A G: Japan Day 1 - Kyoto Day 1 by Aaron, Arashiyama Park, Yasaka Shrine and Gion 京都岚山公园嵯峨野，建仁寺，八坂神社，祇园

Arashiyama Park, Yasaka Shrine and Gion

岚山公园嵯峨野，建仁寺，八坂神社，和祇园

~Aaron

Japan Day 1

Kyoto Day 1

Hyena airport 羽田机场, Kyoto Station 京都站, Arashiyama Park, Yasaka Shrine and Gion

The Arashiyama Station

The train to go around the Arashiyama Park

It was our first day in Kyoto 京都 and we already visited many wonderful places. The Arashiyama Park 岚山公园嵯峨野 has several different attractions. The Seiryoji Temple 清凉寺 includes lots of statues. The Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社 is pretty at night. The Gion 祇园 is a famous tourist attraction for its geisha and stores.

The rickshaw

The Path of Bamboo 竹林小径

The bamboo at different stages of life

The wooden Togetsu Bridge 渡月桥

Play at the Katsura River 桂川

The Arashiyama Park 岚山公园嵯峨野 is full of places to visit. The Path of Bamboo 竹林小径 is very long and full of bamboo at different stages of life. The wooden Togetsu Bridge 渡月桥 has been a landmark for over 400 years! We threw stones and listened to the rapid Katsura River 桂川 (the water level is normally lower). Our view from the Summit Observatory Deck 展望台 could see the entire city of Kyoto. The Nonomiya-jinja Shrine 野宫神社 is used to enshrine a god of easy delivery, and a god of good match and marriage. It also has Kame-ishi, a turtle shaped rock. It is said to grant the person a wish within a year by a touch.

The Summit Observatory Deck 展望台

See the entire city of Kyoto

The Nonomiya-jinja Shrine 野宫神社

The sacred turtle rock of

the Nonomiya-jinja Shrine 野宫神社

Wash hands

before go into

the Tenryuji Temple

The entrance of the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

The outside of the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

The entrance of walkway
on the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

The walkway of
the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

The garden of the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

viewed from temple inside

Inside the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

Do you know the most popular thing inside the Arashiyama Park? It’s the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺, also known as Temple of the Heavenly Dragon! It's a perfect home to many flowers and other plants. All of us could walk inside the temple, but had to be barefoot. Some rooms were still closed. The Tenryuji Temple is the most important temple inside the Arashiyama district. Tenryuji was built in 1339 by the ruling shogun and dedicated to the emperor, who just died. The two people used to be friends until the shogun fought the emperor in a battle over who would be the ruler of Japan. By building the temple, shogun wanted to make the emperor's spirit happy.

Inside the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺

The garden of the Tenryuji Temple 天龙寺 & its Mountain Hydrangea flowers 山紫阳花

The Seiryoji Temple 清凉寺 (the Bell of Purity Temple)

The statue stands at

the Seiryoji Temple

清凉寺

Wash hands before

visiting the temple

The Seiryoji Temple 清凉寺 (the Bell of Purity Temple) is located in a quiet corner of the Arashiyama Park, a bit away from the other attractions. 2 statues stood at the doorway covered in glass. We heard monks reading sutras inside the Seiryoji. The bells from here can be heard far away.

The Seiryoji Temple 清凉寺 (the Bell of Purity Temple)

The Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社
during the day

The Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社
at night

The lanterns hanging at the Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社

The entrance of the Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社

Rang the wish bell

A statue of the Yasaka Shrine

八坂神社

A street lantern of the

Yasaka Shrine

八坂神社

A wish bell at the Yasaka Shrine

八坂神社

The Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社 is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. Founded over 1,350 years ago, the shrine was built between the Gion and Higashiyama District. My brother and I rang some prayer bells. About 100 lanterns hang in the middle of this shrine. On the way out, we heard some movements which turned out to be some animals walking around in the leaves.

Gion 祇园

Picture with a restaurant servant

Left: geisha passed by Right: a painting of a geisha

Gion 祇园

Gion 祇园 has many stores and food. Along Gion, we saw some geisha 艺伎. The houses' entrance hung the names of the geisha outside. Geisha started in 1617 when the shogunate started pleasure quarters. To become a geisha, a girl needs to begin her study of dance and music at very young age. Geisha entertains their clients by dancing, singing and playing instruments. The apprentices wear white make-up on their face (called maiko). The actual geisha doesn’t wear as much make-up. The respect for geishas has went up and down before. It rose up for a long time until WWII (World War II), when most woman had to work in factories.

A famous teahouse where

geisha perform

Japan's tradition: only men allows to make sushi at a restaurant

Kyoto Station 拉面小路

Sushi House

The sushi we ate at Kyoto Station 拉面小路 was delicious. Some of the sushi we ate were boiled clam sushi, lobster filling sushi, eel sushi, crab salad sushi, duck sushi, fried shrimp sushi, and others. We ate a lot of sushi altogether! After the sushi meals, our tummies still had some space left to snack on ramen noodle houses.

Sushi

All sushi plates we ate

Ramen noodle

The ramen noodle house

博多拉面

All these things that we did were very fun. The Arashiyama Park is a beautiful place. In the Seiryoji Temple, the monks reading sutras and the bells ringing brought peace to people's mind. The Yasaka Shrine's lanterns turn the night into day. I spotted some quickly walking geisha in Gion. My first day in Japan was fabulous.