stop and eat one, Fukuoka is also famous for Yatai, open air food stands. In an outdoor environment, patrons can try various foods such as yakitori, ramen, or oden.

I took a bus from Fukuoka to Nagasaki that evening, and arrived around 10 or 11pm that evening.

長崎ーNagasaki

Day 8: September 1st, 2012

Gunkanjima
Until 1974, the island was used as a coal mine. Despite being just 480 meters long and 150 meters wide, it was home to 5000 residents, resulting in the highest population density ever. With such a high population density, every part of the island was 'built up' so that the island resembled a battle ship, hence the name Gunkanjima, which means 'battleship island' in Japanese. The formal name of the island is Hashima. To get to the island, I took a boat from the beautiful Nagasaki port. The stunning weather allowed for a quite enjoyable commute to the now abandoned island.

Dejima

Constructed in 1636, Dejima was built to segregate Portuguese residents from the Japanese population and control their missionary activities. During Japan's two centuries of isolation, the Portuguese were expelled from Japan and a Dutch trading factory was moved to Dejima. The only remaining westerners in Japan were limited to this small trading area. 

Although not an island anymore and most original buildings have been destroyed, many historical structures remain and the original design of Dejima is currently being worked to restore Dejima to its original appearance.

Nagasaki Chinatown, Shinchi Chinatown, is Japan's oldest chinatown, established in the 17th century due to the fact that Nagasaki's port remained open during the era of isolation.

Chinatown is known for two famous dishes: chanpon and sara udon. I devoured the former.

Glover Garden
Glover Garden is home to many mansions of former Western merchants who settled in the area after Japan's era of seclusion. 

Despite coming from the West, I was surprised at the beautiful architecture and the panoramora of the city that visitors are able to view.

Oura Catholic Church
As a Catholic, I had a special desire to visit this church. Constructed in the last years of the Edo Period, it served the growing number of foreign merchants who entered Nagasaki after the era of seclusion. It is supposedly the oldest standing Christian church in Japan and the only Western building to be designated as a national treasure.

Day 9: September 2nd, 2012
Site of the Martydom of 26 Saints
This site is dedicated to the Christians who were crucified on February 5, 1597 due to their beliefs. At the time, Christianity was suppressed and all believers had to remain hidden to avoid persecution.

Peace Statue and Park
This park commemorates the events on August 9, 1945. While the Peace Statue is the prominent feature of the park, many smaller statues are erected as well.

Urakami Cathedral

The Roman Catholic Church's construction began in 1895 after a ban on Christianity was lifted. In 1865, a French priest discovered and banished the Christian Urakami villagers. During that time 650 died as martyrs. In 1873, banished Christians returned to the area to construct their own church. When completed in 1925, it was the largest Catholic Church in East Asia. The atomic bomb detonated in Urakami, just 500 meters from the cathedral. The Peace Park contains some of the few remains of the cathedral's walls.

In 1959, a replacement cathedral was built.

 Since I visited on Sunday, I actually was able to attend mass!

Mt. Inasa
When I tell people I want to walk somewhere rather than take the train, people often tell me I cannot do it. The same thing happened for Mt. Inasa. Because a ropeway exists, no one who tell me how to reach the top by foot. This presented a bit of a challenge.

I headed for the peak but really had no idea what to do.

I was able to get some beautiful views on the way. It turns out, however, that no hiking trail exists. In order to climb the mountain, one has to use the same roads as the cars, which is not the most direct route. Loops around the mountain rather than a straight path is the route that cars take. I was quite confused and baffled when I started to walk downhill rather than up...A passerby saw that I was rather confused and stopped his car. Although his car was filled with his kids, he told me that it was still a while before I would reach the top and he offered me a ride in his car. I never stuck my thumb out in hitch-hiking style, but considering I did not know this man, I would consider this hitch-hiking. Although a bit dangerous, I figured that only in Japan is this possible. So I accepted his offer and after an hour of confusion, finally made it to the top!

The ropeway that is supposedly the only way to reach the top other than by car:

Meganebashi
My final stop on my incredible summer break was Meganebashi, Spectacles Bridge. Constructed in 1634, the bridge crosses the Nakajima River and is named as such because of his resemblance to eyeglasses.

After a long day hiking and sight-seeing, I made my way back to the hostel and prepared for my return back to Tokyo.

My overall impressions:
- Surprisingly, Kyoto was my least favorite city. The temples, shrines, and gardens were undoubtedly beautiful and awe-inspiring, but once you leave the grounds, I think that Kyoto is nothing more than a concrete jungle. A really hot, humid, mosquito-infested concrete jungle. I got more mosquito bites squatting over toilets than I have in my entire time spent in Pittsburgh. I feel like once you see a famous site, there is really no need to go back for many years. Once you've visited them all, you don't have a beautiful city to enjoy. Of course, that was only my impression from a 3 day stay.
- Nagasaki was my favorite city. When I got to Hiroshima, it was my favorite, but Nagasaki beat it. Both of the cities are filled with rivers, bridges, and mountains, as well as have similar industries, so they reminded me of Pittsburgh. However, because Nagasaki has a strong Chinese and Dutch history, it seems just a tad bit more intriguing than Hiroshima. Western architecture in an eastern world (as seen in Glover Garden, for example) was fascinating to me. Additionally, since I have lived in Hong Kong for nearly half a year, it's comforting to have a Chinese cultural presence.
- My least favorite thing about the trip was the night buses. It's a little exhausting to sightsee the next day if you don't get good sleep. On one of the trips a woman spilled her drink on me, leaving me with a wet right leg. I also woke up to her breathing about a centimeter from my head. I'm pretty sure her drink was alcoholic, and that she may have been a little drunk. Luckily, there were seats open, so the first chance I got, I moved.
- My favorite thing that I ate was chanpon. It is filled with tons of vegetables, which I love, and it's not as oily or salty as ramen.
- My favorite thing that I did was hitchhike, simply because I can say I have hitched. However, the minutes before hitchhiking were confusing and miserable. I guess that made the hitchhiking experience even better, though.
- The most disappointing thing I ate was Hiroshima okonomiyaki. I heard it was even better than Tokyo's (which comes from Osaka), but I didn't like soba noodles inside. I love trying famous food in the cities I visit, so I was definitely bummed.
- The most underwhelming thing I saw was Gunkashima. Websites and people's comments made me believe that it was super cool and different, but it didn't seem like anything but a run down area. The tour was probably over $50 when converting from yen, but the tour is all in Japanese. Even if it were in English, however, the island itself didn't have much to see; I thought it would've been much more shocking or unlivable or simply interesting.
- I regret not having attempted to socialize and make friends with the other people at the hostels. It's difficult if you only stay some place a day, but at Kyoto, for example, rather than spend time downloading pictures, I wish I would have gotten to known the other people better. I became Facebook friends with some of them, and since then, I have conversed with all of them. They have all interesting stories and are great people, and I regret not gotten to know them better.
- I regret never having experienced the night life of any of the cities, but in addition to the prerequisite of having someone to go with, going out the night before makes early mornings for sightseeing difficult. As a result, although I never had that experience, I think I would've had to make some trade offs.
- Idiot move: bringing my laptop, a heavy piece of junk. The only reason that I brought it was to download pictures. I have my iPhone that I can use Internet on, plus I believe all of the hostels had computers to use, so I did not need to use it to access the internet. In retrospect, as another hostelgoer recommended, I should have just brought my external harddrive.

Overall I saw everything that I planned on seeing and had an amazing experience. I think I spread out my days perfectly to suit the types of things I'm interested in. In conclusion: I love Japan. At this point, that phrase is getting quote old, but I love it.