Kyoto Day 1 Part 2

There's a saying (heard from S), Kyoto people have strong legs. I am pretty sure thats correct as most of temples and shrines are on the top of hill or top of flights and flights of stairs. My legs were worn out after the 4th shrine and we stopped to take a ice cream break (but still walking! since it would cost 300 yen more to sit inside the restaurant ! Shocking!). Seems to me Kyoto is even more expensive than Tokyo. 

At one point we passed by a stall that sold crab stick and it looked so tempting and delicious (1 stick for 500 yen $6 sin). As we just had our another dessert break so S refused to let me buy (I was not hungry but really wanted to try).  So i started chanting and chanting and chanting until he agreed when we were walking back, he was saying it must not be real crab as it was too cheap and i said the pictures and sign indicated it was crab.  When we were back at the stall, I read the japanese words and realised S was right, it was fish meat disguised as crab meat! Although the banner had huge crab picture , the words stated beside it was telling the Japanese it was fish meat. At second glance I also realised all the customers queuing were foreigners! Mm.... Not a nice way to cheat tourists... I had nearly became a victim with them. 

magnificent drawing done by a Japanese artist which took him 2 years to complete

directly on roof

spotted geisha being interviewed

think it was international movie festival or something. Alot people in suits

Tea Break!

abit of everything, matcha is Kyoto must try but matcha tea is too bitter even after eating all the sweets

the dessert shop along Gion street

finally the Japanese ladies in kimono started to appear

back at the 1st temple that we went in the morning to collect special stamp

they were in the midst of releasing fishes back to pond

this is the "crab" stick I was talking about! See.. the sign and picture stated crab! 

the ice cream break that required us to continue walking lol... 

Kyoto Day 1 Part 1

Set off in early morning to Kyoto and took rapid train (not Shinkansen) by Hankyu Railway and reached Kyoto in 40 minutes. I always thought going from Osaka to Kyoto the best way is by bullet train and the price is so steep that buying JR Pass is better. Apparently there are many cheaper options available. We left our bags at the hotel and set off on his Shrines/Temples tour. Most of Kyoto main attractions are all shrines and temples and that was precisely great for his shrine otaku tour. He had made a list to visit 6 - 7 shrines at least during our days in Kyoto and had warned me about the numerous slopes and stairs to climb throughout the trip. 

Early morning in Kyoto was serene that's until the peaceful atmosphere was disrupted by multiple groups of tourists then. There were sights of ladies dressed in kimono and I realised most were Taiwanese tourists! Japanese girls only dressed like that only appeared from late afternoon when the sun and heat was not as strong.

Early morning set off from Osaka station

8am quiet Kyoto street

The famous Gion street

Yasaka shrine

Chion temple

waiting for clock to stuck 9am to collect his stamp

Inside Yasaka shrine

Entrance of Kodai temple

one of temple that has less foreign tourists and we were able to walk around and enjoyed

View from Kodai temple

Kyoto Gokoku shrine that worship fallen soldiers 

Kiyomizu temple

Jishu shrine inside the temple

so beautiful!

so long queue and of course we did not join in. 

Osaka Night

Thanks to S reserve army training session, we get to go to Osaka! Or least eat their authentic and famous Osaka takoyaki! We took 1 hour plus flight to Itami airport and used the airport bus (40 mins) to transfer to Osaka station. By the time we settle at our "small, basic with no wifi and conditioner" hotel, it was close to evening. Thereafter we went to famous entertainment district, Namba. The choices were overwhelming and so many tourists including us lol! What's coming to Osaka without eating their takoyaki so we ate one of the takoyaki restaurant before calling a night since S had training the next day. 

Vacation starts now! 

Should be another famous takoyaki store

the one we queued, you have to buy their takoyaki first thereafter moved up to level to eat other stuff. 

S looking bored

subsequent orders 

okonomiyaki also yummy! 

this is another famous version of Takoyaki without the sauces! You can supposed to dab it in the soup given along and eat it. I love it more than the normal type. 

The famous glico icon!

wanted to eat here before we came, but my family persuaded me its only for tourists who doesn't know better and extremely expensive. Here in my countryside it famous for affordable and tasty seafood like scallops, why pay high prices.... But... the shop looked so tempting wasn't it? 

walking back to hotel