Kyoto Diaries ..2

A orange tunnel that winds itself on the mountain path... Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社)

We woke up to another cold and chilly morning at Kyoto. As we were leaving for Tokyo by Shinkansen at 1735 hours, we decided to start early before breakfast for a hike up Fushimi Inari.  The chill breeze of the morning air hit us as we stepped out of the warmth of our hotel.

The brisk walk to the metro line was invigorating as the limbs eased themselves. Taking the Keihan line metro southwards,  we reached our station of Fushimi Inari - a pretty station on ground level with just 2 platforms and the lively air of festive place with people and shops already thronging the morning hours.












The shrine gates with its distinct vermillion hue was just a few meters from the station with helpful hands pointing the way (quicker than the google map, we discovered!) The main Shinto shrine that greets you is a typical red and gold colored shrine - it is meant to commemorate the God of Rice. The temple itself has ancient origins predating the move to capital Kyoto in 794 A.D. The main attraction is the pathway that leads to the top of the Inari hill. The pathway starts behind the shrine.  The path is strewn with statues of foxes. The foxes hold symbolic objects in their mouth.

Thousands of red Tori gates make an archway to lead to the top of the hill. Each Tori gate is donated by Japanese business men to bring them luck.The tunnels or the pathways themselves were naturally winding and offered many blind corners around which it was difficult to find an empty space for clear pictures. There are many small shrines along the way with each one having its own unique belief, charm and a story. The tunnel with its vermillion pillars engraved in vertical script was a perfect place for pictures especially in the filtered light of the morning rays.

Around the end of each of these pathways, there were maps to show our current location and the duration of the entire climb. We chose not to ascend the full distance as we had another long visit to Arashiyama before returning to board the bullet train. On the descent, we chose a different path.It was quiet and one could see houses on either side of the path. Almost all the houses had a small garden with colorful flowers. Iris and petunias of yellow and purple opening up to the morning light was a delight to see with tended gardens and modern fittings to what seemed ancient houses were indeed a pretty picture. Helping ourselves to local morning snack of fried yam sprinkled with salt, we trudged towards the station.

Fried Yam.. local delicacy

The next stop was the Bamboo Grove - Arashiyama - we decided to check out leaving the luggage at the reception and take the advice of Google maps to reach the destination.
Arashiyama could be reached by metro within 45 minutes with a change of trains. We walked to the Kawarimachi station and took the Hankyu-Kyoto line changing at Katsura to the local Arashiyama line. The second line was more leisurely affording beautiful views of the surrounding valley, as it stopped at every station. As the train pulled into the station, the platforms lined with cherry blossoms highlighting the background landscape of mountains was incredibly beautiful. Almost everyone alighting from the train stopped to click the pictures.

We walked out of the station and were engulfed in what one can only call a tourist trap. While the solemn flowering trees with the backdrop of verdant mountains, a flowing river and blue skies peppered with cotton cumulus were indeed a sight breathtaking.

The sheer number of people crossing over the park to the Togetsu-Kyu bridge to cheerful stalls with tasteful eateries and sophisticated souvenirs reminded one of any European destination.  The benches by the river were so inviting. We stopped and sat by the benches enjoying the vibrant scenery around us. 

The side roads and avenues around the stations were lined with trees of Cherry Blossoms. It was difficult to ignore the photo shoot opportunities that nature provided us. 

Walking along the bridge we spotted rickshaws carrying newly wedded couples and tourists. It was time for another of those flavored Maccha soft ice creams. 

 Across the road we spotted the Tenryuji temple with its history and inviting gardens. We walked around the outside gardens. It is said to have one of the outstanding gardens of the area.

Just past the temple, we came across a railway crossing, reminding one of a perfect Mani Ratnam shot and having positioned for a picture, we experienced a photo bomb as the bell rang to warn of an oncoming train and folks rushed to cross over! 

Backtracking our way to the bamboo grove, we found the discreet entrance and were dwarfed by the tall bamboo stalks. The pathway of 500 meters or so was lined with people and yet the whoosh of the trees seemed to bring about a discipline that people maintained a hushed silence barring the odd cry of a happy child. The bamboo stalks were bending with the wind seemingly peering down at us in wonder and amusement and whispering to each other at the sight of the homo sapiens community.

 It seemed that they were indeed talking in a language that we are yet to unravel, but they conveyed a delightful nicety shorn of anything except mild curiosity and a social nod of recognition at bountiful nature on Planet Earth. An unseen voice whispered "Om! Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi hi!" and we found almost an equivalent English translation! 

 The graceful bamboo pillars stretching up to the sky was a sight to behold.

It was a cloudy day hence we did not have much sunlight streaming through. We managed to find a quiet spot and click a selfie. But no picture could capture the magical feel of being amidst the tall trees that stretch endlessly into the sky.

  Soaking in the beauty of the Ariyashama surrounding area we made our way back to the station and returned to Kyoto.