The Scottish Samurai

Thursday, 8 October 2015

Dondering around Kyoto

Hello All

How are we all doing today, in my mind you all said everything is great, so yay. Anyway today my plan was really just to do some more temple stomping, i had a grand plan of where i wanted to go and how long it would take me, but in the end i just kinda wondered around seeing cool places i never meant to but that's not such a bad thing. A lot of the temples i seen today were not the same ones i did 6 years ago and others were the same but it's still nice to see them again.

I started off my long walking day at 9 when i decided to go to a line of temples along a walk called the philosophers path, but the plan was to take a long route around to get there, then after all that was to head across town to the Golden pavilion, long story short the golden pavilion never happened. but the rest did which was just a really nice time

so the walk took me through the park just north of my Ryokan where the posing crane always is... to be honest i really did wander from where i never used my map the whole day till i wanted to get back i'm kinda surprised i found anything. i must of seen around 10-15 temples today.

On my way back i headed through a nice wee garden in which i met a man from Englandshire somewhere, Nottingham i think, and we sat and talked for around 40 minutes while looking around the garden and sitting. was good to talk finally to a native English speaker. but that has pretty much been my day not anything special.. Apart i'm in freekin JAPAN

Sorry for 2 selfies bad damn this door is small

this wee dude wanted to just follow me everywhere

Wednesday, 7 October 2015

Kyoto A Go Go

Good Day Everyone

Well everyone i finally made it to Kyoto, to my Kyoto is such a fascinating place. a lot of the women are wearing kimono's and quite a lot of the streets are old stone paved to give you that old Japan feel.

So today i felt like just taking my time with things no rushing around. so i left Osaka around 9ish and it took around an hour to get to Kyoto. eventualy i got to my Ryokan i am staying at in the Gion district, it was to early to check in but i was able to leave my rucksack there.

So very near, like 20 meters, is a near by Temple which is quite nice. Through the temple leads to a very nice park in whic has probobaly the most photographed bird in the world. this crane just sits on a rock all day just hanging out posing.

So literally all around my Ryokan there are tons of shrines and temples all of which are really amazing, so since it was a relaxing day i just thought i went for a little stroll around a few a few of which i remember from 6 years ago when i visited some with amazing gardens.

In the end i came back to the Ryokan around 4pm just to check in and relax .

My Ryokan

My Street

Temple just down the road

Lots of lanterns

The Flying poser

Love These Dragons

Amazing

Autumn Colours

Check this bad boy out

I love Bamboo

Poor Guy

Favourite place in Kyoto

Quiet street...

Lots of kids

What a great view

Tanooki Everywhere

What a nice snack

5 story Pogoda

All and all a great first day in Kyoto

See you all tomorrow

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Walking Walking Walking

Good Day All

I hope we are all good today i know i am. So today i started out very unsure what to do, i slept in again till 9 so i was the last one out of the guest house which gives me time to think and be loud. In the end i decided to go to Tennoji Park and its surrounding temples one of which is really old, like one of the oldest in Japan kinda old, there were so many i wont list them all by name.

Tennoji park is just in the south part of Osaka so a very short train ride to Tennoji Station and right outside is the park my first impressions were that it was very manufactured, the grass that had be laid down at the entrance was in strips of turf which were in dying need of water but i'm not one to judge it all looked very new so maybe just hasn't taken yet.

Within the park was several attraction to visit including an Art gallery, Museum and also a Zoo. none of which i visited but the one i did go to was the Japanese Garden which was really nice i spent there almost on hour just walking and taking pictures. the autumn colours in the trees are starting to come out now and it it looking really nice great contrast. Also realised while walking through the garden that i haven't worn these shoes very much, my feet are starting to hurt a bit.

After the Garden i was heading towards the near by Temple, Shitennoji the really old one, but on hte way an older gentleman came charging at me from far away, i thought ha was just in a hurry somewhere, but no he was aimed directly for me. He was a nice man and he just wanted to talk so he could practice his English so i, of course, divulged all my information onto him as he so asked, so nearing the end of the conversation a couple of (rude) Chinese women interrupted us talking to ask him where a certain place was as a gentleman he said he would walk them there himself which was nice of him.

So i finally arrive at the temple to find out is more like a complex of temples there were tons of little ones and medium ones not just the main hall which in my mind wasn't even the star attraction of the place. An old Temple at the back of the complex, whose name i do not know, which looked very old had a pond in front of it and in this pond was around 30 -40 Turtles, I like turtles. i felt this was a nice stop to sit for a minute and enjoy the sounds of monks ringing gongs and bells, very tranquil.

So as i do i kinda just wandered off from the temple in search for more shrines and temples some small ones that are very nice none the less. As i wander i happen upon a very narrow street where half way down it i was scared half to death by a cat meowing very loudly just as i passed it.

I next came upon a few little temples near one another and even a nice old wooden pogoda these were all very nice and quiet not a soul near by, many spirits but no bodies.

After i went around these temples i decided to start and head back, but then some stupid voice in my head said why don;t i walk all the way back to my guest house which is 8 km away. yeah great idea. Anyway on route i went through a shopping area which was full of arcade areas so like pachinko and the likes, all looked crazy, but there was also tons of little food stalls and vendors all smelt amazing shame i was not hungry at this point.My route took me back through the Tennoji park so that's the way i went.