Ryōan-ji!

I believe you’ve got it! 

My days in Kyoto had been spent between temples, shrines, food and nature. 

It was so relaxing, I even managed to reach that happy status where nothing else care. Strongly suggested in case you’re a bit stressed. 

So, after the Kinkakuji and the delicious food we went visiting the Ryōan-ji, zen buddhist temple. 

Once again the beautiful and composed garden made me feel on another planet. 

This temple, however, had a back garden still full of cherry blossoms and plenty of other flowers and trees. 

It was a full immersion in nature. Amazing!

I believe that my pictures will speak for themselves. 

I’ll see you tomorrow for the last stop of the second day!

 

つづく

Food top 3 – 2nd!

I loved every single thing I tried during my travel, but I have my top 3 dishes, I’d eat over and over again. 

The one you see in the picture was the meal we had immediately after visiting the Kinkakuji.

Since we were bound to the Ryōan-ji, only 20 minutes walk from there, we decided to stop eating on the way!

We found this small place, which name I don’t even remember. I ate like a pig, I exited from the place rolling but I would have kept eating all the same!

The restaurant was so small we’ve noticed it by mistake; there were only five tables in a unique room. 

The lady serving at the table was beyond kind and let us sit immediately. The delicious smell coming from the kitchen door on the right was making my mouth water more than decency would allow. 

In the menu we saw this yakiniku tray and we decided that it looked delicious in the picture. It was 200 grams solid of roasted beef on a bed of rice. It was accompanied with miso soup, cabbage and potato salad, tsukemono of choice and also some jelly. 

The nice thing of Japanese meals, even the smallest, is that they’re complete. They usually have rice, proteins, veggies and a sweet bit that can be jelly or fruit or a proper cake.

Once again I wished I could have two functioning stomachs! 

つづく

Kinkakuji!

 

The second day in Kyoto, since Maya was feeling better, we decided to go and visit the places outside the centre of the city. 

In the morning we took the bus and we went to visit the Kinkakuji, possibly one of the most photographed temple on internet, recognizable by its golden color. 

Despite having seen it online thousands of times and knowing what to expect, I still was amazed at the sight and I felt a pang in my stomach for the emotion. 

However, what you usually don’t see are the gardens around, so well cared of and full of flowers and vegetation. 

We’ve been incredibly lucky to visit it during such a glorious day. I even got slightly sunburned but I felt extremely happy and calm – despite the huge amount of people there. 

 

つづく

First night dinner!

 

After walking all day, we dropped dead in the first eating place we met. 

It was supposed to be a French- Japanese restaurant. 

Not many people inside, staff was super nice, although the food was kinda weird. 

I was the only one, with this dish, to eat properly. 

Far better pictures in the next few posts. 

I want to show this one only in order to proof a theory. 

No matter how random it is a restaurant, the local cuisine is always delicious in the country of origin. 

So, even if I ate much better and reacher dishes in the next days, I loved this one!

 

つづく

Fushimi Inari – the view!

 

I promise you, this will be my last post about the Fushimi Inari Taisha!

Thing is I wanted to include this picture in order to give a closure to my previous post. 

If you remember, I told you I didn’t manage to get to the top but I could see some view from the height I’d managed to reach. 

It’s not much, I can guess that the view from the very top would be absolutely breathtaking! But it’s something beautiful all the same! 

However, this could, once again, be used as motivator. 

Next time I’ll manage! I’m sure of it!

And tomorrow, I swear, I’ll go ahead with another topic!

 

つづく

 

Fushimi Inari – the challenge!

 

I want to dedicate more than one post to the Fushimi Inari Taisha, as it’s one of the places I wanted to visit badly, but also it has been one of my favorite spots once visited live. 

Most importantly, Fushimi Inari has become one of the three goals I’ve set to myself upon my return. 

The shrine had been built inside the wood on the side of the mountain. In order to get to the top and enjoy the magnificent view, you literally have to climb the mountain itself and here and there challenge yourself with 12 thousands steps…yes, you’ve heard correctly!

Despite all my efforts I didn’t even manage to get to the first thousandth step. I felt sad and defeated and I didn’t really liked the idea of giving up. 

But Maya was starting complaining herself, my heart was bursting out of my chest and it was getting very dark. There was a minimum risk of meeting wild animals. 

On the way down, I’ve promised to myself that one day I’ll go back there and I’ll manage to get up to the top. 

On my phone lock screen I’ve put the top left picture you can see in my collage. 

This, in order to remind myself how painful it was the sensation of descending without managing to get to the top and motivate myself to get ready for the next time. 

 

つづく

Fushimi Inari – let’s go!

 

Happy Monday, my dear readers!

Let’s start this week with one of the highlights from my recent trip: Fushimi Inari Taisha. 

Even before going there I’ve been coming across this shrine continuously and I was fascinated by the absurd amount of tori decorating the whole mountain. 

Some strange energy was creeping out from the pictures and the woods around just added up to the magic of the place. 

Needless to say this was one of the places where I was most eager to go. 

The only part that was worrying me was connected to the poor level of fitness I was in!

In order to reach the top of the mountain and the shrine, you need to climb a lot and go up to 12 thousands steps. 

Was I right to worry or not? 

Find it out tomorrow!

つづく

Vending machines!

 

One of the most well known fun fact for Japan, is definitely about the vending machines. 

Before you visit it, you just register the information and maybe even laugh about it, thinking in abstract about the word ‘many’. 

However, once you get there and you definitely experience them, it’s totally another story. 

They’re at every corner, outside shops, in the alleys, randomly in the streets. 

Still on the floor there is no garbage. It’s beyond amazing! 

You stop there, drink and then you dispose of your empty bottle in the trash that it’s always present around them. 

And let’s talk about the variety of the drinks you can find. 

First of all, there are some vending machine that offer the cold and hot drinks option. 

And then they’re themed and hold different bottles and drinks altogether. 

If you really find your favorite, you’ll soon might start a scavenging hunt. 

Each of us had a favorite: cold green tea for me, peach flavored Fanta for my partner and Peach flavored water for Maya. 

So, I’ll see you next week, lovely people! Enjoy the weekend! 

 

つづく

Swap!

 

It seems that every week something worth telling happens and I have to put my travel account on pause!

Today was the day!
I got a new position in the company and I couldn’t be any happier as I’d been after it for ages!

On the other hand, you know me as well and you’d understand how painful was leaving my old team behind! I will miss them so much, it hurts…

Yesterday, last day with them, they made me a surprise and I found beautiful roses and chocolate on my desk, along with a thank you card.
I just love them, it won’t be possible to substitute them.

However, this morning I found my new desk covered with yellow balloons and a welcome message.
I don’t know the new team members very much yet, but I’m sure I’ll find myself at home soon here too!

Fingers crossed for me, my dear readers!

See you tomorrow for the last post of this week!

Whirl…

 

One of the most famous characteristics of Japan is this fantastic ability in blending the old and the new. 

After we finished at the Yasaka shrine, we kept walking around and visiting the old styled streets thinking to finish our day at the Fushimi Inari Taisha. 

This bit of Kyoto, as I mentioned before, gives you the impression to time travel and it’s exciting as it is. 

However, in my head it went to the next level; wandering around gave me butterflies in my stomach. I’ve read some medieval Japanese novels during my university years and many of the description and flavors started to become real around me, stimulating my senses. 

I love this picture in particular, in here you have everything: you have modern Japan, you have ancient Japan, you have tourism, quietness and at the same time action. 

Just looking at it I feel a very painful sense of longing…

 

つづく