Itchy Toes Adventures: I "Kansai" I'm In Love (Part 3): Kyoto and Time Travel

- Nov. 20, 2023, Monday.

- Kyoto is a wonderland for those who are interested in medieval Japanese history. There are just a lot of places to visit and experience how Japan was like centuries back. Apart from historical places, there are also natural wonders that serve as the perfect Japanese backdrop for your photos and videos.

- In the early morning of Monday the 20th, I rode an Uber Taxi to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. The forest is REALLY far from downtown Kyoto and it was one of the more expensive cabs I had to take. But I did it out of convenience due to its location. However, one can take the train from downtown Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama Station, and walk to the entrance of the forest. The forest is a natural bamboo forest, which makes it more amazing, since the bamboo plants there are native (unlike most gardens where foreign plant species are introduced to the area, usually for aesthetic purposes only.)

Do know that the forest is actually quite a walk, but not too long. My point is, if there are a lot of people in the forest close to the entrance, maybe walk more and maybe there'd be less people.

My and my kimono.

It's all green, but very picturesque.

- The bamboo forest is open 24/7 and free to enter. Many early-bird tourists like me, however, had to deal with a photo group with mostly white people shooing other tourists away. We weren't sure why they were there or if they had any special permit, but it did piss us off that the facilitator of the photography group was shooing everyone away as if they owned the bamboo forest. But anyway, I was still able to get my people-less shot of the forest. By the way, although I didn't have time, I wanted you to know that there are some places that are of interest close to the bamboo forest. These are the Tenryu-ji temple, which is right beside the bamboo forest (you won't miss it, promise), and the other one is the Togetsukyo Bridge, which is less than a kilometer away from the forest's entrance.

If you only knew how long had to wait for this photo.

And this.

This one was fairly easy to take since it's just one side.

- From the forest I took a cab to Kinkakuji, the shining gold pagoda in Kyoto's northern side. This is another out-of-the-way place, but definitely a must see. The easiest way to go is to take a bus 205 all the way to Kinkakuji - or if you're willing to spend a bit more for comfort, like me, I took another Uber Taxi from Arashiyama to Kinkakuji.

- The temple was built in the 1300s and was a private villa turned temple. Based on its name, the temple is colored a bright gold ("kin" means gold in Japanese.) The actual structure that stands today dates from the 1950s after restoration, and the gold leaf used to give back the temple's luster, in the 1980s. Going around the temple is done through a guided path, and only one way, so make sure to take all your photos before you leave the spot you like!

I saw a rainbow outside the temple!

I honestly wasn't sure if I was looking at a painting or an actual temple - it was that gorgeous.

I am so glad I was able to get this gold obi the last minute before my trip to Japan. (I got this in the Philippines, from someone who sells authentic second-hand kimonos from Japan - the blue kimono was from this store as well. The store is Kimono by Krystof.)

Need I say more.

We weren't allowed to enter the main hall though.

One of the many shrines in the temple grounds.

- I had to briefly go back to my hostel in the downtown area to check out of my hostel, but I left my bag for a while since I wanted to go to other places first before heading to Osaka. Anyway, my next destination is another one that will bring people back to old Japan in a rather unusual way. The Toei Kyoto Studio Park is probably Japan's local version of Universal Studios (note: I know that there is an actual "Universal Studios Japan," but Universal Studios came from the US, and is not a local Japanese thing unlike Toei Kyoto Studio Park.) Toei Studios is one of Japan's biggest media companies. It is closest to the Uzumasa-Koryuji train station.

I'M HERE.

- Toei company opened this theme park in the 1970s in the same grounds as the film studios. My main goal in the park is to see their exhibits of some of their well-known productions, especially the Super Sentai series. Super Sentai is what many people in the world would know as the Power Rangers. However, the Power Rangers series (which is on-going until today) is actually based on the Japanese production. The Japanese production started with Gorenger in 1977 and is still producing annual seasons to this date. The other big series that people know of, but I'm not really into, is the Kamen Rider or Masked Rider series.

Trying to conceal my excitement. This is from KingOhger, the current season.

The one that started it all in the west.

All the red rangers (or red-looking rangers,) from ALL seasons!!

Timeline of the history of Super Sentai and Kamen Rider.

I actually have the perfect attire for this gallery, but unfortunately I cannot bring my full ranger suits to Japan.

Trying to look like a weeb.

Forever Red.

Gokaiger, a very special anniversary season.

Kane Rider.

They look familiar but I don't know their stories.

Sailor Moon is distributed by Toei as well!

- The theme park is mostly well-known for their recreation of an Edo-era village. Visitors can also pay to dress up as a samurai or ninja. I had my own kimono and I was saving time, so I didn't get my own samurai makeover as much as I wanted to.

One with the samurai.

Studio park.

Edo-village at the back of the park.

Oh hello Evangelion! People needed to pay to go inside the robot and stand on the giant hand.

Studio at the back.

I saw a ninja show!! Yay!!

That level of expression.

A tram and a ninja.

- I took the cab to Kawaramachi Station to visit the Shirakawa area, which is one of the most picturesque places in Gion. This area is also where "ochaya" can be found, or houses where geisha (or "geiko" as called by the locals) stay and entertain guests. The Shirakawa area is known for its river, where either spring flowers or autumn foliage can be admired. This place was also mentioned in the novel/movie, "Memoirs of a Geisha".

Memoirs of a Not-Geisha.

Shirakawa River.

It reminds me of Rozenhoedkaai in Bruges, Belgium (click here) to see.

Some of these are ochaya, or geisha/geiko quarters.

- Just before wrapping up my stay in Kyoto, I went back to Teramachi / Nakanocho Shopping Street to see if I can grab some stuff before heading off. Instead of shopping though, I used the time to visit the Kyoto Owl's Forest Zoo, located in Nakanocho, the same street as the Mipig Cafe I went to the day before (click here to see). The ticket just costs several hundred yen (so it's quite cheap), and visitors get to go around a small room with owls perched on branches. Petting is allowed but the attendant will instruct visitors how to properly pet the owls without hurting or harassing them.