Kyoto: I had been there, but where?

I'd been to Kyoto once before this trip, and that was in... was it 1998 or 1999?

It was a memorable trip, but somehow I don't consciously remember the sights I visited.

Problem 1: I've lost all the pictures

Problem 2: There were some memories that were blocked for a few years and now with my "old age" it's difficult to remember them, haha.

Well, it was definitely more sight-seeing than this time, because I remember staying at a supposedly world famous traditional Ryokan, Tawaraya (I just remember the room looks out to a garden, and then the lady comes in early every morning to wake us up with breakfast) ; 銀閣寺(Ginkaku-ji), which is lesser known than 金閣寺 (Kinkaku-ji) (which I also visited), but with better gardens; 二条城 (Nijo-jo), the Imperial Palace, etc. We also went to Nara, fed the deers, visited 東大寺 (Todai-ji) and another UNESCO temple complex of more than 1,000 years old. I remember praying at Todai-ji and writing something on a tile... probably wishing for "World Peace" or something, haha. I also remember a meal at a soba noodle specialist in Kyoto. Don't ask me how to get there. I was "taken" there by a local guide. It was very good. I also remember one meal, not a kaiseki, but with many courses of fresh yummy seafood; then there was the other meal that's mainly tempura.

Seems such a distant past... images now flash in front of me, and I just remember it being very cold (it was in deep winter... around Christmas time). I remember taking the Hikari from Tokyo to Kyoto. I remember looking at Mt. Fuji and feeling an earthquake after checking into a hotel room which was situated 40+ floors above ground. What else... I remember taking a stroll in Roppongi before that was Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown. It was a funky place; the HMV, the Hard Rock Cafe, and that Takashimaya on the main drag. I wonder if they're still there.

Anyway, that was then.

2008, what did we do?

Stayed near the Train Station, which was not there when I visited back then. Not as impressive as I had imagined, but still a good gateway into the cultural capital. We went to 鴨川 (Kamogawa?) looking for restaurants (oh so many choices, just not enough guts to go into them, or full-house already). Went to 祇園 (Gion) and looked at the small cute buildings and ran into some geisha getting ready for the night. Went to 高台寺 (Kodaiji) to look at a beautiful blooming cherry tree on a chilly night. Went to 清水寺 (Kiyomizu-dera) to look at the famous stage (also did this back then). What else... oh, took a tourist train to 磋峨野、嵐山 (Sagano/Arashiyama) and actually had a wonderful relaxing time next to the river (I even took a 30-min nap?!) The train track was lined with numerous cherry trees, but well, we were just one week early. ;p

We had desserts here, desserts there. The 10,000-yen gigantic ice-cream/cookies/biscuits/cream/fruits CUP was simply eye-opening. Green tea here green tea there. We've had green tea ice-cream, cakes, biscuits, cream puffs? Everything's green tea.

As with other trips, especially my US trip back during Christmas, visiting these old "haunts" brought back lots of memories. Funny I didn't even know where that Tawaraya Ryokan I stayed at is located (not because I forgot, but I just didn't have to find it on my own then)... and I was trying to find it in Gion to reminisce the old times... coincidentally, I was just a block from it on our last morning in Kyoto when we were walking around town near 寺町通 (Teramachi-dori). But no, no time to walk by to see it. If it's been there for over 300 years, it'd still be there next time I visit Kyoto.

Our trip back to HKG was uneventful, except for the bento boxes we got for the train ride from Kyoto to KIX.

Bento boxes on Japanese trains, can't get more authentic than that.

Now some pictures:

My best friend liked this picture taken at Kiyomizu-dera alot. It's quite an accident how this picture was taken. My camera was out of battery and this is one of the last shots taken that afternoon.

One of the few cherry blossom we saw. This is a night time visit to Kodaiji.

Walking down from Kodaiji without a proper map, I used my 6th Sense (being the official Map King of the trip), and we safely arrived back at Gion at 八坂神社 (Yasaka-jinja). It's quite a beautiful scene.

On one of the many nights when we had to walk around town to agree on a restaurant to dine at, we passed by 白川 and looked at those restaurants across the little stream. We also spotted a blossoming cherry tree, and a geisha taking a stroll with her Client on this beautiful misty night.

Various shots of our time in Kyoto

Boring landscape on the train from Kyoto to KIX

By the way, for a "Play-by-Play" on our "Cherry Blossom Trip Without Seeing Any Cherry Blossom" please also visit our infamous local Hong Kong Web Landmark: Fun生活. It's a really really good place to be ;))