Excursion to Kyoto (京都)!!

When we arrived back to Tokyo that night after the Hakone adventure, the large group disassembled, and 3 friends and I planned to go to Kyoto the next day! We wandered around in Tokyo until midnight with all our luggage... and took the night bus down to Kyoto! While waiting around in Tokyo, we had no internet but we needed to look up directions and plan our Kyoto trip because it was only for 4 days! We hunted for a Starbucks (because that is the only place with free Wi-Fi if you sign up) and finally found one and they were so nice and gave me free water haha! But the Wi-Fi definitely saved our lives as we then knew how to get to our hostel and everything :) After getting on the night bus and waking up the next morning, we arrived at Kyoto station!

very earning in the morning. around 6 or 7 am. Nothing in the station was open yet, except McDonalds... haha

eating a McGriddle in Japan

after we waited to take the JR to the hostel because check-in time was 8am!

After dropping off our luggage, the man at the hostel was really nice and gave us a map of the different tourist locations and events happening that week. Here, we are at Arashiyama!

bumped into Geishas!! 

Arashiyama had such pretty fall leaves!! Everywhere we went, we were surrounded by the red, orange, and yellow beautiful leaves!

This was inside one of the many museums at Arashiyama, featuring a traditional Japanese home

Outside there was a pretty Japanese garden!

Here many people threw in coins, hoping to get it inside the circle and then you could make a wish!

There was also an area with lots of bamboo trees - bamboo forest!

The bamboo forest!

While walking through the forest, hunger struck me! I smelled the fresh scent of a baked sweet potato. MMMMMMM

At this point, despite the beautiful fall leaves, we were lost. haha so we just wandered around and around

and found a shrine again with lots of ema for people's wishes

And a random playground so we took a break and played hehe. 

After finally finding our way out to a train station and getting to our next location: Ryoanji Temple...

We are at the entrance of the temple!

I've always wanted to go to Ryoanji Temple because it always appeared in my Japanese textbook when I was studying Japanese in high school. It feels so surreal to be in a place that you only read about in the textbooks, but standing on the ground in its actual location was awesome!

Then.. we got hungry:

Yumm Yakisoba!

The next day! Walking through the hostel district trying to catch a train

More Torii gates!

On our way to Kinkakuji (Gold Temple)...

We spot some high school students in uniform going to the same place as a class field trip!

Almost at the temple!

Still the leaves are so beautiful!

Just bought our ticket into the Temple... and then... 

Bam! It's so pretty!! Yup, that's the Golden Temple! The reflection in the lake and the weather that day was perfect! We were only able to see it from afar (as shown in the picture) but I heard before they allowed tourists to get up closer and touch it (perhaps even go in). Too bad that was changed >< 

But still beautiful from a different angle too!

A little bit up closer, but the temple is sectioned off to prevent people from getting in

Some cool guys in traditional Japanese costume wear who were cool enough to let us take pictures with them hehe

Inside the bathroom in the temple... I love Japanese English:) 

At the bus stop waiting to get to our next destination, these elementary school kids were practicing English, saw that one of my friends was  White, seized the opportunity, and bravely started a conversation with her asking her questions from the textbook. It was so cute!

Next off to Higashiyama, the location of Kiyomizudera (temple that lights up at night!!)

Festival Food!

Higashiyama is a preserved historic district - as you can see from the stone streets and traditional houses!

This tiny road was called Hanamikoji street 

This street led to Geisha theaters. We were hoping to meet one here, but it seems they are on their break! Good thing we saw three at Arashiyama yesterday!

Getting lost, we wandered into a different shrine... 

And in the back of the shrine, we find ourselves in the midst of a residential district. The map said Kiyomizudera was in this direction...

Trying to find our way to the temple...

Came across this battery vending machine!! I know they have vending machines everywhere but that is usually for drinks, but this one sells batteries! Cooool!

We find another shrine!

This time with this boar guarding the entrance

We finally find the road up in the mountains where it will take us to Kiyomizudera and there are so many shops along the way, of course to attract tourists like us!

a very cute store filled with characters from Hayao Miyazaki's productions, including this giant Totoro!

(A different store) MY FAVORITE RILAKKUMA!!

Then, at night, we finally arrive at Kiyomizudera, greeted by these beautiful leaves!

What in the world is that, you ask.
That is the light shooting up from the top of the temple (or so it seems from this angle)! 

And the temple up close!

Actually the light is coming from behind the temple!

Hungry for dinner we grab some sushi :) and that's a wrap for that night!

The next morning, we take a train to... 

a flea market inside a temple! this only happens during select seasons so we were lucky to be in town just at the right time!

the flea market of course was filled with food and food and more food!

They were also selling goods and kimonos for cheap!

And as mentioned before, this is a temple, so there were many little gifts you could buy! I believe this was for your zodiac sign !

And these sugar-coated sticks of sweet potato were calling my name, KRISTIIIIII!
the man making the snack saw that we were just sharing one cup so he gave us a few extra sticks and the lady in front of us bough herself a cup (one serving) as well, and then saw that we were sharing too, gave us half her cup. These people are so nice!! We were indeed sweet potato rich :) 

Then we went to a different temple Ginkakuji, essentially the Silver Temple. The temples are always surrounded by an elaborate Japanese garden before you reach the temple inside:

Finally a glimpse of the Silver Temple!

Then at night, we were back at Kyoto station, which was decorated all about (because Christmas was coming up)

Across from the Kyoto station was the Kyoto Tower!

                                               

These are really beautiful stairs lit up with Christmas decorations and changes designs every so often!

See now the stairs are a different design!

The view from the highest floor on Kyoto Station. We can see Kyoto Tower at a distance!

Time to eat dinner haha! Getting ready for some messy ramen!

After dinner: Oh look the stairs are different again!

And then we found this magical place!!

And that was the end of my Kyoto trip. My flight was in a few days, so I had to leave Kyoto the next morning (alone! while my friends went on to Osaka and Nara.. so jealous!) So in the morning, I woke up very early and hopped on the Shinkansen back to Tokyo!

Goodbye Kyoto!!