I am on Japanese soil! I wasn’t sure I was going to be allowed in at first. After a several hour delay and a 2 hour flight, I found myself standing in a very sterile white room waiting to go through customs. The immigration officer initially smiled at me until he looked at my forms. He slammed them down and demanded I give him the address of my hotel. I decided trying to explain the concept of Couchsurfing wasn’t going to get me anywhere. Long story short it took three angry immigration officers angrily jabbing their fingers at my form, me gesturing to my Taiwanese visa in hopes of communicating that I planned on leaving, and 45 minutes before I was given entrance to the country. I was the last person allowed in today! The worst part of that claim to fame is that I missed the last train into Osaka. My options were to spend about 50 USD to get into the city via taxi or to sleep in the airport. So I went with option number two.
It seems that sleeping in airports and train stations is widely accepted here. An airport police officer stopped to check my passport and chatted with me a bit. He seemed content with my makeshift bed. Thus, my first night of sleep in Japan was from 1:30am-6:00am. The worst part was waking up with fresh drool on my famous and a bustling crowd of Japanese commuters on both sides of my bed.
Since I will be spending so much time in Osaka later on, I decided it was best to head straight to Kyoto. The train took about an hour and provided some nice views of traditional homes with Japanese stone gardens amongst more modern buildings. Once in Kyoto, I met up with my host Yuki. He is a student at Doshisha University who recently took a break from school to work on a business to help refugees receive Japanese education. We had a fun day together and explored the Nisi-Honganji Temple (half built in 1760 and half in 1636), the Toji Temple, the Gion district, and the Yasaka Shrine. Both the temples were jaw dropping. I was blown away by the craftsmanship of the wood beams and how everything seemed so orderly and clean. Before entering the temple you must take off your shoes. There is something wonderful about feeling the smooth worn wood under your feet. Once you enter the temple there is a sweet almost cinnamon scent from the stray mats. The altar was very simple with a single Buddha statue. It was impossible to make out his features because he was backlit by light reflecting off the white wall behind him. All the walls were white and the only color was a bit of gold from the shrine and the chandeliers. This mixed with the rich dark wood of the pillars and ceilings provided a stark difference to the Buddhist/Taoist temples in Taiwan with their chaotic colors and plethora of deities scattered around the main hall.
The Toji Temple (founded in 796 AD!) has the tallest pagoda in Japan (54.8 m) and is a must see! The Gion district use to be the center of old Kyoto and has narrow stone streets with traditional wooden buildings flanking it. The area has a deep geisha heritage. Geishas are professional entertainers and not prostitutes. They are skilled at singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, and performing tea ceremonies. There are many impersonators of course and these women give the profession its bad name. The fakes often perform at onsens (natural hot spring bath houses) and provide extra happy ending relief. If you are lucky, you can catch a glimpse of one of the authentic geishas scurrying down the street to her next appointment. It bothered me how people tried to take pictures of them as if they were objects. Yes, they are dressed in traditional clothes and make for a great photo opportunity, but people need to be more respectful. We spent the evening strolling around the area.
The Gion district also has a famous park and several temples that are all must sees. We didn’t visit them this time around, but did get a chance to see the Yasaka Shrine. I recommend visiting it at night! The whole area is lit by lanterns and makes for some great photos. It is a Shinto shrine. Shintoism is Japan’s traditional religion and thus is made up of many local gods. The shrines are almost always red due to the belief that red wards off bad spirits.
It was a great but tiring first day! P.S. They have deep fried curry balls here. CURRY! Yes! Oh and I asked Yuki what he is most proud of Japan for and he said for its cleanliness, people following rules, and its food.
It seems that sleeping in airports and train stations is widely accepted here. An airport police officer stopped to check my passport and chatted with me a bit. He seemed content with my makeshift bed. Thus, my first night of sleep in Japan was from 1:30am-6:00am. The worst part was waking up with fresh drool on my famous and a bustling crowd of Japanese commuters on both sides of my bed.
Since I will be spending so much time in Osaka later on, I decided it was best to head straight to Kyoto. The train took about an hour and provided some nice views of traditional homes with Japanese stone gardens amongst more modern buildings. Once in Kyoto, I met up with my host Yuki. He is a student at Doshisha University who recently took a break from school to work on a business to help refugees receive Japanese education. We had a fun day together and explored the Nisi-Honganji Temple (half built in 1760 and half in 1636), the Toji Temple, the Gion district, and the Yasaka Shrine. Both the temples were jaw dropping. I was blown away by the craftsmanship of the wood beams and how everything seemed so orderly and clean. Before entering the temple you must take off your shoes. There is something wonderful about feeling the smooth worn wood under your feet. Once you enter the temple there is a sweet almost cinnamon scent from the stray mats. The altar was very simple with a single Buddha statue. It was impossible to make out his features because he was backlit by light reflecting off the white wall behind him. All the walls were white and the only color was a bit of gold from the shrine and the chandeliers. This mixed with the rich dark wood of the pillars and ceilings provided a stark difference to the Buddhist/Taoist temples in Taiwan with their chaotic colors and plethora of deities scattered around the main hall.
The Toji Temple (founded in 796 AD!) has the tallest pagoda in Japan (54.8 m) and is a must see! The Gion district use to be the center of old Kyoto and has narrow stone streets with traditional wooden buildings flanking it. The area has a deep geisha heritage. Geishas are professional entertainers and not prostitutes. They are skilled at singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, and performing tea ceremonies. There are many impersonators of course and these women give the profession its bad name. The fakes often perform at onsens (natural hot spring bath houses) and provide extra happy ending relief. If you are lucky, you can catch a glimpse of one of the authentic geishas scurrying down the street to her next appointment. It bothered me how people tried to take pictures of them as if they were objects. Yes, they are dressed in traditional clothes and make for a great photo opportunity, but people need to be more respectful. We spent the evening strolling around the area.
The Gion district also has a famous park and several temples that are all must sees. We didn’t visit them this time around, but did get a chance to see the Yasaka Shrine. I recommend visiting it at night! The whole area is lit by lanterns and makes for some great photos. It is a Shinto shrine. Shintoism is Japan’s traditional religion and thus is made up of many local gods. The shrines are almost always red due to the belief that red wards off bad spirits.
It was a great but tiring first day! P.S. They have deep fried curry balls here. CURRY! Yes! Oh and I asked Yuki what he is most proud of Japan for and he said for its cleanliness, people following rules, and its food.