A (2019) HalloXmas trip to Asia - Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo! - COMPLETED 5/1!!!

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

It also feels like the longer I'm away from home, the more likely to get iffy days.

I can understand that! I was going to ask if this was the day we were textting, but I think that was later in the trip?

Overall, it was interesting. Not something I needed to repeat, but still edible. I didn’t end up having room for one of the desserts though!

I bet the sauce added to the sandwich alot. But it still looks intresting.

Then suddenly all the other passengers starting grabbing the handles of the empty benches and flipping the backs to the other side! I made an audible “oohhh” and a little Japanese granny chuckled at me!

Ha!

Don’t deal with monkeys. Don’t make eye contact with monkeys. (I never saw any though)

Yikes! What happens if you make eye contact with the monkeys?!?

 

[KEK1]

What an absolutely gorgeous walk!

 

[KPeterso]

Loved seeing the Miffy stuff. Loved the Miffy books when I was little. My aunt and uncle lived in Singapore for many years and sent my parents all the Miffy books for me. I get so excited when I see her since most people have no idea who she is.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Don't make eye contact with monkeys!!! ....or what?! I have visions from Pirates of the Caribbean like they will rob you and run off with all your stuff or something.

I remember seeing the bamboo forest in another TR I read years ago. It is just beautiful! I love the views you posted from above with the colors changing. I would definitely want to take the time to visit here if/when traveling to the Asian Disney parks...and probably check out the monkey place, too!

 

[Woth2982]

Welcome back! Sorry you have been struggling, it has not been an easy time. Glad you have decided to pick up where you left off though!
Oh wow Kyoto is so beautiful! Those bamboo's are so cool! The monkey sign made me laugh for real haha. Ive never seen such a warning before lol.

 

[lucas]

Loving your trip report. You are brave, my friend! (Meant that in a good way!)

 

[Lesley Wake]

I can understand that! I was going to ask if this was the day we were textting, but I think that was later in the trip?


I bet the sauce added to the sandwich alot. But it still looks intresting.


Ha!


Yikes! What happens if you make eye contact with the monkeys?!?

It may have been a different day! I tried checking my messages, but I guess I only save them for 1 yr! But I did have some hard days back at Tokyo Disney. Just the crowds plus homesickness was a lot!

It was an interesting sandwich concept. There is one in Tokyo which is apparently $100! It uses the top top top meat, bread, sauce. But I wasn't going to attempt that, lol!

I think they bite you? I'm not sure - I didn't see any monkeys! I know on the hill with the monkeys theres a little structure at the top for you to go in if you want to feed them. And then you feel through bars in the windows, so that way the monkeys don't get used to people feeding along the trails or whatever.

What an absolutely gorgeous walk!

It was pretty! I do like nature, at times! (I'm a city girl, but this was nice being right in the city too)

Loved seeing the Miffy stuff. Loved the Miffy books when I was little. My aunt and uncle lived in Singapore for many years and sent my parents all the Miffy books for me. I get so excited when I see her since most people have no idea who she is.

Yeah, my friends daughter used to love her, may still do! I've never seen the show or read the books, but I did know who she was!

Don't make eye contact with monkeys!!! ....or what?! I have visions from Pirates of the Caribbean like they will rob you and run off with all your stuff or something.

I remember seeing the bamboo forest in another TR I read years ago. It is just beautiful! I love the views you posted from above with the colors changing. I would definitely want to take the time to visit here if/when traveling to the Asian Disney parks...and probably check out the monkey place, too!

I think they could do just that! I never actually saw any monkeys unfortunately!

Welcome back! Sorry you have been struggling, it has not been an easy time. Glad you have decided to pick up where you left off though!
Oh wow Kyoto is so beautiful! Those bamboo's are so cool! The monkey sign made me laugh for real haha. Ive never seen such a warning before lol.

Thanks! Kyoto is definitely different than Tokyo. More historic. And yeah, that sign was hilarious!

Loving your trip report. You are brave, my friend! (Meant that in a good way!)

Haha, thanks!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Part 2 – Fushimi-Inari

My plan for the next stop was Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shine.

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/fushimi-inari-kyoto-japan-review-tips/
This was on the other side of the city but when I looked at the things I wanted to do, it made most sense to hit both of these spots today. I don’t have photos, but assume I took the train (or a combo of trains).

But then I arrived at Fushimi Inari. This area is a hill that is basically a whole world of shrines and shrine gates (torii). There are about 1,000 torii gates on the main path. The first shrines were built in 711 (but relocarted in 816) and have been added over the past millenia! I think the torii were added starting in the 1600s. Crazy how ancient this part of the world was!

At the bottom of the path/entrance where many of the tour groups stick to.

Before going to the temples people often use these to cleanse themselves. You have to get some water with the ladle, rinse right hand, rinse left hand, pour water into your hand and sip/spit it, then rinse the end of the ladle.

Some of the fox statues, which are supposed to represent messengers and guard the gates.

Can you see the addition to this statue at the bottom?

Yeah, there are lots of cats all around the hill, which is pretty cool for me! (Also at night there can be wild, dangerous, boar, but I never saw any of those.

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

A general map of the hill

Some more gates on the path up the mountain.

And I took some photos of a family so they reciprocated, which was appreciated!

As you get higher up the hill, the tour groups and crowds lessen.

You can just see forest and orange gates peeking through!

Some of the shrines you pass by

More peaceful forest scenery

I kept considering turning back (if it’s not obvious, I’m not exactly a hiker), but I stuck with it. I didn’t quite make it up in time for sunset, but I think it was worth it!

After making my way to the top, I took a different (more direct) path down. It was crazy passing by people’s actual homes and some general stores. (I believe it took me about 30-45 minutes to get to the top and another 20 minutes down.)

At the bottom there was a street of food booths. I regret not stopping to try more of the food, as some of it looked pretty good!

I did end up getting some mochi ice cream, chocolate and pumpkin, both of which came with a frozen strawberry on top.

I made my way back to the train station and was one of the first people on the platform. Unfortunately I wasn’t early enough to get a spot on a bench to wait (I was exhausted after all), but the platform got sooo crowded while waiting for the train! I don’t even know if everyone got onto the actual train when it arrived, but it was pretty packed.​

 

[Lesley Wake]

I took the train back to Kyoto Station, where I retrieved my suitcase from the locker and headed to my hotel for the next few nights. When I was looking up hotel advice for Kyoto I read that most of the “international” hotels were pretty expensive, and also not in the most convenient neighborhoods for what I wanted to see. I ended up deciding to go ahead and look for a hotel near Kyoto Station for convenience. And I think I ended up booking via Hotels.com and stayed at the CMM Crystate, which was about 2 blocks from the train station.

It ended up being an interesting type of hotel. I think it must have been an apartment building that was turned into a hotel, so there was a kitchen and everything. It was super tiny though – I could never imagine actually living in a place that small! But it worked for my purposes (though the bed was super hard, so I didn’t have the best sleep). So it’s not a place I’d really recommend to stay, but that was more due to the actual nature of the lodging, not due to any operational or cleanliness issues.

I must have gotten settled and rested for about 1.5 hrs before venturing out for dinner. I decided to just go to the shopping center next-door, which had a bunch of restaurant options.

First, I checked out some of the gachapon machines (capsule toys machines). These were everywhere and had so many options! I wonder how many scratches I would have gotten trying to wrestle my cats into one of those hats!

For dinner I got some Udon soup, an it appears I also got tempura and fried rice. I do remember it being good, nothing mindbreaking, but still good!

And then I went back to the room and crashed to sleep!

Step count for the day: 18,206



Coming up – temple hopping in Kyoto!​

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I did end up getting some mochi ice cream, chocolate and pumpkin, both of which came with a frozen strawberry on top.

Mochi ice cream is the best. Something about the cold ice cream inside that weird mochi dough...

I made my way back to the train station and was one of the first people on the platform. Unfortunately I wasn’t early enough to get a spot on a bench to wait (I was exhausted after all), but the platform got sooo crowded while waiting for the train! I don’t even know if everyone got onto the actual train when it arrived, but it was pretty packed.

That is the worst. It's like spending all day in the parks and then having to stand on the bus. But you are so tired you just want to get back to the hotel.

For dinner I got some Udon soup, an it appears I also got tempura and fried rice. I do remember it being good, nothing mindbreaking, but still good!

This looks like the perfect dinner!

 

[missjackiemcg]

The tori gates look beautiful! Love the pictures with no people in them. I bet it was a peaceful walk through them.

Literally laughed out loud imagining you trying to wrestle your cats into those tiny hats! Jimmy bought my brother a set of socks for Christmas that came with a big pair for him, and a set of 4 tiny matching socks for his cat, Nugget. He somehow did get them on him

 

[Lesley Wake]

Mochi ice cream is the best. Something about the cold ice cream inside that weird mochi dough...


That is the worst. It's like spending all day in the parks and then having to stand on the bus. But you are so tired you just want to get back to the hotel.



This looks like the perfect dinner!

I do love mochi! I actually can make my own from rice flour, but I haven't attempted doing the ice cream part!

And this definitely beat Disney bus lines! I mean, the whole platform was just crammed full of people!

The tori gates look beautiful! Love the pictures with no people in them. I bet it was a peaceful walk through them.

Literally laughed out loud imagining you trying to wrestle your cats into those tiny hats! Jimmy bought my brother a set of socks for Christmas that came with a big pair for him, and a set of 4 tiny matching socks for his cat, Nugget. He somehow did get them on him

It was peaceful! Also a lot of steps, so eventually I was pretty exhausted, lol!

I actually have a Princess Leia cap for them I got in my stocking one year - I could get it on them, but they looked so humiliated, I had to take it off!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Day 12
October 31, 2019

Part 1 - Temples galore

Today I had temples on the brain! I decided on my itinerary using Travel Caffeine (the same people as DTB) Kyoto itinerary and modifying it with the fall colors tips.

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/1-day-kyoto-japan-fall-colors-itinerary/

I also used the Kyoto bus system wherever possible as I was still sore and tired from the previous day! I think they may have a day-pass for the metro system, but I just stuck to using my Suica card on my phone (which I had downloaded to use on the Tokyo Metro). This worked out well enough for me! And a funny thing about Kyoto busses – you board from the back door and exit in the front, which is when you pay… yeah I don’t quite understand that! (One exception was the main tourist buses which did the pay then ride setup.)

I did get a bit turned around in Kyoto Station, but eventually was able to find the Bus Depot. The main tourist lines are right at the entrance to the depot (of course I missed them at first…) and they have pretty clear lines on the ground for where you are going and which bus to get on.

First stop – Ginkakuji Temple. This is also known as the Silver Pavilion, or Higashiyama Jisho-ji. The main temple was built in 1482-1490!

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/silver-pavilion-ginkakuji-kyoto-review-tips/

I loved how the crowds were not too bad, so I had a lot of moments of peace. Miscellaneous photos of the temple and surroundings

I have always had a thing for rock gardens. Apparently the ones here are called the “Sea of Silver Sand” with the massive sand cone called the “Moon Viewing Platform”.

Most Japanese temples have large outdoor walkways (oh, you also have to take off your shoes whenever you enter, though they either give you a plastic bag to carry them around, or you leave them by the entrance). And you can sit on some of them and just relax and basically meditate.

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Gorgeous gardens. I can’t even imagine how beautiful this would be once the fall colors come in! The pavilion is really gorgeous how it is a combination of natural forest and manicured gardens.

The temple is known for its deep green moss.

And a lovely reflecting pool

I followed some of the stairs up the hill so got a lovely view over the complex

Really a gorgeous spot.​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Leaving the temple, there was a street with lots of food and merchandise shops.

I got the grilled mochi with caramelized soy sauce. This was DELICIOUS and I just wish I had gotten more of the food options!

I walked to my next stop along the Philosopher’s Path. A lovely tree covered walk! In the springtime it’s gorgeous with lots of cherry blossoms!

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/philosophers-path-tips-kyoto-japan/

I don’t quite understand what this shrine was about.

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

My next stop was the Honen-in Temple. This was a lovely simple location (and was free, unlike most of the other temples). It was more about the garden rather than the building.

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/honen-in-temple-info-tips-review/

I liked the patterns on the “Terrace of White Sand”. Apparently they change seasonally, so this showed fall leaves.

Coming up – continuing my temple adventures​

 

[KEK1]

LOVE the gardens of the Silver temple, WOW!
Hate hard mattresses, have heard this is an issue throughout Asia?
Your touring seems so assured, esp impressed with the public transport use (A necessity I know but I think I would be too wimpy by myself to do it!)

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

All of the photos barely looked real. Beautiful!

 

[Lesley Wake]

LOVE the gardens of the Silver temple, WOW!
Hate hard mattresses, have heard this is an issue throughout Asia?
Your touring seems so assured, esp impressed with the public transport use (A necessity I know but I think I would be too wimpy by myself to do it!)

The gardens were gorgeous! I think the Silver pavilion was one of my favorites as it wasn’t too crowded and has such a variety of gardens!

This was actually the only place with a bad mattress! Everything else was nice and comfy. The ones in Japan were also a bit smaller than typical American ones. Bigger than twin, but smaller than queen. Worked for me though!

Google maps was my biggest aid to navigating transportation! I typically prefer trains since then you don’t have to worry about missing a stop, but the buses in Kyoto were pretty high tech about noting which stops were coming up (I think also because Kyoto is such a tourist destination). I definitely could get turned around getting to the transport, but once I was on a bus, it worked out well!

All of the photos barely looked real. Beautiful!

Definitely! I’m sure you guys will love whenever you get to visit!