View from Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Back in Kyoto after the Osaka Tenjin Matsuri, we planned to spend the day checking out Arashiyama, a mountain area famous for its bamboo forest.
Being Friday, we woke at a liesurely 9 a.m. or a bit after, so we could get down to breakfast before it ends at 10. Actually, the day of the week didn’t matter; we pushed it almost every day. Since we only had rented the room for two, Patton decided to go to the gym this morning and let Chakib use his spot at the free breakfast. Chakib likes to start the day with a big meal anyway, so it worked best.
I liked these mini donuts displayed vertically on pins at the breakfast buffet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station. Sadly, I was trying to eat healthily, so I did not take a bunch of them to save for later!
I think this might have been one of two plates I took, but it at least illustrates my restraint in trying to eat healthy meals for the most part!
Breakfast buffet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station.
Then we three headed out to Kyoto Station down the street from the hotel and took a train to Saga-Arashiyama Station about 30 minutes away. Chakib continued his live streaming on Twitch, which for the first part of this trip now exists on YouTube. We spent a bit of time figuring out video settings on the iPhone and camera settings on Android, Patton practiced his TikTok dancing to Mamushi by Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba, and then we were on our way.
Chakib was setting up his Twitch livestream before we started walking from Saga-Arashiyama Station to the Togetsu-kyo Bridge.
We walked past some shops and bought spices at a place I think was called Spicy Chili.
I loved how funny this small van looked taking up the whole cute bridge to their house. Walking from Saga-Arashiyama Station to the Togetsu-kyo Bridge.
I hadn't spent much time thinking about demonstration fake food outside restaurants since I left Japan, but this is a prime example, complete with hovering chopsticks! Walking from Saga-Arashiyama Station to the Togetsu-kyo Bridge.
I saw something on Google Maps along our route called the Kimono Forest. We walked toward it, and it ended up being inside a train station called Randen Arashiyama. You didn’t need to pay the fare to get in, though, and part of it was outside the station entirely. The “forest” was comprised of vertical tubes with kimono fabrics inside, mostly of a dark red and purple and pink color scheme. It was pretty interesting, and I wondered if they lit it up at night at all.
We checked out an art installation in a park called the Kimono Forest next to Randen Arashiyama Station (A13). I found it on Google Maps randomly nearby.
The kimono tubes were not just in the separate park but all around the station and the train tracks as well at Randen Arashiyama Station in Kyoto.
Many of the kimonos had skeletons featured in the art. I think these were depictions of Gashadokuro, which according to Wikipedia is “a spirit that takes the form of a giant skeleton made of the skulls of people who died in the battlefield or of starvation/famine” and Chakib says is very common in Japanese culture.
This might be an example of the rattling skeleton, gashadokuro, common in Japanese culture. This was at an art installation in a park called the Kimono Forest next to Randen Arashiyama Station.
Next we got to and walked across the Togetsu-kyo Bridge. I forget if we were trying to get to a monkey park or if we were just exploring.
We walked the 155 meter Togetsu-kyo Bridge across the Katsura River toward Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama.
Detail of the Togetsu-kyo Bridge in Kyoto.
Patton spotted this weird looking cool turtle across the river as we walked across the Togetsu-kyo Bridge toward Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama.
Next spotted this fashionable couple as we walked across the Togetsu-kyo Bridge toward Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama.
You don't see much graffiti or stickers on public infrastructure in Japan, so I found this hodgepodge a bit fascinating. Near the Togetsu-kyo Bridge in Kyoto.
We took a path along the south side of the Katsura River west and then up a hill to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, which has a lookout deck and a nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto. It’s a Zen temple was founded in 1614 as a memorial to workers who died in river control projects.
There were plenty of interesting boats on the Katsura River in Kyoto.
This was the first gate we entered from the river walk level before ascending the hillside. Conveniently and amazingly, there were waste bins, and some more cute signage featuring scary animals.
We walked across the Togetsu-kyo Bridge and took a path along the south side of the Katsura River west and then up a hill to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, which has a lookout deck and a nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto.
I love all these illustrated signs with animals. This is on the way up to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple on Arashiyama in Kyoto.
I saw quite a few types of insects and bugs and other things along the way.
I saw a number of these dead or dying worms being attacked by ants along the Katsura River. It made me a bit sad, and was crazy to watch.
The retaining walls here were varied and interesting, and looked quite nice! I liked the mixture of materials, from stone to steel to wood.
We walked across the Togetsu-kyo Bridge and took a path along the south side of the Katsura River west and then up a hill to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, which has a lookout deck and a nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto.
The river was quiet and quite beautiful. There was a no swimming sign closer to the bridge, though, which was disappointing as it was a very hot day and I would have been tempted to go in the water. We did later see a few tourists in the water.
We walked across the Togetsu-kyo Bridge and took a path along the south side of the Katsura River west and then up a hill to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, which has a lookout deck and a nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto.
They had this neat little mechanical barge thing to carry sand bags up the hillside. I guess they are working on some water management.
Very nice welcoming signs on the way up to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple.
The stairs up to the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple. It looks steep but it was not bad, and very peaceful!
Chakib and Patton rung the bell on the way up. I waiting until we descended.
There was a sign that each person could ring the bell three times for free. Unclear if you were supposed to pay to ring it more, but I think the point was that three times was the proper amount and you don't have to pay. Anyway, we all gave it a try. I think my rings had the best resonance if I do say so myself.
One of the worshipping spots at the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple. The boxes with the angled slats are for throwing coins into when you make an offering or wish.
The nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto at the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, up on Arashi Mountain.
So, the view was nice. I think it was depicted to be a little more more amazing on that “GREAT VIEW” sign, but I’m not going to complain. :-) It was very peaceful, and I’m glad we happened upon this small temple.
View from the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, which has a lookout deck and a nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto.
View from the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, which has a lookout deck and a nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto.
The nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto at the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, up on Arashi Mountain.
They really seemed to like abacus beads around here. The Daihikaku Senkōji Temple had bracelets for sale made of them, as well as this model of something, maybe this temple?
The nice sitting room with books of photos of historic Kyoto at the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, up on Arashi Mountain. There was also a guest book, in which Chakib and Patton wrote some messages.
They really seemed to like abacuses and their beads at the Daihikaku Senkōji Temple.
Walking along the trail on the south side of the Katsura River was kind of funny because there was a fairly frequent stream of small vehicles going up the path, which would require pedestrians to flatten themselves against the wall or lean into the water due to the path being so narrow. Thankfully, the cars were also pretty small.
I loved this tiny pickup truck with an absurdly small cargo area due to the second row of seating.
We worked our way back across the bridge and then developed a sweet tooth, so we stopped for matcha and strawberry shaved ice at a place called 嵐山omokageテラス that was attached to some kind of art museum. The prices were quite cheap, and there was no one else there, and they kept it quite cold inside.
Got macha and strawberry shaved ice at 嵐山omokageテラス on the north side of the Katsura River near the bridge.
Then we walked toward the “bamboo forest”, finding a few things along the way.
We happened upon a bunch of stone carvings called Arashiyama Arhat.
We happened upon a bunch of stone carvings called Arashiyama Arhat.
We happened upon a bunch of stone carvings called Arashiyama Arhat.
We arrived at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji at 16:45, and were told it closes in 15 minutes. We paid the admission and rushed around taking photos of the buildings and garden. I wish we could have spent more time there. It was on the way to the bamboo forest, though.
We arrived at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji at 16:45, and were told it closes in 15 minutes. We paid the admission and rushed around taking photos of the buildings and garden. I wish we could have spent more time there. It was on the way to the bamboo forest, though.
We arrived at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji at 16:45, and were told it closes in 15 minutes. We paid the admission and rushed around taking photos of the buildings and garden. I wish we could have spent more time there. It was on the way to the bamboo forest, though.
Meticulously manicured gravel garden at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji in Kyoto.
View across the water at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji's gardens.
I took quite a few photos of stones trapped in drainage gates in Japan. I don't know why but they always looked so nice! This is at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji.
Chakib exploring the gardens at the Buddhist temple Tenryu-ji in Kyoto.
Then we finally got to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. We took some photos and chilled on the ground for some time, as it was peaceful despite the stream of tourists, and relatively cool. We did have some issues with mosquitoes, but it wasn’t too bad.
Obligatory selfies at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Kyoto
I probably should have focused on taking a few more photos of myself at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto. This angle shows the lone non-bamboo tree in the area! It looks rather out of place in retrospect!
Then we walked from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station again via a different route than we took before. We went through some small neighborhood back streets, and along a beautiful and huge pond of lotuses in bloom.
Lotus field seen while walking from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto.
More drainage gates, this one not as clean looking but littered with the very leaves that are illustrated in its design. As seen walking from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto.
There were plenty of cicada nymph shells, walking from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto.
Walking from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto. I had to manually focus this one as focusing on the mirror itself was only half the distance to the subjects!
This oddly out of place fourth seat made me wonder if it was a replacement for a matching seat, or if there was a purpose to the different design. Everything in Japan seems so intentional most of the time. As seen walking from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto.
They are ready for a serious amount of storm water here. Walking from the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest to Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto.
Chakib had to get help a couple of times with his virtual Suica card on his new-for-testing iPhone. This is at Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto, and I think it was after his card got deleted from his Apple wallet, and we weren't sure how to properly add a new one without screwing it up again.
Once back at Kyoto Station, we went to the hotel. Chakib told us to stop first at this very strange hotel, which featured no live staff but instead animatronic dinosaurs in the lobby. I think it was the Henna Hotel Kyoto Hachijoguchi Ekimae, but I am not certain now.
Very strange animatronic dinosaurs in the lobby of the Henn na Hotel Kyoto Hachijoguchi Ekimae.
For dinner, Patton and I tied Greg’s suggestion from the other day a gyukatsu place called Kyoto Katsugyu. Gyukatsu is like a medium rare version of tonkatsu, a breaded steak.
Trying Greg's suggestion, Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu. It was pretty delicious!
While we were in line, I took the opportunity to brush up a bit on my Japanese food ordering vocabulary. Thus far I ignored the particles and counters, but wanted to try a bit harder. I was able to successfully place the order in Japanese without the host reverting to English to confirm anything, so that was cool. Patton didn’t notice though because he was on his phone. Alas, I’m not trying to impress anyone, not even myself. :sweat_smile:
Trying Greg's suggestion, Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu. We did have to wait about 30 minutes in line, but it was well worth it.
The food was pretty delicious! I will have to check my receipt if I can find it, but I think we ended up ordering one sirloin gyukatsu zen and one chuck or possibly wagyu. We got one “expensive” one and one “cheaper” one and shared. I remember I liked the cheaper one better.
Trying Greg's suggestion, Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu. It was pretty delicious! Now back to being a vegetarian, soon...
Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu.
Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu.
The next day we explored three areas around Kyoto: Nara, Uji and the Fushimi Inari Taisha.
Entries in this series
- Japan reunions, hedgehogs, my first capsule hotel (July 22-24)
- Kyoto: Gion festival and a hillside run (July 24-25)
- Exploring Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka (July 25)
- View from Daihikaku Senkōji Temple, and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (July 26)
- Deers of Nara, then Uji and Fushimi Inari (July 27)
- A walk from Kyoto to Lake Biwa (July 28)
- Touring Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building, Osaka gay bars (July 29)
- Running around Osaka, Kobe, leaving Japan (July 30-31)
- Another delightful but very short Japan excursion (August 14)
