Hanami in Kyoto
- Nida Aquino
- Apr 21, 2020
- 13 min read
Updated: Jun 18, 2024
After our eventful 4-day Hanami in Osaka, we'd be exploring another city. Due to the mishap in finding the platform for Kyoto-bound train, our arrival was a bit delayed. Many would believe that the journey is more important than the arrival – and if the peaceful 1-hour travel could justify the latter, then there's truth in that idea.
Coin Locker is a precious commodity in Japan and it’s very convenient for travelers. We looked for one to put our things at the Kyoto Station and for JPY 500 with no time constraint (but be careful not to miss or forget anything because as soon as you open it once closed, you need to pay again), we could immediately proceed to our sight-seeing.
The Imperial Palace
If my memory served me right, we took the subway to Marutamachi station and walked to the Imperial Palace. However, it felt like we'd covered about one-third of its perimeter before we reached what we thought was the entrance – well, it was, to the complex. That said, the flora found at either side of the long footpath maintained our excitement until we reached the gate.
As soon as we saw the assemblage of people queuing for the security checks, we were relieved, but only for a while because after passing through the few good men who stood sentry, there was again a build-up of onlookers as we began the self-guided expedition. It was probably due to the fact that the Imperial Palace only opens its gates to the public for 10 days – five in spring and the other in autumn – without a need for special tour application or reservation. For the same reason that the first on our itinerary was to take advantage of this rare opportunity.
The rectangular Kyoto Palace used to be the residence of Japan's Imperial Family until the emperor, consequently the capital moved to Tokyo. Visitors can see the palace gardens and edifices, although none of the buildings can be entered. That said, it was still an insightful exploration of the premises for us to admire its amazing architecture from afar.
The Shishinden was the most important ceremonial building within the palace grounds in its heyday. On either side of its main stairwell are the celebrated sakura on the left side and the tachibana orange on the right, symbolizing change and eternity respectively.
No matter how big the crowd was, tourists remained in line formation when moving from one building to the other, one thing that I like most about Japanese, the orderly manner of doing things.
Before we exited the secured premises, we found a striking Weeping Sakura Tree, drooping its branches like a waterfall, complementing the lush green landscape. It was the first time we noticed a different variety of sakura.
Exploring the vast imperial grounds was exhausting that we needed a place to rest and fill our grumbling stomach. It was our first meal in Kyoto and I still hadn't had the idea of how big the portions were so I just ordered something to sample. The Kare Raisu, although palatable, wasn't enough as there's no meat nor vegetable, just the flavorful curry roux.
Even though it didn't fill us up, we just shrugged off the hunger and went for dessert instead. Besides, the stall to buy frozen sweets was nearer with fewer people waiting in line. It was a frozen version but a sakura-flavored crêpe. It was somewhat in between a drumstick ice cream and a rolled crêpe; something that should make you feel better but somehow didn't because something was amissed. It's inexplicable I guess, so you'd better not trust my description and be a primary source to know.
The Manga Museum
To refer to manga as Japanese comics is a misnomer. They are probably similar in some sense but manga has a league of its own. It has a long and complex history in the Japanese art and is said to have originated from scrolls dating back to as early as the 12th century.
So many to read or browse, so little time. But what we really intended to do at the Manga Museum was to look for our favorite titles in the hope that there'd be English version to buy. There was none for the manga we had in mind, but we found one which we thought would be a nice present to our nephew who likes Detective Conan.
Aside from reading manga, there are regularly scheduled activities at the Kyoto International Manga Museum – there are workshops, which we didn't get to catch; and there’s a portrait corner guests can be drawn in manga and anime style while happily chatting to the artist, which we didn't get to do either. There was quite a line and the artist couldn’t accommodate us all. It was a shame we weren’t able to have our personal manga done; it would have been nice to have a keepsake of ourselves in chibi wearing kimono in a scenic Kyoto spring. Nevertheless, there was one happy girl who had a glimpse of the world and the art of making manga and anime.
We went back to the station to retrieve our luggage and headed to the hotel. I was overly confident that I could find my way so we took the train. Little did I know that the map of Kyoto I downloaded on my Sygic app during the prep did not have the same precision as the map of Osaka. I asked for directions from a very generous local I saw on the street. Although he was helpful to check his google maps and gave me directions in Japanese, I was on my last legs. It was enough to know we're nowhere near so I hailed a taxi instead. We reached the hotel in no time and few minutes later, we’re in our room – bigger than the previous but more worn out, if it was an honest opinion and not my exhaustion talking.
We rested for a while then we went out to check the vicinity after; to be exact, I was trying to figure out what went wrong earlier. It turned out, the culprit was my orientation when we got off from the train station. It would have been a smooth pedestrian path if I had checked -90 degrees of the street from the location where I initially started.
I thought it was a yakiniku-mise, so we went in but the impulse was more probably due to fatigue rather than hunger. The food was good, however, it was the same kind we had near Tsutenkaku Tower during our Hanami in Osaka. It would have been better if my daughter had experienced yakiniku as I’ve been talking about how heavenly it tasted.
Careful this time, I asked the staff how to get to Maruyama Park and suggested to take the taxi if we wanted to avoid walking the distance, so we did.
Yozakura
If hanami is the Japanese tradition of viewing and celebrating the ephemeral beauty of sakura in general, yozakura is the same activity done in the evening specifically. Maruyama Park is not only one of the popular hanami spots but also the best for yozakura.
There were dining tables for family, lovers and friends to gather and enjoy each other’s company under the sakura trees, something we envisaged ourselves having dinner at when we're planning the trip. Unfortunately, we just ended up strolling the park and appreciating the scintillating cherry blossoms.
There are over a hundred cherry tree varieties in Japan – the number of petals, the color of blossoms, the form of the tree are a few characteristics to differentiate them. Our yozakura centered around the Weeping Sakura Tree that glowed splendidly at night, thanks to the magnificent illumination.
Before we headed back, I stopped by a kiosk to buy grilled Japanese corn cob basted with soy sauce (that's right, soy sauce complemented the sweetness of the corn well). I tasted it once in Hakone and I loved it, so I wanted them to try but they were still full to bite right away, so we had it packed for a midnight snack back at the hotel.
Temple of Golden Pavilion
We took the subway (or chikatetsu as the Japanese call it) to Kitaoji, but from the station we took the taxi uphill. From where we got off, it was still a distance to the entrance. Tiring as it was, we're all excited to get the chance to view the shimmering Golden Pavilion, something I dreamt of seeing up close since 18 years back when I first set foot in Kyoto.
The name was derived from the gold leaf, intended to purify or negate ill thoughts and feelings towards death, covering the pavilion. But on top of that, Kinkaku-ji was built as a retirement complex reflecting the extravagant lifestyle of the aristocrats of the bygone era. Being true to what it should stand for, even its reflection on the then muddled pond glimmered of gold.
It's one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which are collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Monumental as it should be, it stood brightly amidst the gloomy skies, enticing expectators such as ourselves to keep on walking on the wet ground and explore the rain-kissed gardens of the exquisite complex.
This was the closest we could get; the insides were understandably off limits. To be honest, the travel was longer than the time we spent in the estate, but it was worthwhile.
Philosopher's Walk
We took the bus to the next spot. It was a long walk from the bus station but ‘twas a lovely stroll along the Philosopher’s Path which follows a canal lined with multitude of cherry blossoms exuding the pretty shade of pink.
The ephemeral beauty of sakura lasts for only about a week. After they bloom in full, the petals begin to fall from the tree and flutter to the ground; and even in their final phase didn't falter to paint the canal with their hues. In normal circumstances this clogging would have been utterly disgusting, but the exquisite sakura made it awfully beautiful to look at.
The path is approximated to be around 2 kilometers and about 30 minutes by foot. While many people visiting Kyoto spend their hanami following this route, we on the other hand didn't intend to complete the Philosopher's Walk, instead when we found the signboard to our next destination, we turned.
Temple of the Silver Pavilion
Like its predecessor, Ginkaku-ji was also built to serve as a retirement villa. It was supposed to emulate Kinkaku-ji, and was planned to cover its exterior with silver foil. But the construction was halted and the work was never realized. Even now, they kept the unfinished look, reflecting "beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete" that staring at it soaked in the pouring rain made it more flawed but appealing.
The Silver Pavilion is well-known for its sand garden, a carefully formed file of sand, but I could not see its resemblance to Mt. Fuji whatsoever. What struck me was that the oldest surviving tea room in Japan is in the compound. Had I known, I would have looked for tea ceremony near Ginkaku-ji Temple. Even so, the sight of the stone washbasin, called tsukubai, was a prelude to what I planned for this trip. I told them that guests purify their hands and mouths before crawling into the tea room through a low square door, 'tis an act of humility; but I guess it's something better experienced than heard.
As we're already drenched, we took shelter at the food stall by the exit. While resting, we thought we'd try the dango and its sakura-flavored rice cake ball at that. My mom's fond of sticky rice cakes and whatnot; lucky her she got to taste the season's special – hanami dango.
We followed the crowd and found where we’d take the bus to our next destination. But before we hopped on, we stopped for food at a random restaurant we found in the corner. As random as it was, its food was a redemption of the Japanese Curry we had at the Imperial Palace.
Kiyumizu-dera
We got on the bus to Kiyomizu-dera, which literally means "Pure Water Temple" derived from the waterfall site it was founded. It's part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which collectively a UNESCO World Heritage site; and also one of the finalists of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Kiyumizu-dera is famous for its wooden stage cantilevered above the hillside providing a nice view of the city in the distance and the seasonal colors from the abundantly blessed surroundings. In spring, the hillside is painted with the hues of the cherry blossoms. It just so happened that the grey skies dampened the supposedly divine scenery we should be admiring that day.
At the base of the main hall is the Otowa Waterfall with three water streams visitors can drink from which are believed to bequeath longevity, success and love respectively. I asked my companions if they'd fancy drinking from any of the stream but they both refused. I recalled drinking from all three (because nobody called us out) the first time my friends and I came – and as they consider this deed greedy, it might have caused the laborious career growth of me moving from one thankless job to the other and the yet untold tragic love story. On the contrary, I'd say fate... because I believe in destiny.
Fushimi Inari Taisha
From Kyoto station, we took the densha (and it's not interchangeable with chikatetsu which passes underground) to Fushimi Inari. We intended to see the torii at daytime however the rain had a toll on our pace. We arrived at sunset and it was pitch dark to clearly see the iconic red gates meant to mark the transition from the mundane to the sacred. Surprisingly, the light and shade provided a dramatic path in navigating the thousand torii and feeling the sacredness of the place.
It didn't turn out the way we planned it, but it was a wonderful sight nonetheless. Passing through the vermilion tunnel took me back to the scene in the movie adaptation of the novel Memoirs of a Geisha where Chiyo-chan sprinted to the shrine with the coin she received from the chairman and offered it to the deity for her earnest prayer. As we walked deeper into the trail, we're also praying that we'd be granted another chance to visit Kyoto with ample time the next time to see Fushimi Inari at the hour of the day we'd wish to see it.
We went back to the hotel with no special dinner arrangement or anything. We needed to pack as we'd be leaving the following day.
Japanese-style Accommodation
The first reservation I did via Booking.com was our stay at Hotel Sugicho. I was adamant to use it initially but seeing that there's free cancellation, I felt at ease eventually. The best part was that we'd be paying at the property upon check-out; I had time to save for the amount prior to the trip.
It might not be the best Japanese accommodation, but Hotel Sugicho provided a roof over our heads and a warm breakfast in an unelaborated shokudō, the local term for a mess hall. What was fascinating was the intricate preparation of every food item on the tray. Staples were fish and rice, tofu in various dishes, sauces or dips, and soup. It had a little of everything, but altogether would sum up to a hearty meal. We would definitely fondly remember our typical Kyoto breakfast.
We had to rush after our sumptuous meal as we needed to go to a tea house near Kodai-ji Temple determined to take taxi all the way as it was our last day in Japan but the itinerary was still packed.
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Chadō, translated as "the way of tea" is one of the 3 classical Japanese arts of refinement. It's a cultural hospitality involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha in varying degrees of formality, where a formal gathering can take up to 4 hours.
During our AOTS Program in KKC, our training coordinator arranged a tea ceremony for us to know more of the Japanese culture. It was a memorable 2 hours of my time then that I wanted my mom and my daughter to experience the same, even if it'd just be a peek to the slightest scale of an informal affair. I searched the internet and found something that was suitable for our itinerary – i.e. location, travel time, duration – and viola, I booked the 11 am session.
It wasn’t difficult to see the signage where Tripadvisor was more visible than the name of the tea house itself. The ground floor was confusingly into some other business, but the stairs on its right side led us to Camellia Tea Ceremony.
Wearing a kimono, Atsuko-san amiably greeted us, introduced the bits and pieces of the ceremony and gracefully demonstrated the tea preparation. After a while, she gave us the chance to whisk our own matcha, the potency and fizz to our liking. With a sweet on the side called higashi, which could be upgraded to a different variety with additional pay by the way, we enjoyed our thick and foamy cup of green tea with other foreigners who also signed-up for the small group.
At the end of the session, Atsuko-san handed each one of us little paper crane origami as a gift. If it wasn't the cutest gesture of showing her gratitude to the people who appreciated her culture, I don't know what is.
Machiya
After an hour, we found ourselves in the middle of a stretch of traditional wooden shophouses called machiya, lost in thought to be this close to the cultural heritage of Kyoto. They're mostly souvenir shops in a glance, but behind each is a history of a family business that has served the town for generations.
The shops offer various keepsakes that has to do with Japan and its people, but we already have a specific omiyage, the Japanese word for gift, in mind.
We headed to Daimaru, a department store downtown, which houses the Kit Kat Chocolatory where we purchased specialty kit kat bars as omiyage to close friends and relatives. There were lots of flavors to choose from, but we limited ours to sakura, matcha and strawberry to represent the experience we’ve had in visiting Japan in spring.
To the Airport
We hurriedly hailed a taxi back to the hotel to get our luggage. We did a little repacking to reduce the bags we’re carrying, but no matter what we came up with, we still ended up carrying a lot. Once done, we got a taxi to Kyoto Station to catch the next train to Shin Osaka.
We were at the platform getting ready for the approaching train when a middle-aged Japanese man kindly informed us that the train "splits" and the cars that go to the airport are numbers so and so, and when I scanned the labels on the floor, it would be the 4th section from where we stood. I thanked him politely in a Japanese manner and rushed to the nearest train door we could get in.
I was awake the entire ride, checking and ensuring we were on the right train to the airport or we'd miss our flight back home. It could be the adrenaline rush or it could be the thought of leaving the ancient city of Kyoto that I was restless the whole time. Either way, there's always this gush of emotion when ending a trip. Besides it was the Journey to the Ephemeral Beauty of Sakura we're concluding – the transience of things was something worth pondering upon.
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