Kyoto Part 4

We had to rush to a shrine called Kiomizu-dera. It is well known for its sunset views over Kyoto so we really just wanted to get there to catch it. The traveling in Kyoto was a little difficult as connecting lines sometimes used a bus. We arrived at the bottom of a large hill, and slowly began to climb, i was in agony with my foot and had been awake the best part of 32hours+ aside napping on the hell bus. i did not want to miss the sunset so we pushed on.

on the left hand side of the on the way up to the shrine, there were loads of traditional buildings, mostly shops.








i love shops like this they sell so many different things that chaos theory is the best way to manage it.


After we crossed the main road our path went from 4 lane traffic to two, which soon became one. It seamed the more we climbed the more narrow it became. This was looking back down as we walked up.


Once we turned a corner it was a totaly differant scene, it became crowded, loud and bustling with activity. Shops lined the rest of the narrow path till the shrine.


a older woman making food this looked like a old family business which had been running along time




Then we did it we made it to the top, and the sun was still shining good, we had plenty of time to catch the sunset, so we cleansed ourselves and relaxed and soaked up the views.








This was the view of Kyoto through one of the entrances






We then payed a few hundred yen to pass through further into the shrine. This was well worth the money.













The sun was still far from setting but i started to shoot afew, it's a shame i never took my other camera with me as well, i forgot it. My new camera is not so good at landscape or shooting into strong light, but it did its best i think.


view of the temple from further down the path




view over Kyoto from the temple


the sun setting to the west of the city


After the sun was down, i was ready to give up. I just wanted to rest but we had one more place to go and i was really glad we did. I made Eam ask how much a taxi would be to the Gion district as i was just not up for walking. I was expecting it to be thousands of Yen but it was actually only ¥640 which is just like getting a taxi at home. The taxis in London are more expensive. The driver was a really nice man chatting away with Eamon while i was trying to make sense of it all. On arriving in the Gion district we saw what every tourist goes to Gion for. We were still in the taxi but the driver kindly pulled in and leaned back and told me to make a photo. Unfortunately it was way too dark and even my lovely f1.7 lens at 1600 ISO was unable to make a nice frame. This is the best i could do with LightRoom


Although she was only a Gashia in training, a Maiko it was still a beautiful sight seeing her dressed in her Kimono walking with so much grace.

Gion was very traditional area, the buildings were all two floors high build from wood reminded me of my house in Oshiage. The streets clean as owners would hose them down, they looked after the place much like any business would want the street outside to be clean.












woman hosing down the streets


I think this might have been another Maiko but she never had her face powdered so i wasn't too sure


Gion had such a wonderful atmosphere about it, the low lighting and stillness of it all made it seam you could almost be back in time.



After Gion we needed to find the station and get some food and rest before the hell bus back to Tokyo.

so....how do we get back again...? haha i sniped this i dont think either noticed me


I was so lucky to go to Kyoto i would not have been able to go without Eamon and Charlie booking the bus and arranging things for me, so i am grateful for them sorting this out for me. This bus home was awful i felt so tired but couldn't sleep, i think i was napping but when we arrive in Tokyo i felt like i had not slept in days, and i hadn't because once i got home at about 11am i slept all day and night until 5am the next day. I was up early as we were going to Mt Fuji!