Japan 2019 - Part 2: Kyoto

I’ve always been keen on experiencing the different seasonal changes in Japan and getting a feel for what the “flavour” of the season is. Our last trip had been a classic spring time Sakura trip, hunting cherry blossoms around the country and being overwhelmed by pink everywhere we went. The previous autumn trip had all been about persimmons and pumpkins. As I planned this trip I wasn’t entirely sure what this season would be. We were too late for the famous wisteria blooms and too early for the summer flowers.

Gradually as I explored the gardens of Kyoto further I began to really notice the vibrant greens of the fresh maple trees and the general sense of cooling green calm surrounding me. The sweet shops too were showcasing sweets made with newly picked green tea or wagashi shaped in green maple leaf designs. This time of the year wasn’t about a showy flower display or a particular fruit or vegetable, it seemed to be about a time to just be out forest bathing amidst the green leaves.

As I discovered later on when I was back home and working on my research project that this particular time of the year is indeed all about the fresh green leaves of early summer. So too the newly picked green tea of the season that is the produce being celebrated on the plates served to us. I had naturally gravitated towards the very seasonal motif that is celebrated at that time.

I’ve always loved Kyoto and been drawn to it’s streets and gardens and traditional sweet shops. Yes certain places can get overrun with tourists and if you stick to only the most popular places it can be hard to really experience the quiet beauty it offers. It is still to be found though, wandering down the backstreets or visiting one of the smaller shrines or temples or stepping behind a traditional curtained entrance into one of the old shops.

There is so much to explore in Kyoto and even after four trips now to the city there is still many things on the “to do list” that remain undone. Our time in Kyoto was spent revisiting a few favourite places and discovering some new spots as well.

For our first night in Kyoto we headed down to the Kamo river to eat at a restaurant that specialised in tofu dishes and other classic Kyoto style cuisine. In the summertime the restaurants along the Kamo river open up rear verandahs for dining and other rafts are also temporarily established in order to capture the atmosphere of the river during the warmer months. As this was our first “summer” trip we wanted to experience this for ourselves and we absolutely loved the place we chose. It was a wonderful relaxing dinner and the setting was perfect for soaking up the atmosphere of Kyoto after the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. The tofu dishes in particular were delicious, it’s something that Kyoto does really well and makes you rethink this seemingly humble ingredient.

Each trip to Kyoto I’ve made we’ve always stopped in at the Heian shrine to wander through it’s beautiful stroll garden. It’s always surprised me that despite the huge crowds outside looking at the striking vermillion tori gates, columns and lacquered roof that the garden itself is still tranquil and less crowded. Perhaps people overlook its presence as the entrance is tucked discreetly away on the side, or perhaps everyone just comes for that hit of vibrant colour out the front. I have always enjoyed this garden as I feel it is a great garden to explore around and I’ve been enjoying seeing it in the different seasons and to witness how different areas of the garden really shine as certain plants or trees have their moment to shine. I also think that for a five year old you can’t go past the fun of the giant stepping stones across the pond, feeding turtles and carp from the bridge and running around the looping paths.

Afterwards we turned towards the philosopher’s walk, after our last trip in cherry blossom season it was a relief to see the walk was quiet and peaceful this time, uncluttered by masses of people trying to snap pink blossoms. We could actually wander and appreciate the walk the way it should be - an advantage to travelling out of the peak tourist season. At the end of the walk we enjoyed a snack of toasted onigri rice balls before wandering around the silver pavilion, another one of my favourites that I think is a good representation of the Kyoto temple garden for Aiden to experience.

The view of Kyoto from the Silver Pavillion, Ginkakujicho.

The next day we embarked on discovering a new corner of Kyoto, the northern mountain outskirts of Mount Hiei and Kibuneguchi on the slopes of Mount Kurama.

We headed up on the Eizan Kurama Line first to Kibuneguchi. The train is really small and sweet and winds up through the mountains and through a famous maple leaf tunnel - the green leaves of the maples being just as attractive in summertime as the the later colours of autumn. After the train there is a short bus ride that takes you a bit further up the hill but after that the journey is on foot but it is the most magnificent walk. The road follows the river as it tumbles down the mountain, bubbling through the shady trees and banks. This is a place to be visited during the summertime, a place to escape the heat and be refreshed by the shade and the cooling water. Restaurants and cafes have built large rafts right out over the river so that you can dine above the water. One of the most famous spots here is Hirobun which is known for it’s noodles that rush along bamboo pipes and you have to catch them. It really was the most magnificent experience, to sit right infront of this waterfall and catch the noodles and dip them into the sauce. So simple and yet so sublime. I’ve always loved waterfalls and to be this close to one and to experience a meal with the water rushing before you and bubbling away underneath you - I was in raptures and could have sat there for hours if possible but like many places in Japan there is a set way of eating and you have a designated ‘turn’ in front of the waterfall and time to eat your noodles.

We wandered slowly back down the mountain again, still bathing in the lush green tones of the river and stopped in at the Kifune Shrine to write a few more prayers and enjoy the tranquility of this area. The trip up here was one of our holiday highlights that we will remember fondly for many years to come.

The cable car ride up to Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto.

Back on the main Eizan line we headed across to Mount Hiei to take the connecting funicular and cable car ride to the top. The main temple was closed on the day we visited but there was a flower garden at the top overlooking Lake Biwa and being a flower lover I was quite content to walk among the blooms. Much of the garden has been designed as a recreation of Monet’s Giverny and here European flowers nestled in amidst some more local varieties.

Lake Biwa viewed from Mount Hiei and scenes from the flower garden.

Flowers blooming at the flower garden, Mount Hiei

Back in the city centre we headed out for an izakaya style dinner at a place we had walked past on our first night that caught our eye. Geoff loved the different types of cuttlefish and octopus as these are one of his favourites to eat and he enjoyed the different styles including tempura, pickled, slow cooked and sashimi style. I always enjoy a good tea-rice dish and my son enjoyed the seafood stew cooked at the table and watching the butter melt and create the sauce for the dish. For Aiden though the highlight of the day had to be finally finding an ice-cream vending machine.

For our last day in Kyoto we started the morning off with a walking tour organised by our hotel of the old shops. We started in the grounds of the old Imperial Palace to hear about the history and the relationship between the ruling elite and the shops that supplied them. We then visited a lacquerware studio, an incense producer and a shop that sold the accompanying accessories for using incense.

In the afternoon we hired some bicycles to explore the backstreets further and stop in at one of my favourite cafes - Zenkashion. This tranquil sweetshop balances traditional techniques and styles with a contemporary twist. It’s lovely to sit and enjoy afternoon tea here overlooking the small rock garden. We ordered a mix of things including the castella cake, warabi mochi and the seasonal speciality - tastes of green tea.

For our final night’s dinner we were all craving some more delicious tofu so we headed to Umenohana on Karasuma-dori to order a range of different tofu dishes as well as the other classic Kyoto dish - Ayu, grilled sweetfish. The little tofu dumpling in the central bottom row was seriously one of the most delicious things we’ve eaten and we had to order more of these as Aiden had also decided it was the best food and he wanted to demolish many more of them, as we all could have.