Japan Trip (31-12-09) Kyoto 京都 Arashiyama 嵐山

Guess what building is that?

After a long wait to witness the scene of snowing , finally we got the chance.
This was the second last day before we went back to Malaysia. I was looking forward to visit Kiyomizudera 清水寺 once again after the first visit when I went there back in 2007.


Arashiyama 嵐山
My father was very anticipated to see the lush green of bamboo grooves in Arashiyama 嵐山.
The bamboo grooves was the among the most fascinating scene of natural occurrence.The bamboo grooves was before you reach the　Nonomiya Shrine 野々宮神社.
We went there from Kyoto Station to Keifuku Arashiyama (on Keifuku Arashiyama Line).

Bamboo grooves with Han Yee and I.

Arashiyama 嵐山 is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district.

The romantic "Moon Crossing Bridge" (渡月橋,Togetsukyō)


Romantic Train in Arashiyama (CLOSED)

The famous Romantic Train in Arashiyama begins running its scenic tour along the Hozugawa river on March 1st and will continue running until December 29th.

The Torroko trolley travels 7.3 kilometers in distance along the river and through 8 tunnels between Torroko Saga and Kameoka stations. The duration of the trip is 25 minutes and costs 600 yen.

Enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms, bamboo groves, or momiji Japanese maple leaves depending on the time of year you go. It’s a wonderful way to spend the day sightseeing and a must do activity if you visit Arashiyama!

Ryoanji 龍安寺
This the place where my long awaited dream came true . I witness the snow falling from the sky onto the beautifully arranged stones in Ryoanji 龍安寺. It was forecast that at around 6 pm there will be snowing in Kyoto 京都. The most unforgettable scene was when I was standing on the open space , i was 'blessed' with the tiny snow flakes falling from the sky . It was a simply amazing .

Nice setting to meditate.

Snow falling from the sky.

Miniature of Ryoanji

In an article published by the science journal Nature, Gert van Tonder and Michael Lyons analyze the rock garden by generating a model of shape analysis (medial axis transformation) in early visual processing.

Using this model, they show that the empty space of the garden is implicitly structured, and is aligned with the temple's architecture. According to the researchers, one critical axis of symmetry passes close to the centre of the main hall, which is the traditionally preferred viewing point. In essence, viewing the placement of the stones from a sightline along this point brings a shape from nature (a dichotomously branched tree with a mean branch length decreasing monotonically from the trunk to the tertiary level) in relief.

The researchers propose that the implicit structure of the garden is designed to appeal to the viewers unconscious visual sensitivity to axial-symmetry skeletons of stimulus shapes. In support of their findings, they found that imposing a random perturbation of the locations of individual rock features destroyed the special characteristic

Kinkakuji 金閣寺
From the outside of the temple, there was a beeline appeared, we waited for our turn to visit the Kinkakuji 金閣寺 which is a few metres away from the main entrance. The buildup of the structure is simply stunning, the golden colour blend with the sunlight produce a glittering pattern of elegance .
From the outside of the temple, the golden colour are very appealing to the eyes . Especially you looked from opposite the lake .

Kinkaku and I

The Golden Pavilion, or Kinkaku, is a three-story building on the grounds of the Rokuon-ji temple complex. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf. The pavilion functions as a shariden, housing relics of the Buddha (Buddha's Ashes). The top floor is built in traditional Chinese cha'an style, also known as zenshu-butsuden-zukuri; and the middle floor in the style of warrior aristocrats, or buke-zukuri. The ground floor is rendered in shinden-zukuri style, reminiscent of the residential style of the Heian imperial aristocracy. The building is often linked or contrasted with Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion Temple), and Shōkoku-ji, which are also located in Kyoto.

The Golden Pavilion is set in a magnificent Japanese strolling garden (kaiyū-shiki). The pond in front of it is called Kyōko-chi (Mirror Pond). There are many islands and stones on the pond that represent the Buddhist creation story.

Kiyomizudera 清水寺
We reached there around 3.30 p.m. but the sunset was around 4.30 p.m. After a while , the whole area was engulfed with darkness. The silence of the evening make it perfect for people to reminisce about the past. From the above , you can see a skyline of Kyoto town scenery with lights come into place. Although it is a bit dark , the whole temple still looks very magnificent.

Night view on the pathway towards Kiyomizudera

An aged man is writing and drawing something related to Year Of Tiger using calligraphy before selling to his customers.

Popular spot in Kiyomizudera

Entrance to Kiyomizudera

Kiyomizudera 清水寺 is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site.
The main hall has a large veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. Large verandas and main halls were constructed at many popular sites during the Edo period to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims

Pontochō 先斗町
A night out was said to be incomplete without visiting Pontocho . A few narrow street with only a couple of people to walk in the same time , small and stylish eateries with exorbitant prices , pleasant atmosphere with a touch of traditional Japanese authenticity ---are the trademark for Pontocho.

The name Pontochō is said to be a portmanteau of the English word "point" or the Portuguese word "ponto" (also meaning point) and the Japanese word meaning town, street, or road. The district crest is a stylized water plover or chidori.

Main Street of Pontochō

Back Alley of Pontochō

The shop is selling foodstuffs with live demonstration.

Nice temple with lots of lanterns .