Out and about by cycle

We are still not sure why we did it but we decided to spend our first day touring Kyoto by cycle. The Ryokan had leaflets from a local hire shop so after breakfast we set off to hire three cycles.

The daily fee for the cycles was very reasonable, £5 per person per day. What really surprised us is that they didn't ask for proof of identity or even a deposit. Seeing as bicycle theft is a rife in Japan we were amazed. The cycles were of basic design with three gears. Mine had a bell.

A short rest before we move on to our first destination

The big challenge came when we started to ride them. I naturally moved into the road and began peddling. My daughter called to me to stop and then told me that Japanese cyclists use the pavements. This was something I hadn't done since I was a kid. It took quite a bit of getting used to. Initially I was expecting to have pedestrians shouting at me, but they didn't. There was still an issue of right of way. What to do when were passed pedestrians. It didn't take long before we were old hands ringing the bell as we weaved our way through the stream of pedestrians. There is even a section on pedestrian crossings for cycles. After a couple of miles we reached a steep section up towards the first temple, the Kiyomizu Temple and had to get off and push. Half way up we stopped for a well earned rest.

The entrance to Kiyomizu Temple

The final stretch to the temple was lined with shops and packed with tourists. Our progress was slow as we wove our way upwards and the warm weather didn't make it any easier. Arriving at the top we discovered there was no where to leave the bikes. My daughter had bought a present at a shop and we managed to persuade the shopkeeper to allow us to leave the bikes for an hour outside the shop.

Liz had bought me an electronic Japanese-English dictionary by Canon. I found it very useful in deciphering the kanji . The device was actually designed to help Japanese speakers to translate to and from English and some of the examples are rather quaint. For instance under Watermelon, Suika the example given is People in Japan like to play "split-the-watermelon" on beaches in the summertime, and for Drive, Unten it has Don't drive your car onto the riverbed. It is the sort of thing a Japanese tourist in England will certainly find useful.

Buddhist Monk at the Kiyomizu Temple

As climbed the final section the imposing grace of the temple came into site. In front of the temple was a large paved area and standing, framed by the temple steps was a monk.

Budding Geisha at the Kiyomizu Temple

The shape formed by the monk was perfect. This was not by chance but one of those things that the Japanese work hard at and hone to perfection. As he stood there he chanted a mantra, over and over again. Having taken a photo of him I felt obliged to make a donation. The clink of the coins falling into his bowl was greeted with a slight bow of thanks.

Among the people having their photographs taken with the temple as a backdrop were two young ladies dressed in the full geisha dress. A nearby shop was providing the clothes, make-up and the a set of photographs and the ladies had taken up the offer. I too the chance to get a photograph of them, I didn't give a donation.

The lighting at the temple, as far as photography goes, was very difficult. It was either too bright, about right but the shadows turned out black, or it was too dark. I was glad that I practised with the camera before I came to Japan. It certainly pays to learn how to use your camera and to understand the issues relating to taking a photograph.

Kiyomizu Temple

Having played around with cameras for 30 years I have learned to see a scene that would make a good picture but I still bracketed my shots to ensure the best results. The great thing about a digital camera is that you can see if the picture is worth keeping. I kept one picture in twenty, which is far better that Lord Litchfiled who on shoots is reputed to use 1 in 200. With traditional cameras you must rely on the film and hope you have got a good image, and pay just as much for the bad pictures as for the good ones.

With the digital camera can see instantly what you have captured and retake if necessary. The downside is that you must rely on the memory in the camera. A 5 million pixel photograph at Standard quality of 2560 by 1920 gives you 144 images on a 256Mb chip. But if the chip fails you can lose everything. Having arranged a trip of our lifetime I decided to arrange insurance - I bought a laptop so I could download the images and review them.

Sannenezaka, three year slope

Either way the cost of the camera covered itself by the saving in the cost of processing. My advice is to determine how much you can pay for a digital camera then add 15% and buy one at that price. The camera will pay for itself very quickly. I am watching the price of the new range of SLR digital camera.

After we had walked around the temple I went back to the bikes while Rita and Liz did some shopping. The twenty minutes I waited was not wasted as I had a chance to watch the Japanese tourist in action. There were the school groups of smart children following in line glancing into each shop as they passed, the tour parties trying to ensure they did not loose their guide and family groups stopping at each shop.

Rickshaw tour around Kyoto

According to the guide the next part of the route was down the Sannenzaka , three year slope, a long and steep section of steps. We decided to avoid the steps and explore the back alleys instead. This was good decision as we were able to see the real Kyoto. We were not the only ones avoiding the steps. Charging down towards us were a couple of rikshaws. The drivers were certainly fit because they kept up a commentary while they steered their vehicle and passengers around the narrow alleys. Unfortunately we failed to avoid the second set of steps, Ninenzaka , two year slope. Instead we carefully manoeuvred or bikes down the slope. Our hard work was well rewarded with our next destination, the Ryozen Kannon, which is also known as Ryozen Kwan-on .

Ryozen Kannon statue

This statue, the Bodhisattva of Mercy, is a 24 metres high concrete statue built in 1955. In front of the statue, and as you enter the area, is a reflecting pool which provides a wonderful opportunity for photography. It is a memorial to the victims of World War Two, both Japanese and Allied soldiers, many of whose names are displayed on wood plaques and collected in card files.

There whole enclosure was beautiful and striking. In fact I was overwhelmed. I took many pictures. Here are a few of my favourites.

Images of the Ryozen Kannon

As you approach the statue you cannot avoid the seeing it reflected in the pool making the image far larger. The pool is criss-crossed with string to keep the herons at bay. As I was taking the pictures I was pleased to see a carp come up to welcome me.

By this time we were feeling very warm and very tired. It has been a long time since I had been on a bike and my body was telling me it wanted a rest we we cycled back and returned our bikes.

Pool by the Golden Temple

After a meal of tempura at the station we caught a bus to KinKakuji - the Golden Temple. It was Elizabeth's experience in Japan that helped us. Japanese buses fall into two categories - those where you pay as you enter and those where you pay when you leave. We were apprehensive about getting on a bus without a ticket and no indication as to where we would get off. If you enter at the front you pay on entry and if you enter in the middle you pay on exit. It is actually quite simple but more about buses later.

The Golden Pavilion

We arrived quite late and the sun was starting to set. We walked in through the gate and into the park shaded by wonderful trees. At each turn one comes across something that brings you to a halt. Little treats which wetted your appetite for the next one. There were subtle waterfalls, stands of stones and places to sit and contemplate the marvellous views. At last we came to the pool and gazed across it to the Golden Pavilion.

The original pavilion, built in the 14th century as a retirement villa, was destroyed in 1950. What is now there is an exact replica covered in gold leaf topped by a bronze phoenix.

The two of us in front of the Kinkakuji the Golden Pavilion

With the sun so low it made the pavilion even more golden. We just stood there and looked. I got to try out my Japanese with a couple who were also enjoying the view. Shashin o totte kudasai - Please take a photo. And here is the result.

Scenes around the Kinkakuji