Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn #2/4 - Kyoto
Following from Yokohama and the Miho Museum, we embarked on a whirlwind of autumn-viewing around Kyoto. It was mid-November (2016), and we had arrived at around the best time to chase the autumn foliage in Kyoto!
Autumn-viewing, autumn leaf-viewing, leaf-peeping - or whatever it's called in English. In Japan, it's called momijigari (紅葉狩り), and is like the autumn version of hanami in spring. The kanji characters for "momijigari" literally means "red leaf hunting" or "maple hunting".
Momijigari is a traditional Japanese pastime that dates back to the Heian era (794-1185). Back then, it was popular for the aristocracy to go boating in landscaped gardens, play/compose music, and compose/recite poetry while admiring the autumn colours. (So, now we know why stroll gardens with large ponds were also so popular in the Heian era.)
In the Edo era, the pastime spread to the common people, and with the advancement in transportation in the Meiji era, the Japanese were able to travel further afield to visit places famous for the autumn foliage.
On this trip in Kyoto (and later, in Tokyo as well), we visited several sites (mostly temples) so I could get my fill of autumn. But of course, we also had fun eating our fill, and I went in search of some fabric again.
First momijigari stop was Tofukuji (東福寺), a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple, and one of the 5 Kyoto temples of the Five Mountain System (五山十刹制度).
Tofukuji takes its name from 2 temples in Nara: Todaiji and Kofukuji. (We visited both in December 2014, and I was super amazed by the daibutsden at Todaiji).
Tofukuji is a popular autumn spot among local and foreign tourists alike, so it was pretty crowded. At peak autumn, the views from the Tsutenkyo and the opposite bridge are popular because the valley below is filled with maples.
Unfortunately, when we were there, it was already past peak autumn, so many of the trees had already shed most of their leaves. But it still made a beautiful sight to me.
We also visited the gardens at the Kaizendo: a karesansui garden with a checkerboard-like pattern, and a pond garden covered with stones and lush, bright green moss. These were said to have been reconstructed sometime in the Edo era (1603-1867).
Tofukuji is also known for the Hojo (resconstructed in 1890) and its 4 different gardens, which had been recreated by Shigemori Mirei (重森 三玲; 1896-1975) in the late 1930s.
More on our day at Tofukuji, click here.
Next momijigari stop was Otowasan Kiyomizudera (音羽山 清水寺), probably one of the most well-known temples in Kyoto, and one of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage sites. Kiyomizudera's name means "clear water" or "pure water", and comes from the waters of the nearby Otowa Waterfall (音羽の滝).
It was founded in the early Heian period by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (坂上 田村麻呂; 758-811), a general and shogun who served under Emperor Kanmu (桓武天皇; reigned 773-781). But its current buildings were built in 1633, under the command of the 3rd Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光; 1604-1651).
Needless to say, Kiyomizudera is a very popular tourist spot, not only for autumn-viewing, but also the hondobutai (本堂舞台). The hondobutai is the main wonder - the verandah is constructed solely of wood, without nails, and juts out from the main hall, some 13m above the hillside.
Not my first time visiting Kiyomizudera - Hubby and I have been here in late December 2012. It was not long after I started collecting Blythe and I did not bring one with me. Well, so in a way, this visit was a first: first time with a Blythe, and first time during autumn!
On a side note, we actually didn't enjoy this 2nd visit because it was over-crowded. Over the past 6 years, Japan has seen a major increase in PRC tourists, many of whom come in coach tours. Loud, rude, uncivilised, provincial bumpkins with this horrible "I have money, so I am king" mentality. 凸(╬ﾟ◥皿◤ﾟ)凸 No tree-climbing or defecating in open public spaces - thank the heavens - but pushing, queue-jumping, snatching, grabbing, shouting, getting onto places that are off-limits, yes, you name it. They descend like locusts and utterly destroy the landscape or buy up everything (most recently, aged Japanese whisky). (╬ﾟ◥益◤ﾟ) ╬ﾟ
Anyway, I prefer not to remember the unpleasant episodes, especially when there is little I can do to prevent it. I read that the Chinese government is attempting to educate their subjects. However, I think it will take decades to undo this behaviour, which can be said to stem from the breakdown of social order and Mao Zedong's rejection of Confucianism and such other schools of thought, and of intellectuals during the Cultural Revolution, the hukou system, the lack of education and exposure to foreign cultures, and now the increasing socio-economic inequality.
More on our day at Kiyomizudera, click here.
One of our momijigari stops is at Sohonzan Komyoji (総本山 光明寺) in Nagaoka, west of Kyoto. It is the head temple of the Seizan Jodo sect of Buddhism.
Sohonzan Komyoji was first built in 1198 by Kumagai no Jiro Naozane (熊谷 次郎 直実; 1141-1208), a close disciple of Honen (法然; 1133-1212) the founder of Jodo Buddhism. Before becoming a monk, Kumagai had been a samurai who had served the Minamoto (Seiwa Genji) clan, most renowned for his exploits in the Genpei War (源平合戦; 1180-1185).
The grounds of Komyoji are quite large, with a lot of buildings and halls. I didn't manage to visit all of them, and didn't keep track either.
There're a lot of maples all around Komyoji. But we spent the most time at the Momiji Path, a maple tree-lined path between the Yakui-mon and the Enma-do. Although not all the trees had turned yet, it was still very beautiful. Totally worth the trip out there!
More on our day at Komyoji, click here.
After our stop at Komyoji, Hubby and I checked out another well-reviewed ramen shop, Sen no Kaze (千の風).
It has a queue system which is super simple: take a queue number (from 1 to 20, they recycle the numbers), when it's your turn, they call out your number. We got number 1 - but that was after I don't know how many rounds of recycling.
We waited around 1.5 hours. Hubby had the Miso Tama (right), and I chose the Kyo no Shio (right). The ramen was very good - I like it much more than some others I've eaten. And I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves ramen.
But was the ramen worth the 1.5-hour wait in the cold? It's very difficult for me to answer that in the affirmative. The last time we waited so-very-long in the cold for a bowl of great ramen was Fuunji in Shibuya. And our no. 1 favourite is still Kagari in Ginza. And unfortunately, for me, these 2 have set a standard that is hard to beat.
While we stood around waiting for our turn at Sen no Kaze, I did wander off to explore the Teramachi area. And I naturally also made my way to Nomura Tailor along Shijo, the fabric shop I chanced upon during our May 2016 trip. I did find myself some lovely Japanese cotton and satin brocades, but I tried to refrain from going overboard.... I still have tons left from my many fabric hunting trips!
We also braved the crowds to visit Eikando Zenrinji (永観堂禅林寺), another super popular autumn spot. We went on 2 occasions, on different days - once for the evening illumination, and another time to catch the fall foliage before sundown.
Eikando Zenrinji is the head temple of the Jodo Seizan Zenrinji sect. It first began in 853, when Buddhist monk Shinsho (真紹; 797–873) acquired land belonging to court noble Fujiwara no Sekio for the purpose of founding a temple. Shinsho was a disciple of Kobo-Daishi (弘法大師; 774-835), the founder of Shingon Buddhism.
Subsequently, in 863, Emperor Seiwa (清和天皇; reigned 858-876) approved the founding of the temple and granted it the name "Zenrinji". Its name later became Eikando after its 7th head priest Yokan (永観; 1033-1111) whose name could also be read as "Eikan". Although Eikando was originally a Shingon Buddhist temple, in 1224 or later, Eikando slowly became a Jodo Buddhist temple.
Eikando is well known for its momiji foliage - it's been called "Eikando of the Maple Leaves". Not surprising, its grounds are covered mostly with maple trees. Like many other temples in Kyoto, it also has evening autumn illuminations, which is also very popular with the tourist crowd.
Yes, when we visited during the evening illumination, it was very crowded, and also had hordes of coach-tour tourists. Although Eikando's grounds are quite large, it was still quite a squeeze during the evening illumination.
I much preferred our visit in the daytime - we dropped by in the late afternoon, and far less crowded. Also, one of the halls was open, so we were able to enter and visit the gardens within - a karesansui garden and a pond garden. Both small but quite picturesque.
More on our time at Eikando Zenrinji, click here.
The day we caught the evening illumination at Eikando, we shuttled off for dinner at Hafuu Honten (はふう 本店), around the Marutamachi area.
Hafuu is a mix of traditional and modern, in both their decor and their food. They have been in business for over a century, and the chef owns a meat shop - where they get their meat supply from.
When we arrived (per our reservation), we were seated at the bar counter, right in front of the teppanyaki grill and the chef. There were 3 (I think) courses to choose from. I honestly can't remember which course we chose, but I think it was the Nikusenka course.
We had an amuse bouche but unfortunately I didn't take a picture (gobbled it down instinctively, ooops.)
First course was the lightly roasted wagyu beef, cooked perfectly rare and had this smoky wok hei flavour that usually only comes from a well-seasoned grill.
The accompanying condiments were wasabi, julienned daikon, and salt; the sauces were shoyu with garlic, shoyu with vinegar, and miso sauce. If I am not wrong, I think the miso sauce had a slight sesame aroma.
Second course was the grilled salted gyutan, glazed tama onions, and sprinkled with negi. The sauce was a mix of shoyu and mirin.
Third was a creamy soup sprinkled with rice puffs and chives. I confess that I forgot what kind of soup it was! Could've been cauliflower or daikon. Haha. All I remember was that it was delicious and smooth, and was perfect on such a cold day.
After that was the star of the course: wagyu sirloin steak and wagyu filet steak - perfectly grilled, and topped with garlic chips. It was delicious, the slight crunch of the seared surface giving way to the buttery richness of the meat. But as with fatty meat, it did get too rich and heavy as I progressed past the halfway point of my sirloin.
For dessert, Hubby and I were served different desserts. I didn't take a picture of his, but it was crème brûlée with raspberry ice cream. My dessert was pannacotta with blueberry compote and ice cream (coffee I think).
So, Hafuu's other signatures are the beef katsu, beef katsu-sando, and hayashi rice. Would've liked to try the beef katsu, but I suppose I'll have to save that for our next trip!
On one lovely morning, we visited Shugakuin Imperial Villa (or Shugakuin Rikyū) via the Imperial Household Agency tour, which we booked in advance.
This trip we visited 3 imperial properties in Kyoto and 1 in Tokyo: Shugakuin, Sento Imperial Palace (below), Kyoto Imperial Palace (below), and Tokyo Imperial Palace. The 4th imperial property in Kyoto is Katsura Imperial Villa, but we did not book a tour for it. In hindsight, a pity, as it would make a good point of comparison with Manshuin Monzeki (which we visited this trip, as below).
Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮) was constructed in 1655-1659 for the retired Emperor Go-Mizunoo (後水尾天皇; reigned 1611-1629). There are three villas at different altitudes, each with their own gardens: the Lower Villa, Middle Villa and Upper Villa.
Shugakuin is situated at the foothills of the Higashiyama mountains, with a view of Mt Hiei. The surrounding scenery was incorporated into the garden design of Shugakuin, in a gardening technique called shakkei. Shugakuin's gardens, in particular the Upper Garden, are considered some of the best examples of shakkei.
Of all 3 gardens, the best (and also my favourite) is the Upper Garden, which is centred around a large pond called the Yokuryuchi. In the middle of the Yokuryuchi are two islands whose shapes are said to resemble a swimming dragon.
The Upper Garden is one of the best examples of the Edo period stroll garden (chisen-kaiyū-shiki-teien). The Upper Garden was where Japanese courtiers gathered to play/compose music and recite/compose poetry as they floated on the pond in boats. It is also one of the best examples of shakkei, with the surrounding Higashiyama mountains and the distant view of other mountain ranges.
More on our day at Shugakuin Imperial Villa, click here.
After our visit to Shugakuin, we headed for Manshuin Monzeki, which was about 1km away. We walked, and it kind of felt very far. We did pass some cosmos along the way, growing in clumps in someone's backyard and along the roads.
Manshuin Monzeki (曼殊院 門跡) was founded in 728 by Dengyo Daishi (伝教大師) (767-822), the Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai sect in Japan. It used to be named Tobibo, and used to be located near Enryakuji on Mt Hiei (which we have also visited back in December 2014).
Manshuin is a monzeki temple, which means that at some point its head priest(s) were of imperial or aristocratic lineage. The Manshuin information pamphlet stated that the head priest in 957 was Zesan Kokushi, a member of the Sugawara clan, a noble Japanese clan.
During the Edo era, its head priest was Prince Ryosho. He was the son of Prince Hachijo Toshihito (八条宮 智仁親王), the nephew of Emperor Go-Yozei (後陽成天皇), and grandson of Emperor Ogimachi (正親町天皇). His father, Toshihito, was the founder of the Katsura Imperial Villa.
Manshuin is considered to be a great example of Shoin architecture - an architectural style that is characterised by tatami floors, removable fusama doors, study tables, staggered shelves and tokonoma. The legacy of the Shoin style is such that today's traditional Japanese style room continues to bear the characteristics of the Shoin style.
The various rooms in Manshuin contain painted fusama panels and byobu (folding screens) by eminent Japanese artists, including Kano school masters and Edo era masters.
Manshuin's karesansui garden was designed by Prince Ryosho. Rising from the raked gravel are 2 mossy islands, Tsurushima and Kamejima. On Tsurushima is a 400-year-old Japanese white pine, planted to resemble a crane's neck.
More on our visit to Manshuin Monzeki, click here.
We also stopped by another monzeki temple, Jissoin (実相院), located in Iwakura, in northeast of Kyoto. Despite a constant stream of visitors, however, it was still relatively peaceful and quiet as it is a little off the beaten track. Most of the visitors were locals, and there were no coach-bus tourists also.
Successive generations of Jissoin's head priests have been related to the Imperial family, and Jissoin has also long been called Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki, Iwakura Monzeki, and Iwakura Goten. ("Goten" means palace.)
Jissoin was founded in 1229 by Buddhist priest Joki (静基僧正), and was formerly located near the Kyoto Imperial Palace (which we also visited this trip), but relocated to its present site during the Onin War (1467-1477). The temple had apparently been reconstructed by Furuichi Taneko (古市胤子; 1583-1658), a consort of Emperor Go-Yozei (後陽成天皇; reigned 1586-1611), with the assistance of the 3rd Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川家光; 1604-1651). Various buildings at Jissoin were also formerly part of the Omiya Palace.
There are 2 gardens at Jissoin, a karesansui garden and a stroll garden (the chisen-kaiyū-shiki-teien). Both gardens are popular in autumn.
During our visit, however, it was a little past peak autumn, so the foliage at the stroll garden had mostly fallen, leaving behind bare trees at the back of the garden. Pity because they would've made a beautiful contrast against the lush green.
The karesansui garden is apparently an example of a later Japanese karesansui garden. The fall foliage at the karesansui garden was still lovely, though the ground was also covered with fallen leaves.
A little further along the hall's verandah (which skirted the side of the karesansui garden, was another view - the entire side of the hall was lined with trees clad in autumn foliage.
Other than the lovely gardens, we also enjoyed looking at the fusama panels which were painted by Kano school artists. (More can be seen on Jissoin's webpage.) By now, it should be obvious that the Kano school was highly favoured by the Japanese aristocracy, and pretty much set the standard for Japanese paintings for centuries to come.
Overall, however, it seems the condition of the fusama panels at Jissoin and Manshuin are not very good, especially in relation to those at Nanzenji, which we also visited. My guess is the lack of funding for restoration.
More on our time at Iwakura Jissoin, click here.
We also visited Sento Imperial Palace (仙洞御所) which, like the Shugakuin Imperial Villa (above), was built for the retired Emperor Go-Mizunoo. The Palace was completed in 1630, and later became the residence for retired Emperors (Daijo Tenno). Also on the grounds of the Palace is the Omiya Palace (大宮御所), which was built for the Empress Dowager.
Both palaces were destroyed by fire in 1854, along with Kyoto Imperial Palace. Following this, Sento Imperial Palace was not reconstructed (and remains so), and its only remaining buildings are two teahouses, the Seika-tei and the Yushin-tei. However, the Omiya Palace was rebuilt in 1867 for Empress Dowager Eisho (英照皇太后; 1835-1897), empress consort of Emperor Komei and official mother of Emperor Meiji.
Sento Imperial Palace is known for its Japanese stroll garden which encircles a large pond that is segmented into the North and South Ponds. Of the two segments, my favourite would be the South Pond. It has actually been seen as the more beautiful of the two, mostly because it has more spots of interest. One of the major spots is the Yatsuhashi, a zigzag stone bridge that is covered by a wisteria arbor.
Close to the Yatsuhashi are many maple trees clustered around an area called Momijiyama. The ground of Momijiyama is mostly moss, so the red foliage and the green moss make a beautiful contrast.
The Yatsuhashi also leds us to Nakajima, an islet in the middle of the South Pond. From there, we get a view of a scattering of beautifully shaped rocks, and Yoshijiama, another small islet, seeming to float on the mirror-like surface of the South Pond. Beyond Yoshijima, the view continues to the Suhama, a "seashore" of light grey rounded pebbles, and a glimpse of the Seika-tei teahouse.
Of course the fact that there are several maples still clad in their brilliant red foliage makes it a much more beautiful sight.
More on Sento Imperial Palace, click here.
After Sento Imperial Palace (above), we visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace - the 2 are after all in the exact same vicinity. Also, Kyoto Imperial Palace is free and does not require a tour or an appointment with the Imperial Household Agency. Apparently, it was so popular that they decided to do away with the requirement.
Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所) was the former imperial residence of the Japanese Emperor. Since the original imperial palace, the Heian Palace (平安宮), was abandoned in the late 12th century, the Imperial Palace has been officially located in or near its present site. The Palace had been destroyed by fire, and rebuilt, many times; and the existing one dates back to 1855 and was reconstructed in the Heian era architectural style of the Heian Palace.
However, since the Meiji Restoration in 1868, and the Emperor's relocation to the Tokyo Imperial Palace (which we also visited this trip), the Palace has lost most of its functions.
After 1868, the existing main buildings were no longer used, save for the Shishinden (紫宸殿). The Shishinden was used for the enthronement ceremonies of the Emperor Taisho (大正天皇) in 1915, and the Emperor Showa (昭和天皇) in 1928.
In terms of architecture, the present Shishinden is a reconstruction of the architectural style of the Heian period (794-1185). The original Shinshinden (constructed in the Heian period) became the prototype of the shinden-zukuri style of architecture, which greatly influenced the architectural style adopted by the Japanese aristocracy in that era. Flanking the stairs to the Shishinden are 2 sacred trees, the ukon no tachibana (mandarin tree), to the east, and the sakon no sakura (cherry tree), to the west.
The Palace complex is truly, IMO, a life-sized museum that showcases court life in 12th to 18th century Japan. Within the Palace, there are still several buildings, including their various painted screens and doors, and the 2 Japanese stroll gardens with their own ponds (the Oikeniwa and the Gonaitei).
The Palace is situated in the Kyoto Imperial Palace Garden (Kyoto Gyoen). The entire area used to be the residential area of members of the Imperial family and other court nobles, but after the Emperor's relocation to Tokyo following the Meiji Restoration (as mentioned), most of the residences were demolished or removed. Work to preserve the Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Garden was subsequently made. In 1947, Kyoto Gyoen was made a public national park, along with the imperial parks Kokyo Gaien and Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo (which we also visited this trip).
More on Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Gyoen, click here.
When Hubby and I are at a loss for a place to eat in Kyoto, we tend to just head to Takashimaya at Shijo-dori. (If not Takashimaya, then Daimaru.) Not only because it has an awesome food basement, but also because on the 7th floor is the its restaurant floor.
So the lowdown is this: almost all Japanese department stores are a veritable food paradise. They will have a food basement and a restaurant floor. And that's not counting the cafes tucked away on the various other floors.
The food basement is where the department store sells all kinds of snacks, sweets, pastries, confections, various foods, teas, coffees, and what-not. The perfect place to buy an edible snack or edible souvenir for yourself to munch on, or as omiyage. And then there is the restaurant floor, or the resutoran-gai (レストラン階) as the Japanese say. It is literally, an entire level comprising solely of restaurants.
There are a number of good restaurants on Takashimaya's resutoran-gai. Hubby and I have eaten at the Mishima-Tei branch here, though the dining experience at the honten in Teramachi is way better.
This time, we hopped into the Italian restaurant called Al Porto Caffe, located somewhere opposite Mishima-Tei.This trip, I have been quite bad at keeping track of names and places that we randomly pop into, so for the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the restaurant. Only the food and the location.
So anyway, the food was good, decent. Japanese-style Italian, not like, Italian Italian. We shared the appetiser of proscuitto ham and figs. I think the menu said melon, but I suspect they ran out. Figs do just fine for me; I love figs. (But not poor Hubby.)
For our mains, we both got a pasta each - a mushroom aglio olio spaghetti for me, and something else for Hubby. Can't remember his dish, except it had zucchini in it. I tried some of his pasta and found that I much preferred his choice over mine.
We were both still hungry so we decided to share a pizza. My choice - proscuitto, with rocket and ricotta cheese. We were both expecting the rocket to be raw and sprinkled on top (as is usually the case), so I was somewhat surprised when our pizza came, and the rocket was actually cooked. Flavour of cooked rocket is quite different from fresh rocket. In fact, I think I prefer it cooked. The bitterness is much more mellow, and there was a slight sweetness, and a freshness. Can't really think of how to describe it. But it does bring to mind how certain vegetables taste so different raw vs cooked - like iceberg lettuce and tang'ho (chrysanthemum leaves, known as shungiku in Japan).
Anyway, my favourite had to be the tiramisu. A sort of modernised take of it anyway, with the cloud of mascarpone cream covering the soaked, super bitter sponge beneath, and scattered with fresh berries and mint sprigs. By itself, the mascarpone was too rich, too sweet; and the sponge too bitter. Perfect together though! I really liked that it was just a simple and straightforward dessert, but well prepared and thought-out.
In hindsight, I think I actually prefer this dessert over all the desserts we had at Tapas Molecular Bar (later on, during the Tokyo leg of our trip). (So, you see, Michelin stars are not a warranty for food quality, especially the one-star range.)
Another popular autumn spot we visited was Zuiryuzan Taiheikokoku Nanzenzenji (瑞龍山 太平興国南禅禅寺) or, more commonly, Nanzenji (南禅寺).
Nanzenji is a Zen Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect. It was founded in 1291 by Emperor Kameyama (亀山天皇), and the site was formerly an imperial villa, Zenrinjiden (禅林寺殿), built in 1624. The original buildings of Nanzenji were completely destroyed by fire during the Muromachi period, particularly in 1393, 1448 and 1467. Most (if not all) of the current buildings date after the Onin War (1467-1477).
What Nanzenji has that is different from the other temples in Kyoto is a red brick aqueduct, the Suirokaku (水路閣), built in the style of an ancient Roman raised aqueduct. I later learnt that it was built in 1890, during the Meiji era (1868-1912). It was part of the Lake Biwa Canal (琵琶湖疏水), which was built around the same time, to transport water, goods and passengers between Lake Biwa to Kyoto, and to provide Kyoto with electricity. I was even more amazed to learn that the Suirokaku continues to supply Kyoto with water to this day!
Nanzenji is best known for its gardens and the painted fusama panels. Of its gardens, the karesansui garden at the Dai-hojo is the most well known, being designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 1951 (before I was even born!).
The garden is called the Toranoko-watashi-no-niwa (虎の子渡しの庭) because it depicts tiger cubs crossing a river. I find the garden beautiful and restful. However, I simply cannot see tiger cubs crossing a river.... ( O__O )ゞ゛
According to the basic principles of karesansui garden design, the raked gravel generally represents water, mossy islets represent land, rocky outcrops usually represent mountains or hills, but sometimes animals. So, perhaps by a stretch of imagination, the scene is supposed to be tiger cubs (the small stones), crowding around the shore (the moss), and attempting to cross the river (the raked gravel, and the flowing lines).
There is a small and rather austere karesansui garden next to the Ko-hojo, called the Nyoshintei (如心庭). But beyond the Ko-hojo is a larger inner garden, the Rokudo-tei (六道庭), which represents the Buddhist concept of the Six Realms of Reincarnation (the Rokudo Rinne). The other gardens, the Kegon-tei (華厳庭) and Ryugin-tei (龍吟庭) are also quite beautiful. The pictures of these gardens can be seen elsewhere, in another post.
I think I am able to understand (and appreciate) the fusama panels in the Dai-hojo and Ko-hojo far better. The fusama panels in the Dai-hojo are reputedly painted by Kano Motonobu (1476-1559), Kano Eitoku (1543-1590) and Kano Tan'yu (1602-1674), the celebrated "three famous brushes" of the Kano school. The Ko-hojo has the Tiger Room and Crane Room, both containing particularly renowned fusama panels by Kano Tan'yu. I did not take a picture of them, however.
I also loved the garden at Nanzenin (南禅院). Most of the coach-tour tourists mainly stayed at the main areas of Nanzenji, so Nanzenin was relatively peaceful and tranquil.
It is a stroll garden, that is said to be representative of such gardens in the late Kamakura era (1185-1333). In the middle of the dragon-shaped pond (named Sogen-chi) are two islands, called Horai Island and Shinji Island. And the garden contains Emperor Kameyama's mausoleum.
We also visited Tenjuan (天授庵), another sub-temple that is also known for its gardens. Also relatively undisturbed by the coach-tour tourists!
Tenjuan's East Garden (東庭) is a karesansui garden with square stones bordered by moss set in a sea of raked gravel, said to have been designed by Kobori Enshū (小堀 遠州; 1579-1647). If you find his name familiar, it's because he was the renowned Japanese artist and courtier who designed the gardens of Sento Imperial Palace (which we also visited on this trip).
Near the Shoin is the South Garden (南庭), a stroll garden with paths that wind around 2 ponds. The South Garden apparently epitomises 14th century garden landscaping in Kyoto.
It was also relatively tranquil, undisturbed by the many tourists that were at Nanzenji. I took a leisurely stroll through the garden. Of all its features, I especially liked the stone bridge, which I found unique.
At the end of the stone bridge was a small bamboo grove, where I stood watching the sunlight shine through the leaves, and the play of light and shadows on the mossy ground. The mossy ground was covered with fallen autumn leaves and little acorns - and I confess, I was half-expecting some small Totoros to jump out and carry the acorns off!
More on our visit to Nanzenji, and its sub-temples Nanzenin and Tenjuan, click here.
After our visit to Nanzenji, Hubby and I headed for dinner at Gogyo (五行). It's not the first time we have tried the kogashi miso ramen there (first time was during our May 2016 trip).
As previously described, the miso is cooked in 300 deg C lard, resulting in an almost black broth, with a layer of char-speckled oil floating on top.
This second time didn't bring me any closer to loving it. The fact that I'm not so hot about burnt miso ramen was the impetus for us to push Shodai Keisuke off our Tokyo food list for this trip. (Okay, I persuaded Hubby to push it off the list, but it's still on the books for some other time.)
Our last momijigari stop in Kyoto was at Kitano Tenmangu (北野天満宮), to catch the autumn views at the Momiji-en.
This would be our second visit to Kitano Tenmangu. Our first trip had been in December 2012; back then, Hubby and I both visited and (on a whim) went up to the honden to ring the bell and wish for academic success - I was back at school, and he was off to do his Masters.
Kitano Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane (菅原 道真; 845-903), a scholar, poet and court official in the Heian era. I won't repeat the story of Michizane's deification since I'll be posting it elsewhere. But I will mention here that Michizane was subsequently deified as Tenman-Tenjin (天満天神), the Shinto kami for learning or scholarship.
The shrine is especially popular during examination season (because Tenjin is the kami of scholarship, duh) and in early spring (Feb-Mar) due to the plum tree grove (the Bai-en). The plum tree was Michizane's favourite tree, so Tenmangū shrines always have plum trees on their grounds.
But Kitano Tenmangu is also popular in autumn because of the Momiji-en, which is opened to the public during peak autumn. The maple trees surround the remains of the Odoi (御土居), an earthen moat system built in 1951 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉), one of Japan's three unifiers during the Sengoku period.
More about our time at Kitano Tenmangu, click here.
Final day in Kyoto, we head to the station to catch the noon-time shinkansen to Tokyo, where the next phase of our trip begins. But just as we were about to step into the (vast) Kyoto Station, something caught my eye, and I went to have a closer look.
So outside Kyoto Station, on display is a 1/10th scale replica of the Rajomon (羅城門). Built in 789, the Rajomon was the main city gate to Heian-kyo, Japan's ancient capital (present-day Kyoto). The gate had 2 storeys, 8 pillars and a pair of roofs with gables and eaves - architecturally, it followed ancient Chinese architecture. It was also massive, measuring around around 50m wide, 24m high and 21m deep (according to the explanatory sign next to it).
It used to face Kujo-dori and from the gate Suzaku-oji (朱雀大路) stretched northwards to the Daidairi (大内裏), the imperial palace and the seat of government at the time. The 84m-wide Suzaku-oji was the central thoroughfare in Heian-kyo and was flanked by offices and imperial villas, as well as 2 temples, Toji to the east and Saiji to the west.
The Rajomon was destroyed by a typhoon in 816, but after reconstruction, it was again destroyed by a storm in 980. It gradually fell into ruin as Heian-kyo declined and the area around Suzaku-oji fell into disrepair. By the 12th century, the gate had become an unsavoury place as a hideout for bandits and a place where people abandoned unwanted babies and corpses.
Today, the Rajomon no longer exists, not even its foundation stone. The only indicator of where this symbol of Heian-kyo once stood is a small stone marker in a small park on Kujo-dori, 5-min west of Toji.
Autumn-viewing, autumn leaf-viewing, leaf-peeping - or whatever it's called in English. In Japan, it's called momijigari (紅葉狩り), and is like the autumn version of hanami in spring. The kanji characters for "momijigari" literally means "red leaf hunting" or "maple hunting".
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| Momijigari, the Japanese pastime of autumn-viewing |
Momijigari is a traditional Japanese pastime that dates back to the Heian era (794-1185). Back then, it was popular for the aristocracy to go boating in landscaped gardens, play/compose music, and compose/recite poetry while admiring the autumn colours. (So, now we know why stroll gardens with large ponds were also so popular in the Heian era.)
In the Edo era, the pastime spread to the common people, and with the advancement in transportation in the Meiji era, the Japanese were able to travel further afield to visit places famous for the autumn foliage.
On this trip in Kyoto (and later, in Tokyo as well), we visited several sites (mostly temples) so I could get my fill of autumn. But of course, we also had fun eating our fill, and I went in search of some fabric again.
TOFUKUJI
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| Tofukuji, Kyoto |
Tofukuji takes its name from 2 temples in Nara: Todaiji and Kofukuji. (We visited both in December 2014, and I was super amazed by the daibutsden at Todaiji).
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| View from the Tsutenkyo. |
Tofukuji is a popular autumn spot among local and foreign tourists alike, so it was pretty crowded. At peak autumn, the views from the Tsutenkyo and the opposite bridge are popular because the valley below is filled with maples.
Unfortunately, when we were there, it was already past peak autumn, so many of the trees had already shed most of their leaves. But it still made a beautiful sight to me.
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| The karesansui garden at Tofukuji |
We also visited the gardens at the Kaizendo: a karesansui garden with a checkerboard-like pattern, and a pond garden covered with stones and lush, bright green moss. These were said to have been reconstructed sometime in the Edo era (1603-1867).
Tofukuji is also known for the Hojo (resconstructed in 1890) and its 4 different gardens, which had been recreated by Shigemori Mirei (重森 三玲; 1896-1975) in the late 1930s.
More on our day at Tofukuji, click here.
KIYOMIZUDERA
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| Kiyomizudera |
It was founded in the early Heian period by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (坂上 田村麻呂; 758-811), a general and shogun who served under Emperor Kanmu (桓武天皇; reigned 773-781). But its current buildings were built in 1633, under the command of the 3rd Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光; 1604-1651).
Needless to say, Kiyomizudera is a very popular tourist spot, not only for autumn-viewing, but also the hondobutai (本堂舞台). The hondobutai is the main wonder - the verandah is constructed solely of wood, without nails, and juts out from the main hall, some 13m above the hillside.
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| View of the hondobutai of Kiyomizudera |
Not my first time visiting Kiyomizudera - Hubby and I have been here in late December 2012. It was not long after I started collecting Blythe and I did not bring one with me. Well, so in a way, this visit was a first: first time with a Blythe, and first time during autumn!
On a side note, we actually didn't enjoy this 2nd visit because it was over-crowded. Over the past 6 years, Japan has seen a major increase in PRC tourists, many of whom come in coach tours. Loud, rude, uncivilised, provincial bumpkins with this horrible "I have money, so I am king" mentality. 凸(╬ﾟ◥皿◤ﾟ)凸 No tree-climbing or defecating in open public spaces - thank the heavens - but pushing, queue-jumping, snatching, grabbing, shouting, getting onto places that are off-limits, yes, you name it. They descend like locusts and utterly destroy the landscape or buy up everything (most recently, aged Japanese whisky). (╬ﾟ◥益◤ﾟ) ╬ﾟ
Anyway, I prefer not to remember the unpleasant episodes, especially when there is little I can do to prevent it. I read that the Chinese government is attempting to educate their subjects. However, I think it will take decades to undo this behaviour, which can be said to stem from the breakdown of social order and Mao Zedong's rejection of Confucianism and such other schools of thought, and of intellectuals during the Cultural Revolution, the hukou system, the lack of education and exposure to foreign cultures, and now the increasing socio-economic inequality.
More on our day at Kiyomizudera, click here.
SOHONZAN KOMYOJI
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| The Momiji Path, Sohonzan Komyoji |
Sohonzan Komyoji was first built in 1198 by Kumagai no Jiro Naozane (熊谷 次郎 直実; 1141-1208), a close disciple of Honen (法然; 1133-1212) the founder of Jodo Buddhism. Before becoming a monk, Kumagai had been a samurai who had served the Minamoto (Seiwa Genji) clan, most renowned for his exploits in the Genpei War (源平合戦; 1180-1185).
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| The maples at Sohonzan Komyoji |
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| The maples at Sohonzan Komyoji |
The grounds of Komyoji are quite large, with a lot of buildings and halls. I didn't manage to visit all of them, and didn't keep track either.
There're a lot of maples all around Komyoji. But we spent the most time at the Momiji Path, a maple tree-lined path between the Yakui-mon and the Enma-do. Although not all the trees had turned yet, it was still very beautiful. Totally worth the trip out there!
More on our day at Komyoji, click here.
RAMEN SEN NO KAZE & NOMURA TAILOR
It has a queue system which is super simple: take a queue number (from 1 to 20, they recycle the numbers), when it's your turn, they call out your number. We got number 1 - but that was after I don't know how many rounds of recycling.
We waited around 1.5 hours. Hubby had the Miso Tama (right), and I chose the Kyo no Shio (right). The ramen was very good - I like it much more than some others I've eaten. And I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves ramen.
But was the ramen worth the 1.5-hour wait in the cold? It's very difficult for me to answer that in the affirmative. The last time we waited so-very-long in the cold for a bowl of great ramen was Fuunji in Shibuya. And our no. 1 favourite is still Kagari in Ginza. And unfortunately, for me, these 2 have set a standard that is hard to beat.
While we stood around waiting for our turn at Sen no Kaze, I did wander off to explore the Teramachi area. And I naturally also made my way to Nomura Tailor along Shijo, the fabric shop I chanced upon during our May 2016 trip. I did find myself some lovely Japanese cotton and satin brocades, but I tried to refrain from going overboard.... I still have tons left from my many fabric hunting trips!
EIKANDO ZENRINJI
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| Eikando Zenrinji |
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| The Hojo-ike, Bentensha and Tahoto Pagoda, view during autumn illumination |
Subsequently, in 863, Emperor Seiwa (清和天皇; reigned 858-876) approved the founding of the temple and granted it the name "Zenrinji". Its name later became Eikando after its 7th head priest Yokan (永観; 1033-1111) whose name could also be read as "Eikan". Although Eikando was originally a Shingon Buddhist temple, in 1224 or later, Eikando slowly became a Jodo Buddhist temple.
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| Fall foliage around the Kakujudai, during the day |
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| Part of the queue for the evening autumn illumination |
Yes, when we visited during the evening illumination, it was very crowded, and also had hordes of coach-tour tourists. Although Eikando's grounds are quite large, it was still quite a squeeze during the evening illumination.
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| The karesansui garden at Eikando Zenrinji |
I much preferred our visit in the daytime - we dropped by in the late afternoon, and far less crowded. Also, one of the halls was open, so we were able to enter and visit the gardens within - a karesansui garden and a pond garden. Both small but quite picturesque.
More on our time at Eikando Zenrinji, click here.
WAGYU AT HAFUU HONTEN
Hafuu is a mix of traditional and modern, in both their decor and their food. They have been in business for over a century, and the chef owns a meat shop - where they get their meat supply from.
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| Hafuu Honten |
When we arrived (per our reservation), we were seated at the bar counter, right in front of the teppanyaki grill and the chef. There were 3 (I think) courses to choose from. I honestly can't remember which course we chose, but I think it was the Nikusenka course.
We had an amuse bouche but unfortunately I didn't take a picture (gobbled it down instinctively, ooops.)
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| Hafuu Honten |
First course was the lightly roasted wagyu beef, cooked perfectly rare and had this smoky wok hei flavour that usually only comes from a well-seasoned grill.
The accompanying condiments were wasabi, julienned daikon, and salt; the sauces were shoyu with garlic, shoyu with vinegar, and miso sauce. If I am not wrong, I think the miso sauce had a slight sesame aroma.
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| Hafuu Honten |
Second course was the grilled salted gyutan, glazed tama onions, and sprinkled with negi. The sauce was a mix of shoyu and mirin.
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| Hafuu Honten |
Third was a creamy soup sprinkled with rice puffs and chives. I confess that I forgot what kind of soup it was! Could've been cauliflower or daikon. Haha. All I remember was that it was delicious and smooth, and was perfect on such a cold day.
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| Hafuu Honten |
After that was the star of the course: wagyu sirloin steak and wagyu filet steak - perfectly grilled, and topped with garlic chips. It was delicious, the slight crunch of the seared surface giving way to the buttery richness of the meat. But as with fatty meat, it did get too rich and heavy as I progressed past the halfway point of my sirloin.
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| Hafuu Honten |
For dessert, Hubby and I were served different desserts. I didn't take a picture of his, but it was crème brûlée with raspberry ice cream. My dessert was pannacotta with blueberry compote and ice cream (coffee I think).
So, Hafuu's other signatures are the beef katsu, beef katsu-sando, and hayashi rice. Would've liked to try the beef katsu, but I suppose I'll have to save that for our next trip!
SHUGAKUIN IMPERIAL VILLA
On one lovely morning, we visited Shugakuin Imperial Villa (or Shugakuin Rikyū) via the Imperial Household Agency tour, which we booked in advance.
This trip we visited 3 imperial properties in Kyoto and 1 in Tokyo: Shugakuin, Sento Imperial Palace (below), Kyoto Imperial Palace (below), and Tokyo Imperial Palace. The 4th imperial property in Kyoto is Katsura Imperial Villa, but we did not book a tour for it. In hindsight, a pity, as it would make a good point of comparison with Manshuin Monzeki (which we visited this trip, as below).
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| The Kyakuden at the Middle Villa with the celebrated Kasumidana, Shugakuin Imperial Villa |
Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮) was constructed in 1655-1659 for the retired Emperor Go-Mizunoo (後水尾天皇; reigned 1611-1629). There are three villas at different altitudes, each with their own gardens: the Lower Villa, Middle Villa and Upper Villa.
Shugakuin is situated at the foothills of the Higashiyama mountains, with a view of Mt Hiei. The surrounding scenery was incorporated into the garden design of Shugakuin, in a gardening technique called shakkei. Shugakuin's gardens, in particular the Upper Garden, are considered some of the best examples of shakkei.
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| The Upper Garden, Shugakuin Imperial Villa |
Of all 3 gardens, the best (and also my favourite) is the Upper Garden, which is centred around a large pond called the Yokuryuchi. In the middle of the Yokuryuchi are two islands whose shapes are said to resemble a swimming dragon.
The Upper Garden is one of the best examples of the Edo period stroll garden (chisen-kaiyū-shiki-teien). The Upper Garden was where Japanese courtiers gathered to play/compose music and recite/compose poetry as they floated on the pond in boats. It is also one of the best examples of shakkei, with the surrounding Higashiyama mountains and the distant view of other mountain ranges.
MANSHUIN MONZEKI
After our visit to Shugakuin, we headed for Manshuin Monzeki, which was about 1km away. We walked, and it kind of felt very far. We did pass some cosmos along the way, growing in clumps in someone's backyard and along the roads.
Manshuin Monzeki (曼殊院 門跡) was founded in 728 by Dengyo Daishi (伝教大師) (767-822), the Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai sect in Japan. It used to be named Tobibo, and used to be located near Enryakuji on Mt Hiei (which we have also visited back in December 2014).
Manshuin is a monzeki temple, which means that at some point its head priest(s) were of imperial or aristocratic lineage. The Manshuin information pamphlet stated that the head priest in 957 was Zesan Kokushi, a member of the Sugawara clan, a noble Japanese clan.
During the Edo era, its head priest was Prince Ryosho. He was the son of Prince Hachijo Toshihito (八条宮 智仁親王), the nephew of Emperor Go-Yozei (後陽成天皇), and grandson of Emperor Ogimachi (正親町天皇). His father, Toshihito, was the founder of the Katsura Imperial Villa.
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| The "Tiger Room" (Great Vestibule), with fusama panels by Kano Eitoku |
Manshuin is considered to be a great example of Shoin architecture - an architectural style that is characterised by tatami floors, removable fusama doors, study tables, staggered shelves and tokonoma. The legacy of the Shoin style is such that today's traditional Japanese style room continues to bear the characteristics of the Shoin style.
The various rooms in Manshuin contain painted fusama panels and byobu (folding screens) by eminent Japanese artists, including Kano school masters and Edo era masters.
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| Kamejima at Manshuin's karesansui garden |
Manshuin's karesansui garden was designed by Prince Ryosho. Rising from the raked gravel are 2 mossy islands, Tsurushima and Kamejima. On Tsurushima is a 400-year-old Japanese white pine, planted to resemble a crane's neck.
More on our visit to Manshuin Monzeki, click here.
IWAKURA JISSOIN
We also stopped by another monzeki temple, Jissoin (実相院), located in Iwakura, in northeast of Kyoto. Despite a constant stream of visitors, however, it was still relatively peaceful and quiet as it is a little off the beaten track. Most of the visitors were locals, and there were no coach-bus tourists also.
Successive generations of Jissoin's head priests have been related to the Imperial family, and Jissoin has also long been called Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki, Iwakura Monzeki, and Iwakura Goten. ("Goten" means palace.)
Jissoin was founded in 1229 by Buddhist priest Joki (静基僧正), and was formerly located near the Kyoto Imperial Palace (which we also visited this trip), but relocated to its present site during the Onin War (1467-1477). The temple had apparently been reconstructed by Furuichi Taneko (古市胤子; 1583-1658), a consort of Emperor Go-Yozei (後陽成天皇; reigned 1586-1611), with the assistance of the 3rd Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川家光; 1604-1651). Various buildings at Jissoin were also formerly part of the Omiya Palace.
There are 2 gardens at Jissoin, a karesansui garden and a stroll garden (the chisen-kaiyū-shiki-teien). Both gardens are popular in autumn.
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| The stroll garden at Jissoin |
During our visit, however, it was a little past peak autumn, so the foliage at the stroll garden had mostly fallen, leaving behind bare trees at the back of the garden. Pity because they would've made a beautiful contrast against the lush green.
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| The karesansui garden at Jissoin |
The karesansui garden is apparently an example of a later Japanese karesansui garden. The fall foliage at the karesansui garden was still lovely, though the ground was also covered with fallen leaves.
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| Fall foliage at Jissoin |
A little further along the hall's verandah (which skirted the side of the karesansui garden, was another view - the entire side of the hall was lined with trees clad in autumn foliage.
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| Fusama panels painted by Kano school artists |
Other than the lovely gardens, we also enjoyed looking at the fusama panels which were painted by Kano school artists. (More can be seen on Jissoin's webpage.) By now, it should be obvious that the Kano school was highly favoured by the Japanese aristocracy, and pretty much set the standard for Japanese paintings for centuries to come.
Overall, however, it seems the condition of the fusama panels at Jissoin and Manshuin are not very good, especially in relation to those at Nanzenji, which we also visited. My guess is the lack of funding for restoration.
More on our time at Iwakura Jissoin, click here.
SENTO IMPERIAL PALACE
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| Seimon, Sento Imperial Palace |
We also visited Sento Imperial Palace (仙洞御所) which, like the Shugakuin Imperial Villa (above), was built for the retired Emperor Go-Mizunoo. The Palace was completed in 1630, and later became the residence for retired Emperors (Daijo Tenno). Also on the grounds of the Palace is the Omiya Palace (大宮御所), which was built for the Empress Dowager.
Both palaces were destroyed by fire in 1854, along with Kyoto Imperial Palace. Following this, Sento Imperial Palace was not reconstructed (and remains so), and its only remaining buildings are two teahouses, the Seika-tei and the Yushin-tei. However, the Omiya Palace was rebuilt in 1867 for Empress Dowager Eisho (英照皇太后; 1835-1897), empress consort of Emperor Komei and official mother of Emperor Meiji.
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| The wisteria-covered Yatsuhashi at the South Pond |
Sento Imperial Palace is known for its Japanese stroll garden which encircles a large pond that is segmented into the North and South Ponds. Of the two segments, my favourite would be the South Pond. It has actually been seen as the more beautiful of the two, mostly because it has more spots of interest. One of the major spots is the Yatsuhashi, a zigzag stone bridge that is covered by a wisteria arbor.
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| Momijiyama, Sento Imperial Palace |
Close to the Yatsuhashi are many maple trees clustered around an area called Momijiyama. The ground of Momijiyama is mostly moss, so the red foliage and the green moss make a beautiful contrast.
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| View of Seika-tei and Yoshijima from Nakajima, the South Pond |
The Yatsuhashi also leds us to Nakajima, an islet in the middle of the South Pond. From there, we get a view of a scattering of beautifully shaped rocks, and Yoshijiama, another small islet, seeming to float on the mirror-like surface of the South Pond. Beyond Yoshijima, the view continues to the Suhama, a "seashore" of light grey rounded pebbles, and a glimpse of the Seika-tei teahouse.
Of course the fact that there are several maples still clad in their brilliant red foliage makes it a much more beautiful sight.
More on Sento Imperial Palace, click here.
KYOTO IMPERIAL PALACE & GARDEN
After Sento Imperial Palace (above), we visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace - the 2 are after all in the exact same vicinity. Also, Kyoto Imperial Palace is free and does not require a tour or an appointment with the Imperial Household Agency. Apparently, it was so popular that they decided to do away with the requirement.
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| Kyoto Imperial Palace |
Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所) was the former imperial residence of the Japanese Emperor. Since the original imperial palace, the Heian Palace (平安宮), was abandoned in the late 12th century, the Imperial Palace has been officially located in or near its present site. The Palace had been destroyed by fire, and rebuilt, many times; and the existing one dates back to 1855 and was reconstructed in the Heian era architectural style of the Heian Palace.
However, since the Meiji Restoration in 1868, and the Emperor's relocation to the Tokyo Imperial Palace (which we also visited this trip), the Palace has lost most of its functions.
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| The Shishinden, Kyoto Imperial Palace |
After 1868, the existing main buildings were no longer used, save for the Shishinden (紫宸殿). The Shishinden was used for the enthronement ceremonies of the Emperor Taisho (大正天皇) in 1915, and the Emperor Showa (昭和天皇) in 1928.
In terms of architecture, the present Shishinden is a reconstruction of the architectural style of the Heian period (794-1185). The original Shinshinden (constructed in the Heian period) became the prototype of the shinden-zukuri style of architecture, which greatly influenced the architectural style adopted by the Japanese aristocracy in that era. Flanking the stairs to the Shishinden are 2 sacred trees, the ukon no tachibana (mandarin tree), to the east, and the sakon no sakura (cherry tree), to the west.
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| Oikeniwa, Kyoto Imperial Palace |
The Palace complex is truly, IMO, a life-sized museum that showcases court life in 12th to 18th century Japan. Within the Palace, there are still several buildings, including their various painted screens and doors, and the 2 Japanese stroll gardens with their own ponds (the Oikeniwa and the Gonaitei).
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| Fall foliage at Kyoto Gyoen |
The Palace is situated in the Kyoto Imperial Palace Garden (Kyoto Gyoen). The entire area used to be the residential area of members of the Imperial family and other court nobles, but after the Emperor's relocation to Tokyo following the Meiji Restoration (as mentioned), most of the residences were demolished or removed. Work to preserve the Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Garden was subsequently made. In 1947, Kyoto Gyoen was made a public national park, along with the imperial parks Kokyo Gaien and Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo (which we also visited this trip).
More on Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Gyoen, click here.
TAKASHIMAYA SHIJO RESUTORANGAI
When Hubby and I are at a loss for a place to eat in Kyoto, we tend to just head to Takashimaya at Shijo-dori. (If not Takashimaya, then Daimaru.) Not only because it has an awesome food basement, but also because on the 7th floor is the its restaurant floor.
So the lowdown is this: almost all Japanese department stores are a veritable food paradise. They will have a food basement and a restaurant floor. And that's not counting the cafes tucked away on the various other floors.
The food basement is where the department store sells all kinds of snacks, sweets, pastries, confections, various foods, teas, coffees, and what-not. The perfect place to buy an edible snack or edible souvenir for yourself to munch on, or as omiyage. And then there is the restaurant floor, or the resutoran-gai (レストラン階) as the Japanese say. It is literally, an entire level comprising solely of restaurants.
There are a number of good restaurants on Takashimaya's resutoran-gai. Hubby and I have eaten at the Mishima-Tei branch here, though the dining experience at the honten in Teramachi is way better.
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| Proscuitto ham & fig, Al Porto Caffe |
This time, we hopped into the Italian restaurant called Al Porto Caffe, located somewhere opposite Mishima-Tei.
So anyway, the food was good, decent. Japanese-style Italian, not like, Italian Italian. We shared the appetiser of proscuitto ham and figs. I think the menu said melon, but I suspect they ran out. Figs do just fine for me; I love figs. (But not poor Hubby.)
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| Mushrom Aglio Olio, Al Porto Caffe |
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| Al Porto Caffe |
For our mains, we both got a pasta each - a mushroom aglio olio spaghetti for me, and something else for Hubby. Can't remember his dish, except it had zucchini in it. I tried some of his pasta and found that I much preferred his choice over mine.
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| Proscuitto, with rocket and ricotta cheese pizza, Al Porto Caffe |
We were both still hungry so we decided to share a pizza. My choice - proscuitto, with rocket and ricotta cheese. We were both expecting the rocket to be raw and sprinkled on top (as is usually the case), so I was somewhat surprised when our pizza came, and the rocket was actually cooked. Flavour of cooked rocket is quite different from fresh rocket. In fact, I think I prefer it cooked. The bitterness is much more mellow, and there was a slight sweetness, and a freshness. Can't really think of how to describe it. But it does bring to mind how certain vegetables taste so different raw vs cooked - like iceberg lettuce and tang'ho (chrysanthemum leaves, known as shungiku in Japan).
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| Tiramisu, Al Porto Caffe |
Anyway, my favourite had to be the tiramisu. A sort of modernised take of it anyway, with the cloud of mascarpone cream covering the soaked, super bitter sponge beneath, and scattered with fresh berries and mint sprigs. By itself, the mascarpone was too rich, too sweet; and the sponge too bitter. Perfect together though! I really liked that it was just a simple and straightforward dessert, but well prepared and thought-out.
In hindsight, I think I actually prefer this dessert over all the desserts we had at Tapas Molecular Bar (later on, during the Tokyo leg of our trip). (So, you see, Michelin stars are not a warranty for food quality, especially the one-star range.)
NANZENJI, NANZENIN & TENJUAN
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| At the Sanmon of Nanzenji |
Another popular autumn spot we visited was Zuiryuzan Taiheikokoku Nanzenzenji (瑞龍山 太平興国南禅禅寺) or, more commonly, Nanzenji (南禅寺).
Nanzenji is a Zen Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect. It was founded in 1291 by Emperor Kameyama (亀山天皇), and the site was formerly an imperial villa, Zenrinjiden (禅林寺殿), built in 1624. The original buildings of Nanzenji were completely destroyed by fire during the Muromachi period, particularly in 1393, 1448 and 1467. Most (if not all) of the current buildings date after the Onin War (1467-1477).
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| The Suirokaku at Nanzenji |
What Nanzenji has that is different from the other temples in Kyoto is a red brick aqueduct, the Suirokaku (水路閣), built in the style of an ancient Roman raised aqueduct. I later learnt that it was built in 1890, during the Meiji era (1868-1912). It was part of the Lake Biwa Canal (琵琶湖疏水), which was built around the same time, to transport water, goods and passengers between Lake Biwa to Kyoto, and to provide Kyoto with electricity. I was even more amazed to learn that the Suirokaku continues to supply Kyoto with water to this day!
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| Toranoko-watashi-no-niwa, Dai-hojo, Nanzenji |
Nanzenji is best known for its gardens and the painted fusama panels. Of its gardens, the karesansui garden at the Dai-hojo is the most well known, being designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 1951 (before I was even born!).
The garden is called the Toranoko-watashi-no-niwa (虎の子渡しの庭) because it depicts tiger cubs crossing a river. I find the garden beautiful and restful. However, I simply cannot see tiger cubs crossing a river.... ( O__O )ゞ゛
According to the basic principles of karesansui garden design, the raked gravel generally represents water, mossy islets represent land, rocky outcrops usually represent mountains or hills, but sometimes animals. So, perhaps by a stretch of imagination, the scene is supposed to be tiger cubs (the small stones), crowding around the shore (the moss), and attempting to cross the river (the raked gravel, and the flowing lines).
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| Rokudo-tei |
There is a small and rather austere karesansui garden next to the Ko-hojo, called the Nyoshintei (如心庭). But beyond the Ko-hojo is a larger inner garden, the Rokudo-tei (六道庭), which represents the Buddhist concept of the Six Realms of Reincarnation (the Rokudo Rinne). The other gardens, the Kegon-tei (華厳庭) and Ryugin-tei (龍吟庭) are also quite beautiful. The pictures of these gardens can be seen elsewhere, in another post.
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| Painted fusama panels attributed to Kano school masters |
I think I am able to understand (and appreciate) the fusama panels in the Dai-hojo and Ko-hojo far better. The fusama panels in the Dai-hojo are reputedly painted by Kano Motonobu (1476-1559), Kano Eitoku (1543-1590) and Kano Tan'yu (1602-1674), the celebrated "three famous brushes" of the Kano school. The Ko-hojo has the Tiger Room and Crane Room, both containing particularly renowned fusama panels by Kano Tan'yu. I did not take a picture of them, however.
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| Garden at Nanzenin, sub-temple of Nanzenji |
It is a stroll garden, that is said to be representative of such gardens in the late Kamakura era (1185-1333). In the middle of the dragon-shaped pond (named Sogen-chi) are two islands, called Horai Island and Shinji Island. And the garden contains Emperor Kameyama's mausoleum.
We also visited Tenjuan (天授庵), another sub-temple that is also known for its gardens. Also relatively undisturbed by the coach-tour tourists!
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| East Garden, Tenjuan, sub-temple of Nanzenji |
Tenjuan's East Garden (東庭) is a karesansui garden with square stones bordered by moss set in a sea of raked gravel, said to have been designed by Kobori Enshū (小堀 遠州; 1579-1647). If you find his name familiar, it's because he was the renowned Japanese artist and courtier who designed the gardens of Sento Imperial Palace (which we also visited on this trip).
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| South Garden, Tenjuan, sub-temple of Nanzenji |
Near the Shoin is the South Garden (南庭), a stroll garden with paths that wind around 2 ponds. The South Garden apparently epitomises 14th century garden landscaping in Kyoto.
It was also relatively tranquil, undisturbed by the many tourists that were at Nanzenji. I took a leisurely stroll through the garden. Of all its features, I especially liked the stone bridge, which I found unique.
At the end of the stone bridge was a small bamboo grove, where I stood watching the sunlight shine through the leaves, and the play of light and shadows on the mossy ground. The mossy ground was covered with fallen autumn leaves and little acorns - and I confess, I was half-expecting some small Totoros to jump out and carry the acorns off!
More on our visit to Nanzenji, and its sub-temples Nanzenin and Tenjuan, click here.
GOGYO'S BURNT MISO RAMEN
After our visit to Nanzenji, Hubby and I headed for dinner at Gogyo (五行). It's not the first time we have tried the kogashi miso ramen there (first time was during our May 2016 trip).
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| Burnt miso ramen at Gogyo, Kyoto | |
As previously described, the miso is cooked in 300 deg C lard, resulting in an almost black broth, with a layer of char-speckled oil floating on top.
This second time didn't bring me any closer to loving it. The fact that I'm not so hot about burnt miso ramen was the impetus for us to push Shodai Keisuke off our Tokyo food list for this trip. (Okay, I persuaded Hubby to push it off the list, but it's still on the books for some other time.)
KITANO TENMANGU
Our last momijigari stop in Kyoto was at Kitano Tenmangu (北野天満宮), to catch the autumn views at the Momiji-en.
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| Kitano Tenmangu |
This would be our second visit to Kitano Tenmangu. Our first trip had been in December 2012; back then, Hubby and I both visited and (on a whim) went up to the honden to ring the bell and wish for academic success - I was back at school, and he was off to do his Masters.
Kitano Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane (菅原 道真; 845-903), a scholar, poet and court official in the Heian era. I won't repeat the story of Michizane's deification since I'll be posting it elsewhere. But I will mention here that Michizane was subsequently deified as Tenman-Tenjin (天満天神), the Shinto kami for learning or scholarship.
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| Momiji-en, Kitano Tenmangu |
The shrine is especially popular during examination season (because Tenjin is the kami of scholarship, duh) and in early spring (Feb-Mar) due to the plum tree grove (the Bai-en). The plum tree was Michizane's favourite tree, so Tenmangū shrines always have plum trees on their grounds.
But Kitano Tenmangu is also popular in autumn because of the Momiji-en, which is opened to the public during peak autumn. The maple trees surround the remains of the Odoi (御土居), an earthen moat system built in 1951 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉), one of Japan's three unifiers during the Sengoku period.
More about our time at Kitano Tenmangu, click here.
KYOTO STATION
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| Catching the Nozomi to Tokyo! |
Final day in Kyoto, we head to the station to catch the noon-time shinkansen to Tokyo, where the next phase of our trip begins. But just as we were about to step into the (vast) Kyoto Station, something caught my eye, and I went to have a closer look.
So outside Kyoto Station, on display is a 1/10th scale replica of the Rajomon (羅城門). Built in 789, the Rajomon was the main city gate to Heian-kyo, Japan's ancient capital (present-day Kyoto). The gate had 2 storeys, 8 pillars and a pair of roofs with gables and eaves - architecturally, it followed ancient Chinese architecture. It was also massive, measuring around around 50m wide, 24m high and 21m deep (according to the explanatory sign next to it).
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| Rajomon | 羅城門 |
It used to face Kujo-dori and from the gate Suzaku-oji (朱雀大路) stretched northwards to the Daidairi (大内裏), the imperial palace and the seat of government at the time. The 84m-wide Suzaku-oji was the central thoroughfare in Heian-kyo and was flanked by offices and imperial villas, as well as 2 temples, Toji to the east and Saiji to the west.
The Rajomon was destroyed by a typhoon in 816, but after reconstruction, it was again destroyed by a storm in 980. It gradually fell into ruin as Heian-kyo declined and the area around Suzaku-oji fell into disrepair. By the 12th century, the gate had become an unsavoury place as a hideout for bandits and a place where people abandoned unwanted babies and corpses.
Today, the Rajomon no longer exists, not even its foundation stone. The only indicator of where this symbol of Heian-kyo once stood is a small stone marker in a small park on Kujo-dori, 5-min west of Toji.
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More on Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn, November 2016
- I. Yokohama & the Miho Museum - Chinatown
(Heichinrou, Yokohama Mazu Temple) ● Yamashita Park ● Zou-no-Hana ●
Osanbashi Pier ● Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses ● Miho Museum
- II. Kyoto - Tofukuji ● Kiyomizudera ● Sohonzan Komyoji ● Eikando Zenrinji ● Manshuin Monzeki ● Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki ● Nanzenji, Nanzenin & Tenjuan ● Kitano Tenmangu ● Shugakuin Imperial Villa ● Sento Imperial Palace ● Kyoto Imperial Palace
- III. Tokyo - Tokyo University ● Rikugien ● Tokyo Imperial Palace & the East Gardens ● Kotonoha no Niwa trip to at Shinjuku Gyoen ● Italian at Salvatore Cuomo Bros., XEX Tokyo ● Sushi Masuda ● Nishiazabu Taku (aka Sushi Taku) ● Sushi Nakamura (1st taste of Juyondai) ● Sushi Tokami (1st taste of tossaki) ● molecular gastronomy at Tapas Molecular Bar ● French-Japanese at La Paix, Nihonbashi
- IV: Fuji Five Lakes - Part 1 (Bessho Sasa, revisited) ● Part 2 (Fuji Subaru 5th Station, Motosuko & Koyodai) ● Part 3 (Fujisansaku Park, Motosuko, Shojiko, Saiko, Kawaguchiko)
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