History Embraced in a Vibrant City

Japan's Treasure - Kyoto

Day 10

When friends come back from foreign lands I always want to see their photos and hear about the trip.

Sometimes I regret it. After the fifteenth picture of "oh looks like another picture of my finger in front of the lens" or "I don't really remember what this shot is, but I liked it", I want to run screaming from the room.

So, at great risk of boring you all to death, I am posting a lot of photos today. I think I have two great reasons: Kyoto is worth it, and, as I've reminded everyone before, it's my blog.

This is the perfect city for a first time visitor to Japan. It is bi-lingual enough to enable anyone to get around easily. Its streets are reasonably straight and in many ways it is very modern. It has subways, lots of higher education, and a sophisticated tourist infrastructure. Yet, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with an amazing temple or shrine seemingly on every other block.

Kyoto is a city that is beautiful by day and plays hard at night. When you are busy looking at one interesting thing, a cab full of geisha goes zipping by so fast you can't get a photo.

Kyoto was spared allied bombing in WWII and its treasures are intact. It is where the Japanese send their children to learn about their history, much like we send our kids to Washington DC. I could not figure the best way to present Kyoto, so I decided to just do it in the same chronological order as we explored it. And our visit merely scratched the surface of Kyoto's treasures.

We arrived into Kyoto's stunning new railway station. It was built after a design competition where many of the entries tried to balance the history Kyoto with the modern needs of rail travel. The winner was an architectural professor from Tokyo who came in with a design that was unabashedly modern. While it fails to reflect the essence of such a history rich city, it is, nonetheless, a stunning gateway to Kyoto, and it works.

After a lot of research I had re-booked us into the Hotel Granvia (which is actually in the new train station). I am so glad I did. It freed us from having to hail a cab from the train station to the hotel. Its staff is friendly and totally bilingual, the rooms are spacious, modern, and lovely. And the location is perfect for initiating visits anywhere in Kyoto.

The Great Hall of Kyoto's Train Station

To the right of the great hall are the tracks of the Shinkannsen and all local (JR and Kintetsu) rail lines. Below it are two levels of shopping malls. To the left are all the local city buses and one of the two Kyoto subway lines. Above it, on one side, (believe it or not) is a huge rooftop outdoor amphitheater.

After marveling at the train station we walked about three blocks to the Higashi Honganji Temple complex. The main temple is Kyoto's largest wooden building. The complex has two main temples and a series of ceremonial gates and related service structures. The original temples were built in 1591. They have experienced repeated destruction (fires) over time and were rebuilt to their current condition in 1859.

The main temple is presently undergoing a painstaking renovation and seismic upgrade. The renovations to the smaller of the two temples were completed in 2008. This temple is more than a historical edifice, it is home to one of the largest and most active Buddhist congregations in Japan.

I was glad to be able to see the restoration process. Watching the technical sophistication of the construction work was wonderful. They still have the main temple covered in a temporary enclosure (which itself is one of the largest buildings in Kyoto). There are three cranes to move the incredibly heavy roof tiles and load the roof. Inside they have built a series of internal structures to raise and underpin the existing structure to allow them to literally weave in a new steel seismic structure.

The Smaller of the Two Temples Is Huge

(Yet it is Dwarfed by the Main Temple)

The Temporary Protective Construction Structure

Since the original temples are built of a series of shims and wedges (which is why they tend to perform so well in earthquakes), they have to be carefully underpinned to allow for renovation.

The model built to illustrate the restoration was itself a masterpiece.

The Model Shows the Internal Underpinning Towers

Massive New Steel I-Beams Will Cross Under the Roof and Brace the Width of the Temple

After the new steel is in place the underpinning towers will be incrementally lowered (literally a shim at a time) and then eventually removed.

The photo below shows the incredible detail that is being taken in the applications of gold leaf, hardware, and roof tiles.

The Restored Temple is Emerging into View

The next stop was a return after twenty-five years to Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo). The castle was built from 1603 to 1623 to serve as the Kyoto home to the Tokugawa Shoguns. It is foremost a defensive, albeit lavish, structure. The grounds are surrounded by a moat and tall protective stone walls.

Integral to the whole site are its elaborate grounds. Much like the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (or most castle design in Europe), the entire perimeter of Nijo-jo was surrounded by a moat.

The Steep Stone Walls Surrounded by the Moat

The construction of the walls themselves was a thing of incredible beauty. Each major stone was somehow placed using a series of smaller stones for infill.

Detail of the Protective Stone Walls

The interior of the castle was adorned with incredible paintings which (remarkably) survived from the 17th century intact. Many have been removed for preservation and have been replaced by exact replicas.

What I love the most about Nijo-jo is it's "Nightingale" floors. All of the interior rooms are surrounded by wide wooden hallways. The wide cypress plank floors in the hallways have a slight amount of give. The floors are fastened using little metal rods that slide down gently when pressure is applied from a footstep. They scratch a concealed metal plate below the floor creating a chirping sound. Hence, at night it was impossible to sneak up on the Shogun.

Alas No Photography is Allowed inside the Castle

Rich Carvings Adorn the Entrances

I could have spent an entire day just admiring the grounds of the castle. The landscaping is beautifully composed and wonderfully maintained. Every turn brings a different vista.

Tranquil and Perfectly Composed Gardens

A New Vista at Every Turn

The Gardens Form a Complete Inner World

Visitors May Climb One Outer Wall

In 1867 the fifteenth shogun returned the castle and grounds to the Emperor. It was donated to the City of Kyoto on 1939.

After visiting Nijo we made the best of our all day bus pass and circled 1/2 of Kyoto getting off in the Gion. This is Kyoto's main historic shopping area. Its historic area showcases the work of Kyoto's famous artisans. Interspersed are restaurants and theaters. The chic Hankyu and Takashimaya department stores are located here as well.

The Edge of the Gion

Little (Edible) Fish Cookies Displayed in a Traditional Japanese Confectionary

(They Faked us Out With Icky Bean Paste all the TIme)

At night Kyoto's character changes completely. Aside from the Kabuki theater all of the businesses on the main street of the Gion close and the action is found in every 8' wide alley. There is a seemingly endless number of tame (or not so tame) nightclubs. Businessmen with an unlimited expense account can schedule an evening with a traditional geisha here.

A Theater in the Gion

Back near the train station the action moves to the Pachinko Parlors and more conventional nightclubs and restaurants. One of the things I had on my list was to go play Pachinko, but then I went into a few of the parlors. They are not merely loud, they are earsplitting, nuclear, mega, knock-you-on-your-butt loud. With generous cigarette smoke thrown in for good measure. Guess I'm just too much of a wimp these days.

At Night the Pachinko Parlors Fill Up

And with that we called it a day (and night). When we got back to our hotel room we found it perfectly framing Kyoto Tower. Kind of like the clunky Tokyo Tower, it is oddly proportioned, but beautifully illuminated at night.

Our View from the Granvia

Well, thanks for bearing with a really long post.

My next post will be about Nara. Nara is about an hour from Kyoto and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to yet more amazing temples and pagodas.

But it has something else. It has about 1200 tame deer that live in its main park. I wanted to see that.

Alas our time in Japan will soon come to a close. Even before we leave I already miss it.

Roadboy's Travels © 2009

A Trip to Kamakura

Away from The Bustle

Day 8

After so many days in a big big big City, it takes its toll. It seemed like a good day to make a trip to a small seaside village. The Village of Kamakura is a favorite day trip for people from Tokyo and Yokohama. They can go the the beach, hike Kamakura's mountain trails, or visit the various shrines (including its Great Buddha).

It is easy to get there just an hour by rail. It is just like riding anywhere else by subway, only longer.

Along the way it is easy to see the industrial impact Tokyo and Yokohama have had on their adjoining suburbs. Along the way there is really no place where dense urbanization stops. It is just one housing block, school, and/or industrial plant after another. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions, but It also seems like the industrial plants along the way are showing the first signs of post industrial decay. Signage was old, paint was peeling, staff parking lots were half full. It looks a lot like the US factory towns looked after our industrial jobs started to leave in the 70's and 80's to go (ironically) to Japan. Now the Japanese are clearly feeling the pinch of increasingly skilled, low cost labor in Korea, China, India, and Viet Nam.

OK back to my blog post....When we come to Kamakura and as you exit the train, time slips back thirty or forty years. The storefronts have an unmistakable feel that everything here is (kind of pleasantly) frozen in time.

We start our walk in the direction of the Great Buddha.

Along the way we came across this first sculpture. I'm not at all sure what the six figures symbolize, but I could not resist a photo. If anyone knows its symbolism please let me know.

Ready for Bar-B-Que?

As we walked further we heard the Beach Boys singing in one little shop. In the next Hawaiian crafts were showcased. Everywhere we went we found the strong link between Japan and Hawaii.

Further along we encountered this neat pot filled with water flowers. Mary pointed out to me it was also home to little tiny goldfish. Very neat idea.

Must Not be any Cats in This Neighborhood

Finally, a bit hot and pretty sweaty, we arrive at the Great Buddha sculpture / shrine. It is one of the two best examples of this type of Buddha in Japan. The Buddha has been here since the 1600's. It is cast bronze (go figure how they did that back then). It was made in layers over a ten year period and was orginally intended to be indoors but typhoons have twice destroyed its home.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

While exploring the Buddha we found a little door on the side were anyone (not prone to claustrophobia) could enter and see it from the inside out. Mr. B and Miss M went inside and pronounced "not too bad".

There Was a Great Souvenir Shop Just Outside the Gates

(Mr. B in his new Rice Paddy Hat)

Walking back to the train station we passed a lot of small gardens with flowers in bloom and little florists with displays to die for.

Flowers Blooming Along the Way

A simple, but very enjoyable day.

Day 9 was spent on the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto so no post. Day 10 's post will be from history rich Kyoto!

Roadboy's Travels © 2009

The Best of Both Worlds

Yoyogi Park and Harajuku

Day 7

OK today has to be my favorite post so far. It chronicles all the delightful schizophrenia that makes up modern Tokyo. First off, anybody that knows Tokyo will confide that the best place to be on a sunny summer Sunday is Yoyogi Park (in the heart of Tokyo's hip, young, Harajuku district).

That struck a chord because when we visited Japan twenty five years ago we found the antics at Yoyogi Park on a Sunday to be total culture shock. Here, in this great and beautiful park was this bizarre phenomenon of a whole bunch of Japanese greasers doing Elvis impersonations with legions of girls in poodle skirts dancing to the vibe. It was almost a competitive thing.

Well, almost three decades later, I wondered: "are the Elvis boys still there?"

The answer, of course, follows below.

Herewith Team Roadboy's 2009 Sunday trip to Harajuku and Yoyogi Park.

To get to Yoyogi one takes the subway to Harajuku Station - which is sort of an Olde English Tudor Meets German Teutonic thing. You know next to a park (even a Japanese park), the aesthetic kind of says "park". So I'm good with that.

The Harajuku Subway Station

Then we venture into the park and through the largest Torii gate in Japan. The pillars are cut from a single Japanese Cypress (Hinoki) tree.

The Torii Gates into Yoyogi Park

Once into the park you immediately realize the place is a masterpiece of landscaping. The layer upon layer of trees and shrubs conceal and muffle the loud din of the pulsing city that surrounds them. It occurred to me as I walked here how essential landscape is to our lives. Architecture is supposed to bring order, but over time it frequently just results in layers of chaos. Conversely, the layers of landscape, over time, change and bring peace.

One Feels Immediately Transported to a Quieter Place

The park has been many things over the years. It was the site of the first successful powered aircraft flight in Japan in December of 1910. Ten years later in 1920 part of Yoyogi was set aside to build a shrine to Emperor Meiji who had loved it. The shrine is now home to a temple that hosts numerous weddings. In fact, in the short time we were in the shrine three very elaborate weddings took place.

The physical Meiji Shrine we see today was actually a replica rebuilt in 1958 to replace the original destroyed in WWII. The park was also a major venue for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Scouts are Everywhere in Tokyo

A Wedding Procession Enters the Shrine

I was so pleased to see weddings here. It is a perfect site for it. The first one began with a wedding procession entering the shrine forecourt from one of the side gates. Shinto weddings in Japan are elaborate and frequently cost $65,000 or more (which partially explains why so many modern Japanese opt for a western style wedding in Hawaii).

The Wedding Kimono's and Timeless Formality of a Shinto Wedding

The Procession

Another Couple Poses for Formal Photos

After watching the weddings we ran back into a knot of kids visiting the temple. They were having a first class field trip.

The Scouts Write and Post Prayers

The Posted Prayers

We finally made our way out of all that sublime peace and serenity back to the entry gates where Mary and Mr. B made a startling discovery. They found the one and only public trash can in Tokyo!

Yes, once you leave a restaurant or a subway station you can pretty much give up one finding one of these little gems. The philosophy in Tokyo seems to be the same as the national parks. "you pack it in - you pack it out". And reiterating my earlier post, despite the lack of trash cans, there is almost no litter in Tokyo.

Tokyo's One and ONLY Trash Can!

Moving to the edge of the park you can't miss Kenzo Tange's tour de force 1964 Tokyo Olympic stadium. It is still in continuous use and looks as cutting edge as ever. 

Tokyo's Olympic Stadium

And now the answer to my question do the Elvis Boys still groove in the park? Damn skippy they do! They are now a lot older (talk about it) and they now have to grind just outside the park (they got kicked out in the 90's), but they still pour themselves into leather pants, blow the hair skyward, and dance at Yoyogi.

Yes - The Elvis Boys Still Groove in Yoyogi

Of course Yoyogi's proximity to Harajuku means there is a whole lot of spillover of all the youthful energy found next door. Everything from the proliferation of "Schoolgirls" to the guy giving out free hugs.

Schoolgirls Straight From Manga

When Miss M told Mr. B that on her previous two trips there was always a guy on the bridge to Yoyogi offering "Free Hugs - All You Need", he balked. When he saw Mr. Free Hugs however, he decided he needed a hug.

Mr. B Gets A Big Hug from Mr Hugs

With Seeming Chaos All Around Maybe Mr. Hugs is on to Something?

Now This Guy, I Haven't Got a Clue!

Note Mr. Hugs Waiting for a New "Huggee" in the Background

It was time for dinner so we ventured into Harajuku and got immersed in the crowd for awhile. We had a beef bowl at a counter cafe and then made our way back to the station.

The Crowds at Harajuku's Shopping District

Waiting for the Train

A Crowded Ride Back to the Conrad

From garden's to weddings, to free hugs and trash cans; the memories we each made today will become wistful treasures that last forever.

I am running a day behind on posts, Monday (it is a day ahead here in Japan) we visited the lovely seaside town of Kamakura (home of one of Japan's two great Buddha's). Tuesday skimmed at about 200 mph aboard a Nozomi (Japan's newest and fastest Shinkansen or bullet) train to arguably its most historic city Kyoto. Sadly, this underscores that our time in Japan is starting to draw to a close.

Roadboy's Travels © 2009

Sometimes Older is Better

Asakusa - A Place of Temples, Rickshaws, and Strolling Families

Day 6

When you get off the subway in Asakusa you see lots and lots of people. But, unlike other parts of this huge chaotic city, they aren't running they are strolling. They have their families in tow. They are stopping to take cell phone photos of each other. They are stopping in crafts shops to examine and buy things. They stop for lunch. They are just enjoying being together. Hence, I deem this a great place.

This is the home of the Senso-ji Temple (Tokyo's most sacred and spectacular temple). It is also home to a huge crafts market and too many restaurants and theaters to name.

The Hozo-Mon Gate

The Entrance to the Temple Forecourt

After crossing through the gate there is an area to buy your fortune, acquire a special charm and then purify yourself. The process to buy a fortune is pretty cool. First, you shake a big steel tube until a long stick pops out. The stick has a code that keys to the huge series of drawers on the wall behind the steel tubes. You match your stick with the drawer and take out a fortune. If the fortune is good you keep it.

If the fortune is bad you tie it to a rack nearby to prevent the bad fortune from following you.

I left my fortune tied to the rack.

The purification process involves going to the water fountain and washing your hands. After the water you light incense and place it in a large burner directly in front of the temple. People then stand next to the incense burner and breath in the smoke. They also fan the incense smoke over themselves.

Washing Hands

Purification With Incense

Mr. B an Miss M at the Shrine

After purification the visitor moves into the temple. At this point they throw a coin offering toward the alter area. They then step up, face the alter, clap twice, fold their hands, bow, and pray.

After visiting the temple they might buy a charm (I bought one for safe travel and another for a friend to get well, Mr. B and Mary bought one for highway safety, Miss M for success).

We then went back through the gates and explored the crafts in the main crafts stalls and along the side streets.

Along the way there are numerous specialty bakers, candy venders, and ice cream merchants. The perfect place for a summer day.

The Busy Craft Stalls

A Pancake Maker

A Small Piece of Sweet Bean Paste is Cooked in the Middle of the Pancake Iron

The Finished Product has a Lovely Shape and Smell

(Bean Paste must be an Acquired Taste)

Venturing Into Quieter Side Streets

Rickshaws Still Run Through Asakusa

So Much to Choose From

Miss M likes the Studio Ghibli Store

We closed out the day with lunch at the Geeva Bread Company which was tasty. We all loved the specialty bread sandwiches filled with egg, salmon, tonkatsu, or even noodles. From there we had ice cream (Mr. "B" opted for black sesame and pronounced it as awful, Miss "M" had mango and loved it). Mary and I had popsicles instead.

Last stop was to the candy venders. M has a thing about the sugar candy. It is beautifully presented. A lot of it is kind of like our rock candy with a hint of fruit flavors. They can look like little pastels or even sushi.

Candy Comes in Colorful Little Pastilles

Or Even Looking Like Sushi!

We really enjoyed our day in Asakusa. While filled with a whole bunch of people just being together and just being themselves.

Tomorrow we move on to a Sunday in Harajuku and a visit to Yoyogi Park!

Roadboy's Travels © 2009

Ueno Park, Electric City, and Ginza!

Glitz, Lights, Noise, and Little Maids

Days 4-5

After the Fish Market on Day 4 we rounded out the day with a trip to Ueno Park. This is a huge park with the National Museum and an Edo era temple. It was surprising to get off a train in busy Northern Tokyo and, after climbing just a few steps, find ourselves in a tranquil park. The jarring juxtaposition between "Zing" to calm was welcome.

It was also nice to see Tokyo in bloom. While most Japanese identify June as Tokyo's worst month of the year (rainy, hot and muggy - a perfect trifecta!), it is also when the hydrangeas and irises bloom. I should also say that (to be fair), the temps (at least while we have been here) have remained in the 76-80° range and the humidity has been very tolerable. Then again, maybe it just feels that way because we just came from Savannah a couple of weeks ago.....

The Beautiful Hydrangeas

A Street Performer Charming a Little Girl in The Park

Our hotel is located on the edge of the Ginza, so we have been spending a lot of time in and around it. Historically Ginza has been Tokyo's most fashionable old line shopping district. Every major design house in the world has a boutique on the Chuo Dori. Ginza also has lovely restaurants and branches of most of the City's department stores.

Of course, we eventually made our way to Itoya. In my opinion this store ranks as the best stationary store in the world. It has fountain pens ranging in price up to a little over $185,000 (wrap up two). It has beautiful Japanese handmade paper. It has fine Italian leather work, all kinds of calligraphy tools, and even some pens and pencils for us common folk. 8 stories filled to the brim. Two good hours here. Drool.

The Food Courts in the Basement of the Department Stores

Endless and Amazing

Home to Every Cuisine, Culture, and Species

On the edge of Ginza and near (soon to be restored) Tokyo Station, is the Imperial Palace and gardens, the Nihombashi office towers, Japan's major government buildings / consulates, and the tour-de-force Tokyo International Forum.

Amazingly, despite extensive meandering about in Tokyo's financial district, so far we have seen only one US bank (Citibank). After much searching we have still only found three ATM's that actually work with US ATM cards! This in a city that still does NOT take credit cards for much of anything. We also found out (the hard way) that American Express has closed its Tokyo office (whoa - no AE in the world's twelfth largest city?)

When we needed cash we found that we had to go get it at Banco Itau SA - a Brazilian bank! The world is changing.

Rafael Vinoly's Tokyo International Forum Building

A Showcase for Tokyo's Exhibits, Culture, and Attractions

The Skyline of Akihabara

So now we move on to Day 5, a day devoted to bookstores and Akihabara (sometimes referred to as "Electric City").

For me it was a shock to see the changes in Akihabara since our last visit. When we were here before it was a dazzling district filled with electronics shops showcasing the latest in cutting edge technology.

Today, there are still a lot of brightly lit electronics shops, but the atmosphere seems to be more like a cheap flea market than anything approaching cutting-edge high tech. I'd stack up any Fry's Electronics store in the US to anything found in Akihabara for variety and cost. Maybe I've become jaded, but the array of electronics on display here all seemed kinda ho-hum (although the cell phones with real time TV for salarymen to watch on their hour long rail commutes in and out of Tokyo did seem kinda cool).

In fact, in a time when we feel kind of like America is losing its grip in the world of technology, the demanding Japanese were overwhelmingly wearing I-pod headsets and the classiest stores (by far) in Akihabara were the Apple store and the Bose store!

For the most part, what Akihabara is now is all about noise. Noisy Pachinko parlors, noisy manga shops, and noisy kids dressed in whatever they can get away with. It is also home to costume stores to help young women dress as risque schoolgirls or maids. I mean stores with 7 full, escalator filled, floors of this stuff.

And the girls are wearing the maid outfits on every street corner passing out leaflets or working in "Maid Cafes" (who knows what thats all about?) serving coffee and cake at long counters. Guess Roadboy is gettin old as this will certainly be my last trip to Akihabara. It is now more of a noisy carnival / freak show than a world class showcase of future technology.

Manga, Games, and Noisy, Smoky Pachinko Parlors Now Rule Akihabara

Manga Culture is Everywhere

Schoolgirl & Maids on Every Corner

Tomorrow's post will look at lovely Asakusa. This is the district that best retains the feel of old Tokyo. After a day in Akihabara, Asakusa was a welcome relief!

Roadboy's Travels © 2009