No other place on Earth means as much to me as Kyoto. That’s not an overstatement, just a simple fact. From the first time I visited to the three months or so I was lucky enough to live there, Kyoto has moved me like nowhere else.
Well – I’m not living there now, but I’ll take an hour train ride and 700 Yen with no complaints. It’s a fools errand to go to Kyoto during sakura season (unless you’re there three weeks after the Tohoku earthquake, when it was almost bereft of foreign visitors and it felt like I had the city and its blossoms to myself). I knew it would be overrun with tourists today, and it was – the sakura are at full bloom – but it’s one of the singular miracles of Kyoto that not even the throngs of tourists can ruin the experience. Kyoto isn’t special – it’s singular.
I intentionally didn’t take many photos today, for a couple of reasons. First, let’s be honest – I’ve already photographed the hell out of Kyoto. And second, I wanted this to be a day to just experience being back when I wasn’t sure if I ever would be. So here’s a small smattering – Honen-in, the Philosopher’s Path, Heaian Jingu, Ninenzaka/Sanenzaka, and Kodaiji. The artwork I did want some shots of, because Kodaiji normally bans them but this was a special exhibit of works by two modern artists, Baron Yoshimoto and Katsuya Terada. Both names should be well-known to you if you know manga history (and film as well). Seeing these works in a setting like Kodaiji was extremely cool.
Friendly Penguin
March 29, 2018 at 10:15 pmThere’s just something special about Kyoto. I’ve yearned and ached to my bones to roam those streets once again; to touch, taste, smell, hear and see the things this city once lavished upon me what seems like an eternity ago but is in reality only a short three years in passing.
The udon served at a small street-side outlet outside Kyoto station, owned by an elderly couple, with only 8 seats. The beautiful walls of Nijō Castle and the sense of peacefulness as one takes in the sights on a quiet winter’s day. The breathtaking Arashiyama bamboo grove made even more magical, haloed by lanterns that lined the pathways during the nights of the Hanatōro festival. The first morning after arriving in Kyoto, stepping out of my hostel to be greeted with the silence of still air and a thin settling of snow on the black seat of a cream-colored moped parked outside – my first experience of snow. Sunset at Inari Taisha. Kyoto is a lover, and my heart she has stolen. The adoration I have for this city has pained me ever since I left. I loved being in Japan, but places like Tokyo and Osaka I can give a miss. Kyoto? I’d live there if I could.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I like Kyoto too haha!
Guardian Enzo
March 30, 2018 at 3:33 amRemember the name of that udon place, by any chance? 😉
elianthos80
March 30, 2018 at 6:15 amThere can never be too many pics of Kyoto but its pretty inderstandable if one wishes to just soak in the magic in (and of) the moment I believe. Thank you for sharing some of the shots you did still take nonetheless ^^.
Terada’s art is interesting also because the quality of the lines/strokes in many of his sketches reminds me a bit of Milo Manara… low and behold there is a link via Metal Hurlànt and Moebius at the very least .
Ronbb
March 31, 2018 at 10:19 amOMG, I LOVE KYOTO…! I was wondering when you would visit Kyoto again…glad that you made it when it’s cherry blossom time! I recognized Philosopher’s Path immediately — and other places that you featured — and this totally brought back the fond memories that we had when we were last there. Did you know that there was a Shimogamo Shrine and an Ebisugawa Street (if my memory serves)? I dragged my family to visit both places, and all I was thinking was Uchouten Kazoku…if I would bump into the tanuki and tengu… We also checked out the Kyoto International Manga Museum. It’s not that big, but was truly international, attracting tourists from all over the world.
Yes — Kyoto is a magical place. I like Tokyo and other places, but Kyoto seems to be the right size for me…we were only there for five days, but immediately I felt like I could live there… My sister liked Osaka better, but it’s Kyoto that brought the most joy out of me. I’m planning to be there again, but will have wait till I save up enough money… Maybe one day I will take up the courage and follow your path and live there… Happy for you, Enzo!
Guardian Enzo
March 31, 2018 at 4:42 pmI’ve been to the Shimogamo Shrines (there are three related ones along the Kamogawa, a long walk apart). If you search my old Japan posts there are one or two on it there somewhere. Takashimaya always does an Uchouten tie-in of some sort whenever there’s an anime running, but I missed out on it this time, sadly. There is some sort of Chihayafuru tie-in running with JR (I keep seeing it flash on the ad monitors at Sannomiya) but I can’t figure out what it is…
Yann
April 1, 2018 at 9:20 pmI haven’t seen every city in the world but somehow, I know for sure Kyoto is my favorite… I’d love to live there. It’s magical.
Have you been to Ohara? Not too far from Kyoto, super tiny, but beautiful too…
Guardian Enzo
April 1, 2018 at 9:47 pmYes, a lovely day out, Ohara. It was there a local gent informed me I spoke Japanese with a Tokyo-ben.