Ginkakuji first. I noticed another girl on the bus, travelling alone, and she got off at Ginkakuji, like me. Naturally, I had to talk to her, so I introduced myself and we went around Ginkakuji together. She was Australian, and lovely. She told me about the closing ceremony of the summer festival tonight in Gion, so that sorted out my evening plans. The festivities were to start around 5ish. She also told me that she would be in Tokyo for the last 3 days that I am in Tokyo! So we are definitely going to try and meet up there.
At around lunchtime, I went to Gion to find something to eat, and I hoped to see some Maiko (Geisha from Kyoto) wandering around. Apparently that's what Gion is famous for, but I didn't see any :(
I did find this woman selling something on the street though. I had no idea what it was, only that it was doused in a delicious smelling sauce and then wrapped in seaweed. I think it was rice made into a kind of paste, then wrapped around a skewer. I enjoyed it, as weird as it sounds :P
I wandered around a bit, there were some decorations up for the festival, which was nice to see. After a while, I discovered a place that sold Kimono's really cheaply whilst going through a brochure/leaflet thing I had found, so I planned to go there after the final temple I wanted to visit, Kiyomizudera.
The walk to Kiyomizudera from the bus stop was up this sloped road which was lined with souvenir stalls and ice-cream shops. I grabbed a steamed bun with a meat filling to fill the rest of my belly, then carried on up the the temple. The views were really stunning, lush green trees with a small red pagoda in the midst of them.
I walked all the way around, and it was just so nice, some of the best views I had seen yet. From one point you could see the main temple and then Kyoto city beyond the trees, with Kyoto tower standing far taller than any of the other buildings. It was a great view, but my camera couldn't see the tower without me zooming in, so this is all I could get. I did try to take some panoramas, but they didn't come out very well...
There was this place where you had to wash your hands and drink the water, which was really refreshing, and I met a lovely French girl called Pomme who took my picture as I drank the 'cleansing' water.
Anyhoo, after that I went to this Kimono shop, and I managed to find a nice kimono complete with a sash for just 3000yen, which is pretty cheap for a kimono!
I didn't get a pair of the traditional wooden shoes though, hopefully I'll find a pair somewhere...
I went back to Gion after that, but not before seeing a small parade on the way. Then I met a dad travelling with his 12yr old daughter, and we went around the Shrine in Gion for a while. He talked a lot, but his daughter made me miss Niki :(
It was nearing 8pm when I realised I had to go home and pack my stuff up for Hiroshima tomorrow, the 'festival' hadn't gotten very exciting yet, although it was supposed to finish by 11. There were lots of people dressed up in kimonos, though, and I got my picture with a bunch of them, which was cool.
Now I just need to pack up and get ready to go to Hiroshima tomorrow, I can't believe how far into this trip I am...
At around lunchtime, I went to Gion to find something to eat, and I hoped to see some Maiko (Geisha from Kyoto) wandering around. Apparently that's what Gion is famous for, but I didn't see any :(
I did find this woman selling something on the street though. I had no idea what it was, only that it was doused in a delicious smelling sauce and then wrapped in seaweed. I think it was rice made into a kind of paste, then wrapped around a skewer. I enjoyed it, as weird as it sounds :P
I wandered around a bit, there were some decorations up for the festival, which was nice to see. After a while, I discovered a place that sold Kimono's really cheaply whilst going through a brochure/leaflet thing I had found, so I planned to go there after the final temple I wanted to visit, Kiyomizudera.
The walk to Kiyomizudera from the bus stop was up this sloped road which was lined with souvenir stalls and ice-cream shops. I grabbed a steamed bun with a meat filling to fill the rest of my belly, then carried on up the the temple. The views were really stunning, lush green trees with a small red pagoda in the midst of them.
I walked all the way around, and it was just so nice, some of the best views I had seen yet. From one point you could see the main temple and then Kyoto city beyond the trees, with Kyoto tower standing far taller than any of the other buildings. It was a great view, but my camera couldn't see the tower without me zooming in, so this is all I could get. I did try to take some panoramas, but they didn't come out very well...
There was this place where you had to wash your hands and drink the water, which was really refreshing, and I met a lovely French girl called Pomme who took my picture as I drank the 'cleansing' water.
Anyhoo, after that I went to this Kimono shop, and I managed to find a nice kimono complete with a sash for just 3000yen, which is pretty cheap for a kimono!
I didn't get a pair of the traditional wooden shoes though, hopefully I'll find a pair somewhere...
I went back to Gion after that, but not before seeing a small parade on the way. Then I met a dad travelling with his 12yr old daughter, and we went around the Shrine in Gion for a while. He talked a lot, but his daughter made me miss Niki :(
It was nearing 8pm when I realised I had to go home and pack my stuff up for Hiroshima tomorrow, the 'festival' hadn't gotten very exciting yet, although it was supposed to finish by 11. There were lots of people dressed up in kimonos, though, and I got my picture with a bunch of them, which was cool.
Now I just need to pack up and get ready to go to Hiroshima tomorrow, I can't believe how far into this trip I am...
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