One day in Yamashina, Daigo and Fushimi Inari Taisha!
On the day after my maiko henshin experience, I've decided to pay a visit to Yamashina. I wouldn't really say that Yamashina would be a tourist area, but there are a few places that you can choose to visit! You can also head down to Daigo, which is a few stations by subway from the Yamashina station, and after about 13 minutes of walk, you will find yourself the most famous part of it would be Daigo-ji, which is one of the world heritages!
Besides going to Yamashina and Daigo, I also had some time to spare and I've also paid a visit to Fushimi Inari shrine in the evening, and had some rest back in my guesthouse, then headed around Shijo Kawaramachi again. \o/
As I've already bought my Kyoto + Yamashina + Daigo one day city subway and bus coupon (costing 1,300 yen), I initially hopped onto the bus to Nijo. However, I accidentally fell asleep and went beyond the Nijo station. I ended up switching to another bus to stop in front of Uzumasa Tenjingawa station, and hopped onto the subway from Uzumasa Tenjingawa to Yamashina. Which would have costed me 230 + 230 + 290 yen = 750 yen if I didn't use my pass.
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| Passing by one of the Kyoto University campuses |
It was rather easy for me to use the subway because I actually boarded from the final stop so I don't really have to think too much about which platform to head to. The ride to Yamashina on the subway Tozai line was approximately 11 minutes excluding waiting time. Initially, I plan to stop in Misasagi station to pay a visit to Tenchitennoumisasagi (or Yamashina no misasagi) but I decided to leave it for my next visit. It's actually from the Kofun Period from about 250~538 AD where Kofun means burial/ tombs. Tenchitennou misasagi is actually built around the end of the era and it's octagonal that is actually an influence from a Chinese religion called Daojiao. Hence, it's actually a tomb that is very rare in Japan and the attempts of protection and restoration are well-done.
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| You'll see this as soon as you got out of Yamashina Station |
As soon as I got off from Yamashina station, I walked my way to first stop: Bishamondo Temple. It took me about 25 minutes of walk from Yamashina station to Bishamondo temple, but that is also because I took a few stops in a small grocery store, bought a cola-flavored bubble gum and chocolate-flavored pocky (lol) while having a short chat with the shop owner.
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| Still on my way to Bishamondo Temple |
On the day I was in Yamashina, I was worried that it might be too cold, so I had a sweater, a layer of heattech, a windbreaker and a scarf. It was actually a little too much, so the shop owner was speaking to me in Japanese and asked me if I am actually feeling very cold outside, since he saw me wearing a sweater and a scarf. I then expressed that I am actually from a country with 24/7 summer, so I'm not very used to the cold in Japan and I actually laughed about how many layers I wore and he laughed and said that it's actually better to keep warm rather than falling sick because of the cold and he wished that I enjoyed my trip! So I thanked him and continued walking uphills.
I was there around 9:40 in the morning, and there are already school kids running around in small groups as if they were on a school trip, but I'm not too sure about it. I continued walking and arrived Zuikouin, a small buddhist temple and went in to make my prayers, and continued hiking my way to Bishamondo.
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| Outside of Zuikouin, Yamashina |
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| A stone torii inside of Zuikouin of Yamashina |
By the time I arrive the doorsteps of Bishamondo temple, I feel so tired because it's a lot of walking for my weak legs. There weren't much wind but my hair got messy from all the walking. I'm honestly curious about how ladies other than me keep their hair nice while running around being busy all day long lolololol
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| Can you just see how bad I look right now |
And it isn't just all, you have to climb the stairs to enter Bishamondo temple. Not much, but considering that you walked for quite amount of time, you'd feel really, really dead just to see the stairs. There were also a few locals climbing their way up and one of them nearly tripped. So make sure to be really careful while climbing up and hold onto the handle!
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| Climbing our lives to Bishamondo Temple |
There is an outer part and inner part of the temple, and in order to enter the inner part of the temple, it would require an entrance fee of 500 yen. The Bishamondo temple is a very quiet place, and the temple has connections with the imperial family so you can sometimes find patterns of chrysanthemum on the edge of the roof tiles. The chrysanthemum is a kamon of the imperial family (kamon is something like a family emblem).
You can already see the chrysanthemum on the bottom part of the lantern, shown in the following photo:
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| Entrance of Bishamondo Temple |
On your right side upon stepping into the gates, you'll find yourself seeing this place where you can purify your hands and mouth, and the water comes out from the dragon mouth. Surrounding the inner places there are also small shrines that you can make your prayers.
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| Where you cleanse yourself. |
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| A small shrine to offer your prayers |
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| Another small shrine beside the Yamashina main temple |
And my phone was being an ass for corrupting my files and I wasn't able to recover the photos back for anything else that I've took around Bishamondo temple OTL
Actually, Bishamondo-temple is famed for its beautiful autumn leaves around November, but during spring, they also have a 150+ year old weeping sakura tree that has nothing on it when I was there. The tree is still beautiful regardless!
After offering my prayers to the Bishamondo temple, I took some rest in their rest area located on the left side of the entrance, and walked out from another exit to find a group of elderly exercising in an open space outside of the Bishamondo temple. So cute www
I continue walking towards the Yamashina canal and took a couple of photos that I had one of them on Facebook :'D
Along the river you can see people cycling. If you keep walking towards the direction that I took the following shot, you can pass by the Yamashina canal and find yourself with a breathtaking view if you come at the right time, especially spring!
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| View from the bridge near the Yamashina Canal |
I continued walking back to the Yamashina station and there are more groups of children walking in small groups around Yamashina, some of the groups that are younger in age were led by teachers, but the slightly elder ones will walk in smaller groups without a teacher's supervision. However, from points to points the children will be able to talk to volunteers that watches over the traffic to ensure the kids' safety. It shows just how safe and peaceful the area of Yamashina is.
Along my way back to the Yamashina station, I took a slightly longer path to be in awe of the amount of small shrines around this area. After arriving the Yamashina station, I boarded the Tozai line subway to Daigo station (260 yen), then walked about 20 minutes with a very slow pace (also did a lot of stairs and hill climbing) to Daigo-ji.
There is a ticketing booth where the entrance fee costs 1,500 yen. It could sound ridiculously expensive to some of you, but with 1,500 yen you are able to visit three different places, and they are world heritages! My mom actually gave me a call and said that she wanted to see it with me next time and told me not to enter first so I'm just "lolol okay I'll just walk around then" and I was chased all the way from behind by a stall owner to try some tiny anchovies and I was like ??????
And he spoke to me in Japanese and said that if I find it nice I could buy them at 1000 yen for 120 grams. I hesitated a little when I see the tiny anchovies on my palm, then the other ladies around me told me to try it out so I'm like okaaaay and they tasted good! They would be so nice to be eaten together with white rice, but I still have about a week to return to my hometown and I'm kind of sure that bringing these kind of food might not be allowed on planes so I told them that I'm actually not a Japanese and the people around me are like "She isn't a Japanese?" and I also explained that I might not be able to bring it on the plane, but I told them that the fishes are really good so I'll definitely come back and get them on my next visit with my parents and cook for them lol
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| Tiny but tasty anchovies for sale |
Then later on I wanted to walk around the souvenir and food area, and there are a group of Japanese tourists coming out from the inner chambers following a monk that explains about this place.
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| A group of local Japanese tourists led by a monk from Daigo-ji |
Me: *casually joins tour group*
Monk: If you cross that mountain you'll see the Daigo lake
Everyone: *GASPS*
Monk: It takes 30 minutes for me because I go there regularly, but for you guys it's probably more than an hour.
Us: (Secretly) Please take all our NOPEs
I should have asked why did he go to a lake so often LOL anyways since I didn't purchase a ticket to visit here with my parents next time, the place they are heading to are off-limits for me. Then I was able to find a place that I can actually offer my prayers for free (Jin, you cheapo) and right after, I went to sit around the souvenirs corner and bought a black sesame ice-cream for 350 yen to realize that I actually did not have any sort of breakfast.
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| Black sesame ice-cream from Daigo-ji |
Yamashina shrine is located between the hills of Fushimi and Yamashina, but when I got all my way up, the shrine is E-M-P-T-Y. Nobody worked here, nobody visited here, and even on my way here I only see an old couple, and that's all.
Then I took off my shoes and sat inside the roofed area, texting my friends and told them about it, then I offered my prayers around the shrines, took me about half an hour, but still nobody came.
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| Torii outside of Yamashina shrine |
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| There is really nobody here. |
Initially I freaked out because I saw flags that is writing about this shrine having a ceremony soon, so I anticipated more people but there was seriously NOBODY here. Not even a single monk or miko and I'm just "Hello...?" and nope, no responses (well if there's a response from nowhere it'd freak me out lololol) and behind the Yamashina shrine there are little deity gods on the sides so you can pray there too.
I spent a little time resting and 'finding my inner peace' because there was seriously NOBODY here, because it's really quiet I felt like I could take some time not to think about anything. After spending about 40 minutes in total in the Yamashina shrine, I walked to Ooishi shrine and had a good look from the outside, then ran my way to catch the Keikyu bus (300 yen) to Jujo, and walked my way to Fushimi Inari shrine.
Sh*t happened, because I accidentally touched my IC card when I could actually use my 1,300 yen pass for the bus and I wanted to ask for a refund for the IC card, but in the end my card was charged 600 yen in total because of miscommunication. OTL
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| In Fushimi Inari Taisha |
On my way while walking to Fushimi Inari shrine, I bought oden from Lawson and stopped in a rest area to enjoy my late lunch, then also ate my Pocky that I got from Yamashina. If memory serves me well, I've crossed two train lanes on my way to Fushimi Inari Taisha from the bus station that I was dropped off from.
When I arrived, I was in awe for the amount of people around Fushimi Inari shrine. I have been thinking about my health condition, so I went for an omikuji from Fushimi Inari Taisha and I got the best of luck from the 200 yen omikuji, and when I see daikichi (大吉) it makes me so happy! Though it says that even though it would take time, my health condition will make slow progresses to be better. So hey, at least it is getting better! :D
It also told me that the person I'm waiting for will come soon, and I'll have to work very hard and earnestly in order to keep my family to have the necessities and be in order and most of the stuff are good so yay (*´▽｀*)✨♡
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| Entering the 1000 Torii |
Fushimi Inari Shrine is very famous for its super long path of Torii (the red arch on the image above). As you enter the first path of Torii, you will see that there are two branches in an intersection, please, PLEASE GO THROUGH THE PATH ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE TO GO THROUGH THE LEFT SIDE. There is already a notice board for it but there are so many Chinese tourists going through from the left side as if they are extremely iliterate. The left path is used for the exit from the inner part of the Fushimi Inari shrine, so PLEASE, remember NOT to enter through the left path.
When you go through the two paths of smaller Torii, you will find yourself seeing a place to offer your prayers, but before that, there's actually something more interesting! Head to the right side and you would see some people queueing in front of two pieces of stones. Queue for either one of the stones, then for that stone, you'll need to guess its weight, then make a wish. Upon guessing the weight and making a wish, you lift that stone up. And here's the interesting part: If the stone is lighter than you think, your wish will come true, and if the stone is heavier than you think, your wish will not come true.
However, the even funnier thing happened to me: The stone is exactly how I expected it to weigh. LOL. So I got ultimately confused, and I walked to one of the workers in the omikuji section and asked them about the stones.
Firstly, he explained about how the stone-wishing thing works, which I actually understood. So I told him that I actually tried lifting the stone, and he asked if the stone is heavier or lighter than I think. I told him that the stone is EXACTLY the same as what I'd imagine it would weigh and he was stunned for that one split second, looking a little unsure of what to say, but later on, he told me that good things would happen. I kind of know that it might be a made-up excuse, but I wanted to believe that good things would happen! Because when you believe in something, stay positive and work for it, and it might come true someday! :)
So later of the day I felt so lazy to think of transportation and took the JR line from Inari to Kyoto station for 140 yen (that isn't included in the 1 day subway pass), spent 160 yen from my IC card for vending machine on a bottle of sparkling grape water and switched to a bus from Kyoto Station to Omiya Matsubara to take a short rest in my guesthouse, then hopped back to downtown to find something from Animate Kyoto (230 yen) and also grabbed some beer from Gion (230 yen) to refill the emptiness of my heart after losing 600 yen from a silly mistake, and returned to the guesthouse by bus (230 yen) to drink have a nice soak in the hot tub.
So in total, I've spent 2,040 yen for my transport for today, where 1,300 yen is for the bus and subway pass, 600 yen spent by mistake on keihan bus, and 140 yen on JR railway. If I didn't make the mistake in the bus ride, I would have used 2,220 yen of value from the 1,300 yen subway pass. :'>
When I come back next time, I'd hope to be able to stay longer in Daigo-ji because there are really a lot to see! I'd also drop by the Ooishi shrine too!
In my next post, I'll talk a little about my visit to Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) with my friend Komori, as well as my experience in Animate Cafe Kyoto!
Until next time~ ★
