Great Kyoto Day trip topped by visit to Katsura Imperial Villa
Written: Jan 26 '04
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Pros: A cultural and historical treasure. A leisurely week would have been great.
Cons: Only had a day; some of the best places are far apart.
The Bottom Line: For the new Japan, visit Tokyo (and the Ginza and Shinjuku). For old Japan and her rich culture, visit Kyoto, less than 3 hours away on the bullet train.
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| notperfectalas's Full Review: Kyoto |
Our day trip to Kyoto (from Osaka) featured a visit to Kinkaju-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion),the Ryoan-ji Temple with its famous Zen rock garden, then to the Katsura Imperial Villa, the Sanjusangen-Do, and finishing with Kiyomizu-Dera Temple. This is a perfect trip for four people who are
willing to spend a few dollars (about $25 each total) for cab fare in Kyoto.
Our trip started with a visit to the Imperial Household Agency on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Central Kyoto. We were there to obtain our "official" permission to visit the Katsura Imperial Villa, which was the summer residence of the Emperor and which features classic Japanese architecture integrated into its surrounding area including several lakes. Short of visiting one of the top three
gardens in Japan, such as the Koraku-en Gardens in Okayama, the beauty of the botanical gardens and surrounding land and waterscapes are peerless. What surprised me was that my Japanese escort confessed that even he had not been
"privileged" to visit the villa in all his 30 years in Japan. It is a sight well-worth visiting. And get this, it is free. (In fact, most of the historical sights had relatively
modest entrance fees, as if to encourage the Japanese people as well as the rest of the world to learn more about the Japanese culture and history. In contrast, the Korakan Aquarium in Osaka had a very Westernly entry fee of $20.00.)
Our first tourist visit was the Golden Pavilion, a beautiful three story broad pagoda-like building painted or finished in gold. What made it even more beautiful was that its setting could not have been more perfect -- amid a lake spliced with
rock and tree formations artfully arranged and against the backdrop of a sloping mountain and blue sky. Those who have seen post card pictures of this know what I mean.
Our next stop was the Zen Rock Garden at Ryoan-ji Temple. The garden itself was perhaps 120 feet by 20 feet, within which were set five or six rock formations amid a zillion pebbles. Visitors could sit on the temple steps and watch the rocks grow (or how the changing light changes the features of the garden). After a half hour of contemplation, we next moved to the highlight of the trip, the Katsura Imperial Villa.
The Villa is not close by any of the other attractions, so taking a cab was absolutely essential. Perhaps one cab's tires were smaller than the other's, but our cab ride was $22
while our companions were $28. (I know that sometimes tourist gets charged higher prices, but this was pretty blatant.) Anyway, when we got there, we saw another interesting sight. A literal army (about 15) gardeners were trimming a garden of bushes and tress into bonsai-like shape. And they were still at it almost two hours later. I guess it shows that beauty and perfection does not come easily.
The Imperial Villa was magnificent. There were wooden and stone bridges over babbling streams filled with large Koi fish. There were buildings with clean and simple lines whose
rooms opened to beautiful garden or lake scenes. Its simplicity added to its beauty. Covering more than several acres (its grounds are not as big as Versailles, but what is?), its majesty can easily be underappreciated.
Next stop was the Sanjusangen Temple. I honestly got goosebumps when I walked into this over a thousand year old building. Maybe it was just the chill, or perhaps it was the reverence of the place or because, as is reputed, Miyamoto Musashi had one of his famous duels on its grounds.
In any event, the 1000 lifesized goddesses housed in a building 300 yards long (i think) is a profound sight.
Last stop was Kiyomizu-dera on the hillside of Kyoto. In days long ago, this temple overlooking a canyon was reputedly used by the poor to discard their dead, because they could
not afford proper burial services. Its popularity today is based on its scenic location offering a grand sunset view as well as its historical significance. Also, as with many popular temples, as in Kamakura and Tokyo, the street leading up to the temple is a literal merchant's bazaar.
While public transportation, like the bus or subway, can get you to most of these locations, we found that the taking the cab, while more expensive, allowed us to get far more sightseeing in than was otherwise possible. Considering the cost of staying an extra day in Kyoto or Osaka to get in
the similar number of sights, the extra cab expense was worth it.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Epinions.com ID:
notperfectalas
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Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 2 members
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