DEAD QUIET KYOTO: Peace, Beauty and No-one Else

DEAD QUIET KYOTO: Peace, Beauty and No-one Else

everyone thinks that Kyoto’s sublime beauty comes with a mandatory ear battering from the hooligan hordes but I say what a load of rubbish because look here I am discovering that it’s just me and the woman selling tickets here and nobody else yes in Kyoto Hori is set in a rather sleepy residential part of the city and outrageously unnoticed the sense of calm was overwhelming and I ended up spending well over an hour savoring every single detail and most of that time I was completely alone well I say alone but that’s not quite true this temple is actually heaving with Daruma dolls like around 8,000 of them would you believe that’s why this temple is more commonly known as Daarumada dauma is the Japanese name for the big cheese of Zen Buddhism Bodhi Hama and I probably butchered that name yes according to the story he spent 9 years in a cave doing some heavyduty meditation but fell asleep and got so mad at this blunder that he tore off his own eyelids and after that story it doesn’t quite make sense that Darumas are good luck charms but they are the Darumado Hall is filled with one spectacular congregation of these tubby little fellas from the tiny to the gargantuan but they’re over in the other buildings and all around the grounds too hiding in every spot honestly you could easily spend hours just exploring here making friends with all the residents and checking how the design varies from doll to doll but just remember that there’s more to see because the other star attraction is tucked away to the rear it’s the Mujinte Garden aka the Garden of Infinity you’ll want to sit down and take a few moments to admire this manicured masterpiece this Zen garden has it all the smorggas board of lush green moss the deliberately placed rocks perhaps suggesting the mountains that surround the city as well as that wabby sabi look finding beauty in something that doesn’t last forever what I like best here is how you feel cozy even though you’re outside giving you a great chance to ponder your next move take the train heading to Arashima Theme Park and get off after four stops at Machi and within a few short minutes you’ll be transported into this ultra calm oasis as with all the other picks in this video location information is tucked down in the description up in the northern wilds of the city the journey to this next spot will work wonders for your blood pressure before you even arrive head up to Damachi Yanagi on the Khan line then jump on a deliciously dinky train for a short ride on the Aison Railway the second to last stop Miyak Hatchiman drops you into a completely different Kyoto mountains loom large on the horizon the stations deserted it’s already looking very jibli and we’re not even there yet follow a stretch of the Takano River and up a side street go a little bit up to reach the hidden wonderland of Renji has time slowed down has it stopped you might think so because when you’re hit with this incredible jaw-dropping backdrop the appropriate response is to pause just lay yourself out on the tatami mats and stare as much as you want the foliage might bring a few more visitors during the autumn leaf season but I actually prefer the luscious green version i visited in September alongside only a handful of other people and total unbroken peace reigned supreme luscious beauty will pass your eyes every which way you look the carp meandering through the pond a stone bridge off in the distance that reminds me of Uji down in the south of the city moss that seems to be taking over this garden just like in Guoji up in the northwest everything is here if you want to bathe in tranquility truly bathe in it Renji might be your perfect Kyoto now if you’re enjoying this tour through Kyoto’s quiet side I’m sure you’ll love my new ebook Japan Out There Canai Edition it’s full of secret spots from all around Kyoto Osaka Nara and Beyond all to guarantee you a properly unique trip i handpicked all the destinations to make sure you have an incredible Japan adventure and I’ve also packed in lots of handy tips so you’ll look like you’ve already been to these places even though it’s actually your first time check out the link in the pinned comment or scan the QR code on screen now now when you want a hyper chilled out place for lunch it always pays to be slightly more ambitious than the 99% who think that a giant queue is a rockolid guarantee of quality no take a stroll through the sleepy back streets of the city because it’s in mazes like this where you’ll find the most secluded yet brainstopppingly underrated eeries and I’ve done the work for you on this one so do me a favor drop me a thumbs up and for goodness sake dial the noise down to minus1 if you visit because Cozy Cafe is one of those rare dining spots that truly lives up to its name honestly the vibe is so laid-back here i could feel my heart rate slowing with each passing minute i recommend going for the classic kara set for lunch that’s fried chicken Japanese style it’s crispy and not greasy at all and you can choose the flavor of the coating i went with original pepper and the spiciness level was spoton it was served with a more than generous portion of salad with pickles your traditional heartwarming miso soup and a cheeky slice of kiche snuck in somehow which made me smile this gem is hidden barely a 10-minute walk away from the Imperial Palace grounds so a pretty central location yes but you may as well be in another city entirely it’s that calm from the outside you might think it’s an antique shop but don’t be deceived it’s a favorite amongst locals that said the staff are just as friendly with outsiders as they are with Kyoto residents it’s stylish yet homely has a touch of the lost in time vibe and you’re not going to feel hurried while eating so just sit back and savor your time here as I mentioned before with Renji journeys to serene spots can be equally relaxing in themselves and this next location is no exception because a few steps from Nijjo Castle will lead you straight to a choice do you want to walk along the busy Horara Street or do you fancy a stroll up the totally unexpected Horawara River Prominard obviously that’s a no-brainer this isn’t just any ordinary walk it might as well be made by Marks and Sparks because it’s packed with special features you’ve got stepping stones for a bit of an adrenaline boost in multiple locations as well as waterfalls both big and small but the biggest highlight if you’re in town at the right time of year is that this area is a fantastic spot for viewing cherry blossoms the river is home to a wide variety of white and pink doubleflowered cherry trees and thankfully you won’t need to jostle with the world and his wife to take in the best views the walkway follows the river for about 1.7 km or around 1 mile from east of Nija Castle all the way up to Immedawa Street not far from the Imperial Palace grounds it’s the perfect distance for a contemplative stroll and chances are you’ll only have to share the walk with but a handful of locals towards the northern end is the absolute best viewing spot for cherry blossoms at Ichi Joe Modori Bashi a bridge that dates back to the year 794 although this iteration was rebuilt back in 1995 ichigo is the road that crosses the bridge modori means return so according to custom families of soldiers came here during World War II and crossed it repeatedly hoping that their sons would get home safely and on that topic if you’re trying to get the perfect cherry blossom shot up at street level do pay attention to traffic and especially speeding cyclists they’re a bit of a problem in Kyoto for the next spot we’re heading down to Uji technically a city in its own right and separate from Kyoto for me Uji is the smart alternative to Arashama theme park it’s got the river the bridges the mountain backdrop but it isn’t auditioning as a stunt double for a tube station in the rush hour that being said Uji does get a touch of traffic which is why I love this next spot as it feels like you’re cheating again you’ll need to be up for a touch more exercise it’s no more than a 15-minute walk along the north side of the river and you’ll be sure to notice how the other tourists magically disappear into thin air or perhaps they’re diving into the nearest cafe for a matcha path gather your strength for this last hike uphill and you’ll reach Koshoji at which point you’re going to wonder why nobody else has joined you this is another Zen temple dating back to the early 13th century although it was relocated here to Uji in 1648 unlike the first two temples where you could simply sit back and let everything soak in Kosoji politely prods you to explore at every turn you’ll find elegance worthy of your admiration and there are so many gorgeous angles to admire it’s almost like every square inch of this place is crying out for attention and so it should because frankly it’s a crime against Kyoto to not come here and visit there’s an exquisite garden set against the foot of the mountain complete with pagoda a meticulously pruned trees and foliage as well as a refreshing breeze thanks to the slightly elevated location elsewhere look out for this bell which you probably can’t ring else I would surely have got a proper action shot of me making a racket or perhaps I wouldn’t because yet again there’s an uncanny calm at Kosoji that will steal your mind and it brings added bonuses to in the form of unexpected guests who you’ll never see at places like King Kakuji Convention Center for our next haven of solitude we need to head back into the northern reaches of the city up in the mountains here I’ve got a double bill of temples and these ones are proper diamonds I’m telling you first let’s have a look at the neighborhood and tell me does this look like Kyoto to you i mean it starts off residential right but then up here I’m feeling more of an out in the sticks in Nara Prefecture vibe and I’ve not seen anyone up here yet so let’s have a look at what all the fuss is about this is Encoji or at least the entrance path and boy this screams quality doesn’t it the carefully clipped trees the pebble-edged stone path hemmed in with luscious moss and this is what you get on just the entrance walk venture inside and you’ll find pristine white gravel pathways offering an overabundance of scenic options do you fancy absorbing the sumptuous swaths of lush moss blanketing a fairly expansive garden shock full with rustic stone lanterns and the perfectly positioned rocks nestled alongside the wiry tree trunks if you’re running out of bars on your battery and don’t want to explore on foot just yet Encoji also has a tatami spot for you to hang out and just relax out front there’s an intricate and superbly maintained gravel garden with plenty of intriguing curves circles and mysterious protruding stones or perhaps you would like nothing more than a dive into your own private bamboo grove complete with empty space quiet air and only the mountain breeze announcing its presence to you you probably won’t come across another utterly empty bamboo grove on your visit unless of course you’ve watched one of my other Kyoto videos so I’d recommend you grab this chance by the scruff of its neck and savor the moment before it disappears fun fact here Enkoji was set up back in6001 by Tokugawa Ayasu the OG shogun who kicked off the Edeto period in Japan yeah I probably messed up that name as well but anyway this was when the country was remarkably peaceful and also largely cut off from the rest of the world which is coincidentally just how you will probably feel at this temple it seems like my chances of ringing any bells in this video are well and truly gone as here at Encoji staff have already ruled it out in any case it would only break the silence and that’s something you will definitely not want to do and if I may make another suggestion do drink in the view of the city below and the mountains beyond through this gate before you leave it’s properly epic helpfully the second temple on this double bill and the last temple in this video is barely a five-minute walk away head up the slope and you’re confronted by the tiniest of doorways an inviting staircase gleaming in the sunlight and moths covering the entrance roof whatever’s inside has to be pretty special right at the end of the staircase sits Shisendo where scenery is taken to the next level or three of them at least because this temple’s landscape garden is split across multiple tiers each with their very own atmosphere the highest level is next to the villa with a sand garden and maple trees laid out in front of you and you’ll be glad to take a break on the tatammy after all this strenuous strolling the building is supported by only a few wooden pillars leaving this room with the extraordinary feeling of openness so much so that it’s hard to be sure that you’re truly inside here head out of the villa and down to the next level and the garden is capacious holding a small pond complete with carp and a traditional tea house while at the last and lowest level you might feel like you’ve stepped into another garden entirely down here the trees are so tall that you’re essentially out of view of people at the top so much that it could be a hidden garden in its own right what I particularly like about the visit here is how when you return from your tour of the garden you realize what an absolute gem of a building you started off in returning back from the second tier you’ll see how the villa has a partly thatched roof another distinctive touch for this unusual temple for the final stop on this jaunt through Kyoto’s dead quiet wonders we need to take a JR train down towards Nar leave the crowds behind at Fushimi Inari Stadium and push on for two more stops to Momoyama now I’ve saved this spot until last because honestly it was the inspiration for this video because look there is nobody here peace and tranquility are waiting for you and wait they do in abundance this is the morale of Emperor Magi and knowing that should prompt you to start asking questions with Magi guiding the country through enormous changes the shrine dedicated to him up in the Tokyo Monstropolis is fittingly epic and receives box office visitor numbers every year but this place does not don’t try to understand just feel it the stillness the way the towering trees deaden all sound as you journey along the path the curves along the way are seemingly endless you’ve got plenty of time on the walk-in to ponder over your Kyoto visit and choose your favorite spots and nobody is going to bother you apart from the solitude what I particularly love about this place is how minimalist it is this epic staircase lined by the forest has nothing to distract you and the climb up is almost inevitably meditative magi’s final resting place is hugely understated only visible a way off in the distance at the end of a perfectly rad sand path through several Tory gates i can guarantee you will not find stillness like this in the rest of Kyoto but as you pause over this wonderful vista of the south of the city don’t think this is the end because in this next video I’ve got more quiet corners for you to explore starting with a fortress that isn’t Nejo Castle see you there

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CREDITS
/// PHOTOS
“Meiji Shrine” flickr photo by Dick Thomas Johnson https://flickr.com/photos/31029865@N06/6862482015 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license

“Hatsumode at Meiji Shrine” flickr photo by Dick Thomas Johnson https://flickr.com/photos/31029865@N06/51875527443 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license

00:00 Intro
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04:40 Japan Out There: Kansai Edition
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