It’s hard to believe that almost a full year has passed since Reiko and I were married, but here we are. One of the first places that we went to with both sides of our enlarged family was Kyoto. It was only for an afternoon, and I spent quite a bit of it making sure that my very Canadian side of the family made it to each place on the itinerary on time. Suffice to say, what should have been a super fun trip was instead an incredibly stressful one.
So, with Golden Week in Japan fast approaching, it was only right for the Mrs. and I to plan another trip to Japan’s Ancient Capital as the weather warmed up to something a little more comfortable. However, unlike the super stressful first visit, we wanted to take things a little slower and enjoy the time spent together. Luckily, there are many great things that couples can do when visiting the nation’s second largest city.
For day one of our trip, we planned to do just three things. Visit 嵐山(Arashiyama), ride on the トロッコ (Romantic Train), and see 二条城 (Nijō Castle).
Taking a 人力車 (Rickshaw) To Arashiyama
The first place we wanted to visit was Arashiyama. According to what we had heard, as well as the many maps we had available, it was supposed to be really close to 嵯峨駅 (Saga Station). They weren’t kidding. Just outside of the station, a Rickshaw runner told us that it would be about a 10 minute walk, or 3000円 if we were to take the more scenic route. Naturally, we opted for the scenic route.
True to her word, ten minutes later we were at Arasiyama and enjoying the incredible spectacle of green mountains, a wide river, and relatively few tourists. It was truly a place worthy of keeping reserved for only the noble lords of old.
Riding the トロッコ (Romantic Train)
Next on our list was the Romantic Train. This is something that we’ve seen in every Kyoto travel book and have always wanted to try. Sure, the train doesn’t really go anywhere in particular, but it’s a really nice ride through the mountains with some spectacular scenery. Even though many of the 130 pictures we snapped from the train were great, I can’t help but wonder just how much more amazing it would have been had the Mrs. and I gone during Cherry Blossom season, or in the midst of autumn.
Well … this is something that we’ll keep in mind when we have the opportunity to visit Kyoto again.
If you do have the chance to take the Romantic Train, I would definately recommend it. For only 600円 you get to ride for 20 minutes through some of the most natural scenery one expects from a country like Japan. Incredible mountains, powerful rivers, and the occasional 狸 … what more could you ask for while spending some quality time with someone you love?
二条城 (Nijō Castle)
I have never been, nor will ever be, incredibly powerful and wealthy. That said, I do enjoy touring places that the incredibly powerful and wealthy once enjoyed. Nijō Castle is best known for the 鴬張り (Nightingale Floors) in Ninomaru Palace and, despite my best attempts to walk without making a sound, there were a few boards that could not resist broadcasting my presence to all within earshot. One is forced to wonder just how ninjas got around this little problem with ease….
Although the inside of Ninomaru Palace was nice, the gardens out the back were incredible. One of the many things that I appreciate about gardens in Japan is the simple beauty that many of them portray. Not only is everything nicely balanced on a small scale, but each one is an oasis from the hassles of everyday life. I can’t tell you how many times the Mrs. and I said how much we wanted to have our own little oasis after building a home … mostly because we didn’t count. If you do have a chance to visit this symbol of the Tokugawa Shogunate’s power, be sure to take some extra time to tour the gardens.
Crashing at the Hotel
After all is said and done, the Mrs. and I must have traversed well over 10 kilometers by foot, which left us itching for some sleep before heading out to find dinner. We’re staying at the New Miyako Hotel near Kyoto Station in the newly built South Wing and, I must admit, it has to be the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at in Japan. The hotels in Osaka and Tokyo were nice, but none were quite as comfortable as this one. We have a big room, fast internet, and a relatively large bathroom. Aside from not having breakfast or an onsen included with the ridiculously low hotel rate, it’s everything we could have asked for.
Very nice!