Before I officially left Ryoan-ji, I did linger outside in the grounds for a moment.
There was a nice pond, called the Kyoyochi Pond, you could walk around. It was made in the late 12th century and, until recently, mandarin ducks used to swim in it. Enough of them that Ryoan-ji was generally known as Oshidoridera, the temple of mandarin ducks.
On the islet called Bentenjima is a hall in which an image of the deity Sarasvati is housed.
Just before I left, I noticed this map of the temple grounds. I don't think I realised how big it was, I initially assumed it was just the main temple and rock garden until I arrived. However, I'm not sure how much of it is actually accessible to the public. It would have been nice to have a proper look around, but I was in a rush. Maybe next time!
It was about a 15 minute walk from Ryoan-ji to my final stop. Again, it wasn't very noteworthy. The main thing I remember is that I was listening to ABBA the entire time! I could have got a bus, they run quite often since it's obviously a popular tourist route, but I was trying to keep my non-JR transport costs to a minimum. I was also a little worried there'd be traffic delays, and I was cutting it close at this point!
So what is this mysterious stop? A little off-the-grid place called Rokuon-ji. Or as it's best known, Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. It might be the most popular tourist spot in Kyoto, maybe even in Japan. So it's always packed unless you visit early in the morning or in the evening. Most temples and shrines in Kyoto seemed to close around 5pm, with entry cut-off half an hour earlier. However, Kinkaku-ji allows entry right up to the minute it closes. I think I arrived maybe 15 minutes before it closed? Not a lot of time, I agree, but as I said before, I didn't have anywhere else to fit it into the schedule!
Entry costs 400 yen, and gets you this handy pamphlet. Again, I'll paraphrase the info inside.
There's a short walk past the living quarters before you come to a clearing with a pond that overlooks the famed Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion.
The formal name of the temple is Rokuon-ji, and it's a Zen Buddhist temple in the Shokokuji School of the Rinzai Sect. It was originally the site of a villa called Kitayama-dai. Then Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the 3rd shogun of the Muromachi period, acquired the land from the owners in 1397 and built his own villa soon after, which became the heart of what became known as Kitayama Culture. After Yoshimitsu died, in keeping with his will, the villa was converted into a temple by the priest Muso-kokushi who became the first abbot.
Gold foil on lacquer covers the upper two levels of the pavilion, and a shining phoenix stands on top. The first level is built in the shinden style of the 11th century imperial aristocracy, and the top level is in the Chinese zenshu-butsuden style. Overall, Kinkaku-ji is representative of Muromachi-period architecture. The pavilion itself is actually a replica. It was burned down during the Onin war in the 1400s and, more recently, it was set on fire by a fanatic monk in 1950! So what exists now was built in 1955.
The garden and buildings, centred on the Golden Pavilion, were said to represent the Pure Land of Buddha in this world. The gold building itself is a shariden, a Buddhist hall which contain relics of Buddha. The pond and garden surrounding the pavilion was designed for strolling, it is typical of the Muromachi period. Rocks donated by various provincial lords of the time are placed throughout. The garden is listed as a National Special Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
There's a decent sized clearing opposite this pond. Which is great since you can get some great pictures without the swarm of tourists getting in the way! Luckily, because I was there so late, there weren't as many people vying for those perfect spot.
I was still listening to ABBA while I was there. Specifically the greatest hits album, ABBA Gold. And almost serendipitiously, Money Money Money also happened to be one of the songs that came up. If only such coincidences could lead to actual wealth!
It's probably the most picturesque temple. But that's about it... You can't actually go into the temple itself, despite the bottom of it being open. There is a teahouse that leads to the exit, but it was already closed by the time I passed it. It was built during the Edo period, and supposedly has a famous alcove pillar made of heavenly bamboo?
There is also a small building called Fudo Hall near the exit which I don't think I saw. But it's in the pamphlet! It contains a stone statue of the Buddhist deity Fudo-myo-o, thought to have been made in the 9th century by Kobo-daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. It's normally hidden from public view, with open-door rituals held on Setsubon and August 16th.
A few minutes after 5pm, the monks(?) guided the stragglers towards the exit. I tried to keep ahead of them so I could grab a few more photos as I followed the path to the exit.
It takes you around the other side of the temple, which really is gorgeous up close.
I managed to sneak in a quick selfie before moving on!
I didn't realise it would have such a big garden. I thought it was just the golden temple, and that was it. There's a sprawling grounds at the back that you have to walk through to get to the exit.
There were a few wishing or praying spots along the path. The kind where you throw a coin into.
You can look back and see just how big the place is!
Eventually, I came to the exit and had to face my next problem - getting back to the guesthouse! The big reason I couldn't fit these temples into any other part of my trip is because they're almost in the middle of nowhere. Kinkaku-ji, specifically, was a 30 minute walk from the nearest station and, let's face it, I'd done enough walking that day!
Luckily, I had done my research. There are a few bus routes in Kyoto that you can use the JR pass with. I'm not sure if that's still the case since, even when I went, they had cut back on the included bus routes. Nevertheless, there was one bus route that ran back to Kyoto station. The bus stop was about 5 minutes from the temple, outside of a pretty big McDonalds. I think I must have just missed a bus since it took half an hour for one to arrive. By the time it did, it was getting dark.
Once I got on the bus, I did get a little anxious about whether I had the correct information. You pay when you leave a bus in Japan instead of when you board so I wouldn't find out until the end. All the buses in Kyoto charge a flat rate of 230 yen. All except the JR buses, which charge by distance travelled. So without the pass, it would've been over 1,000 yen...
Despite the anxiety, I did ride the bus all the way back to Kyoto Station, where I think I was the last passenger. And thankfully, the pass was valid on the bus! The driver just wanted to know which stop I got on at so he could note it down.
It was dark by the time I was walking back to my guesthouse. But after such a jam-packed afternoon, I still had one stop to make. On the main road adjacent to where River East Nanajo is, there's a place called CoCo Ichibanya. It's a chain of Japanese curry restaurants. I was finally getting something proper to eat!
It was quiet inside, I think there might have been only one other customer? But that didn't matter. I was desperate for food. After flicking through the menu a few times, I decided to order the hand-made tonkatsu curry, which I believe a higher quality panko crusted pork cutlet than the standard. I also got a pumpkin croquette as a side.
Maybe it was because I'd barely eaten that day but it really was an amazing curry! Definitely one of the best Japanese style curries that I've had. I really enjoyed it, and kind of regret not visiting another curry restaurant in the trip. I almost did when I was in Nara, but I'll talk about that then... The croquette, on the other hand, was alright. It just paled in comparison to the curry!
Before heading back to my guesthouse for good, I stopped in a Family Mart which was opposite the Coco Ichibanya. Family Mart is a konbini, or convenience store. Like 7/11. I wanted to get a few things to get me through my Kyoto days. And I actually made a note of what I got!
A few breakfast pastries, some milk for tea and cereal, a Coca Cola Peach, a sakura Starbucks drink (which literally entered shops the day I arrived), and a box of Meltykiss chocolates which somehow became the only thing I left behind in Japan. I had them with me the entire trip, then I got home and they just weren't there... They were only 150 yen, and I could have left far more valuable stuff behind, but still. It's a mystery what happened to them...
From the Family Mart, I finally walked back to the guesthouse. Luckily, it was at the top of the road. Here's another tiny map just to show how close all these places were.
When I got back to the room, I put everything in the fridge and wasted no time getting into bed. I think it was 8pm by the time I called it quits. I set the alarm on my phone for early in the morning, since I had bigger plans for the following day, and I fell asleep pretty quickly!
There was a nice pond, called the Kyoyochi Pond, you could walk around. It was made in the late 12th century and, until recently, mandarin ducks used to swim in it. Enough of them that Ryoan-ji was generally known as Oshidoridera, the temple of mandarin ducks.
On the islet called Bentenjima is a hall in which an image of the deity Sarasvati is housed.
Just before I left, I noticed this map of the temple grounds. I don't think I realised how big it was, I initially assumed it was just the main temple and rock garden until I arrived. However, I'm not sure how much of it is actually accessible to the public. It would have been nice to have a proper look around, but I was in a rush. Maybe next time!
It was about a 15 minute walk from Ryoan-ji to my final stop. Again, it wasn't very noteworthy. The main thing I remember is that I was listening to ABBA the entire time! I could have got a bus, they run quite often since it's obviously a popular tourist route, but I was trying to keep my non-JR transport costs to a minimum. I was also a little worried there'd be traffic delays, and I was cutting it close at this point!
So what is this mysterious stop? A little off-the-grid place called Rokuon-ji. Or as it's best known, Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. It might be the most popular tourist spot in Kyoto, maybe even in Japan. So it's always packed unless you visit early in the morning or in the evening. Most temples and shrines in Kyoto seemed to close around 5pm, with entry cut-off half an hour earlier. However, Kinkaku-ji allows entry right up to the minute it closes. I think I arrived maybe 15 minutes before it closed? Not a lot of time, I agree, but as I said before, I didn't have anywhere else to fit it into the schedule!
Entry costs 400 yen, and gets you this handy pamphlet. Again, I'll paraphrase the info inside.
There's a short walk past the living quarters before you come to a clearing with a pond that overlooks the famed Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion.
The formal name of the temple is Rokuon-ji, and it's a Zen Buddhist temple in the Shokokuji School of the Rinzai Sect. It was originally the site of a villa called Kitayama-dai. Then Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the 3rd shogun of the Muromachi period, acquired the land from the owners in 1397 and built his own villa soon after, which became the heart of what became known as Kitayama Culture. After Yoshimitsu died, in keeping with his will, the villa was converted into a temple by the priest Muso-kokushi who became the first abbot.
Gold foil on lacquer covers the upper two levels of the pavilion, and a shining phoenix stands on top. The first level is built in the shinden style of the 11th century imperial aristocracy, and the top level is in the Chinese zenshu-butsuden style. Overall, Kinkaku-ji is representative of Muromachi-period architecture. The pavilion itself is actually a replica. It was burned down during the Onin war in the 1400s and, more recently, it was set on fire by a fanatic monk in 1950! So what exists now was built in 1955.
The garden and buildings, centred on the Golden Pavilion, were said to represent the Pure Land of Buddha in this world. The gold building itself is a shariden, a Buddhist hall which contain relics of Buddha. The pond and garden surrounding the pavilion was designed for strolling, it is typical of the Muromachi period. Rocks donated by various provincial lords of the time are placed throughout. The garden is listed as a National Special Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
There's a decent sized clearing opposite this pond. Which is great since you can get some great pictures without the swarm of tourists getting in the way! Luckily, because I was there so late, there weren't as many people vying for those perfect spot.
I was still listening to ABBA while I was there. Specifically the greatest hits album, ABBA Gold. And almost serendipitiously, Money Money Money also happened to be one of the songs that came up. If only such coincidences could lead to actual wealth!
It's probably the most picturesque temple. But that's about it... You can't actually go into the temple itself, despite the bottom of it being open. There is a teahouse that leads to the exit, but it was already closed by the time I passed it. It was built during the Edo period, and supposedly has a famous alcove pillar made of heavenly bamboo?
There is also a small building called Fudo Hall near the exit which I don't think I saw. But it's in the pamphlet! It contains a stone statue of the Buddhist deity Fudo-myo-o, thought to have been made in the 9th century by Kobo-daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. It's normally hidden from public view, with open-door rituals held on Setsubon and August 16th.
A few minutes after 5pm, the monks(?) guided the stragglers towards the exit. I tried to keep ahead of them so I could grab a few more photos as I followed the path to the exit.
It takes you around the other side of the temple, which really is gorgeous up close.
I managed to sneak in a quick selfie before moving on!
I didn't realise it would have such a big garden. I thought it was just the golden temple, and that was it. There's a sprawling grounds at the back that you have to walk through to get to the exit.
There were a few wishing or praying spots along the path. The kind where you throw a coin into.
You can look back and see just how big the place is!
Eventually, I came to the exit and had to face my next problem - getting back to the guesthouse! The big reason I couldn't fit these temples into any other part of my trip is because they're almost in the middle of nowhere. Kinkaku-ji, specifically, was a 30 minute walk from the nearest station and, let's face it, I'd done enough walking that day!
Luckily, I had done my research. There are a few bus routes in Kyoto that you can use the JR pass with. I'm not sure if that's still the case since, even when I went, they had cut back on the included bus routes. Nevertheless, there was one bus route that ran back to Kyoto station. The bus stop was about 5 minutes from the temple, outside of a pretty big McDonalds. I think I must have just missed a bus since it took half an hour for one to arrive. By the time it did, it was getting dark.
Once I got on the bus, I did get a little anxious about whether I had the correct information. You pay when you leave a bus in Japan instead of when you board so I wouldn't find out until the end. All the buses in Kyoto charge a flat rate of 230 yen. All except the JR buses, which charge by distance travelled. So without the pass, it would've been over 1,000 yen...
Despite the anxiety, I did ride the bus all the way back to Kyoto Station, where I think I was the last passenger. And thankfully, the pass was valid on the bus! The driver just wanted to know which stop I got on at so he could note it down.
It was dark by the time I was walking back to my guesthouse. But after such a jam-packed afternoon, I still had one stop to make. On the main road adjacent to where River East Nanajo is, there's a place called CoCo Ichibanya. It's a chain of Japanese curry restaurants. I was finally getting something proper to eat!
It was quiet inside, I think there might have been only one other customer? But that didn't matter. I was desperate for food. After flicking through the menu a few times, I decided to order the hand-made tonkatsu curry, which I believe a higher quality panko crusted pork cutlet than the standard. I also got a pumpkin croquette as a side.
Maybe it was because I'd barely eaten that day but it really was an amazing curry! Definitely one of the best Japanese style curries that I've had. I really enjoyed it, and kind of regret not visiting another curry restaurant in the trip. I almost did when I was in Nara, but I'll talk about that then... The croquette, on the other hand, was alright. It just paled in comparison to the curry!
Before heading back to my guesthouse for good, I stopped in a Family Mart which was opposite the Coco Ichibanya. Family Mart is a konbini, or convenience store. Like 7/11. I wanted to get a few things to get me through my Kyoto days. And I actually made a note of what I got!
A few breakfast pastries, some milk for tea and cereal, a Coca Cola Peach, a sakura Starbucks drink (which literally entered shops the day I arrived), and a box of Meltykiss chocolates which somehow became the only thing I left behind in Japan. I had them with me the entire trip, then I got home and they just weren't there... They were only 150 yen, and I could have left far more valuable stuff behind, but still. It's a mystery what happened to them...
From the Family Mart, I finally walked back to the guesthouse. Luckily, it was at the top of the road. Here's another tiny map just to show how close all these places were.
When I got back to the room, I put everything in the fridge and wasted no time getting into bed. I think it was 8pm by the time I called it quits. I set the alarm on my phone for early in the morning, since I had bigger plans for the following day, and I fell asleep pretty quickly!
