Thursday 24 December 2015

Japan - Kyoto : My first kimono experience in Kyoto

Japan : Kyoto - May 2015


Day 4 continue from Fushimi-Inari Shrine


We went back to Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka again as bf wanted to realise my dream of wearing a kimono before we leave Kyoto with regret. We saw couple of rental shops when we were there the other day so we wanted to try if we could rent it in short notice.

We were very grateful that today was a sunny day

Yays! I managed to rent the cheapest one at 30k yen for the whole day with handbag and clogs. If rent at the start of the day then more worth it lah but I do not think can wear the whole day because it was so so so suffocating with so many layers.

The cheapest kind only have the plains one or this stripe kind rather than those very fanciful with big flowers.


Tada~ I tied the braids myself. Hahaha I very budget~ I started to realise that I look those the slaves because too plain already lol

Bf didnt rent his samurai outfit because even more plain than girls - only dark navy colour. lol




"A day trip with my friends and I" lol I totally could blend in right~


We walked around the vicinity to take "I am here" pictures. 


 We were so lucky to saw this couple taking wedding photo in their traditional kimono.

I spent like 30min to wear this kimono after layers and layers so must make my money worth lol



LOL




We walked for quite a distance from the rental shop and we only left like 1 hour before it closes. We ended up flagging for a cab knowing that it will be costly - initial price already S$8. To our surprise, the cab door was opened by the driver with just a button and it is very unrespectful if we open the door ourselves. On the way back to the rental shop, the driver still tried to explain the street names and the famous tourist places with his very minimal english. We were very impressed by their services! 

Last shot before I got changed out of kimono.


We continued to stroll around Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka where it filled with people wearing kimono like a norm.











Our favourite warabi mochi again


Our last day in Kyoto. =(

We headed to Gion where we were hoping to see geisha there but instead we saw this lol.


This lake is said to be famous and best to see during sakura period.




*emo because we did not manage to see any geisha there.


This ended our first city in Japan. I got to say my favourite city in Japan is Kyoto where the pace is so much slower and more peaceful than Tokyo. The people there are all very nice and polite that they made us feel at home.



Monday 7 December 2015

Japan - Kyoto : Fushimi-Inari Shrine

Japan : Kyoto - May 2015


Day 4


We have been seeing people wearing kimonos (usually only girls) on the street and we managed to find a rental shop a few stops away from our apartment hoping to rent for the day. However, we were too last min and this rental shop required an appointment. SO SAD!

Actually we were quite happy that I did not mange to rent the kimono before we visit Fushimi Inari Shrine otherwise I would be died of walking all the stairs~



So pretty neh~



800yen each to write wishing.

These are Omikuji - fortune telling paper slips found at many shrines and temple

Omg Japanese are so creative! My favourite is the man in sunglasses in the middle. 


This is the start of the torii gates. I angled this photo so that I could cut away all the heads because there was a filming going on and we were stuck there for a while. The pair of foxes that are found on each side of a shrine's entrance are called as Komainu.


Let's get started~

Fushimi-Inari is an entire world of shrines and torii gates spread across an entire mountain in Kyoto.
 The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari which stands at 233 meters.



The names and dates on the torii gates are the donations by individuals and companies.

The cost starts around 175,000 yen for a small sized gate and increases to over one million yen for a large gate.




Purification trough in the middle of the mountain

The air was so fresh as we were climbing up. Climb a mountain at temperature of 15 degree celcius was just too perfect!

We spent half of the time taking pictures lol





Finally we reached the peak of the mountain!

Inari Shrines are dedicated to Inari, the kami of rice. They can be recognized by fox statues, as the fox is considered the messenger of Inari. There are thousands of Inari Shrines across Japan, among which Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine is most famous.



Heading back down


Mini food stalls at the foot of the mountain. 


We wanted to try this matcha mochi but it was sold out by the time we ordered.




Heading back to the train station.





Goodbye Fushimi Inari, we had lots of fun today!

My lunch~ sakura onigiri.

sibeh buddy buddy lol


Fushimi-Inari Shrine 伏見稲荷大社
Admission: Free 
Direction: 5min walk from Inari Station, JR Nara line 
10min walk from Fushimi Inari Station, Keihan line