GION MATSURI
by Pixiekatten
Gion Matsuri is held annually in Kyoto and is probably one of the most famous festival in all of Japan. It is on during the entire month of July and the Yama-boko Junkō, which is the parade with the floats, is the absolute highlight of the festival and is on July 17th. Kyoto's downtown area is closed for traffic on the three nights leading up to the parade. On these nights the streets are lined with night stalls selling food, traditional sweets, beer and much more. On these nights it is also the perfect opportunity to spot the Japanese walking around in beautiful cotton summer kimonos, called yukatas.
On the 17th one has to rise early to get a good spot to watch the parade. The streets get real crowded hours before it starts and people bring food, water and fans to get through the long wait in the hot and humid weather.
The parade consists of about 30 floats that are carried and pulled. It takes about 3 hours and is amazing to watch.
Hoko Floats
Weight: about 12,000 kg
Height: about 25m from ground to tip / 8 m from ground to roof
Wheel diameter: about 1.9 m
Attendants: about 30-40 pulling during procession, usually 2 men piloting with wedges
Yama Floats
Height: about 6 m
Weight: 1,200 – 1,600 kg
Attendants: 14-24 people to pull, push or carry
There are pamphlets in English handed out in the streets or they can be picked up at a TIC. Getting one is making the experience even better as you can read about the different floats and which temples or shrines they belong to.
Ma chi parla italiano!?
by CliffClaven
Old Cliffie once heard a plaintive voice call across a crowded bar: Ma non c'è nessuno che sa parlare italiano? It was a sad Neapolitan pizza cook who had been in Japan for ten days and who couldn't speak English, let alone Japanese. On a night off from cooking pizzas for trendy young Japanese, he'd found his way to the Pig and Whistle, a British bar that provides an expatriate haven for middle-aged English teachers, thrusting young insurance brokers already dreaming of Singapore and promotion, and the occasional bewildered tourist. Good pub grub, especially when you are in time for their happy-hour special of a pint and a plate of food for 1100 yen - something of a bargain in Japan. The Pig - as it is affectionately called - is handily located opposite Sanjo-Keihan station. Time your visit right and you'll find old Cliffie sitting in the corner.
Have breakfast first before you head to temples
by joiwatani about Yoshinoya Restaurant
As soon as we arrived in Kyoto, my sisters and I were starving so we headed to Yoshinoya Restaurant where the locals go. It was early in the morning and there was nobody on the streets yet. Once and a while I see truck drivers making their first delivery- unloading products to stores. At other times, I see some early risers, biking. But, for the most part of it, I only saw people who delivers their products early in the morning like the shop keepers opening their stores and delivery people.
The restaurant was small with an elongated make-shift table. There were only two people managing the restaurant:the waiter who is also the cashier and the cook.
There were about five customers in sight, smoking cigarettes. I haven't seen any place like this where everybody seemed to smoke cigarettes! Some customers ordered soup. I wasn't ready for soup. But, I was starving for breakfast: eggs, bacon and sausage!
Since I didn't have any choice but to order what they had. I ordered a Japanese breakfast instead! Of course, it has rice on it...and, fried meat Rice and fried meat.
Kiyomizu Temple with great view
by ChuckG
This thousand year old temple has multiple buildings to visit and lots of nice walking path around it.
The must see in the temple are:
1) The Status of Kannon which is a famous icon;
2) The sacred spring (Seems like everyone stops there!)
3) The walk on the front of the temple which offer an awesome view of the surrounding mountains and the city.
See my travelogue for a walk through the temple area
Zuishin-in Temple
by Rabbityama
Zuishin-in Temple is a small temple near Daigoji Temple. It was built by abbot Ninkai and was originally called Gyuhi-zan (cow-hide mountain) Temple, because of a dream the abbot had in which his mother was reborn as a cow. He had tried to raise a cow, but when it died, he drew Ryobu Mandara Buddhas on the skin and made it the image of worship. He buried the cow's tail and prayed for its enlightenment.
The original temple was destroyed in the Onin Wars, but the main temple you see today dates back to 1559. The Noh Hall dates to the 1750s, and the living quarters date to 1755, so even the newest structures remain quite old. It is a relatively small temple, so it should only take about 15-20 minutes to view, but it is quite nice.
Aside from the story of the original temple, there is another interesting event that took place here: Ono-no-Komachi is a famous Japanese beauty who came to live at Zuishin-in. Prince Fukakusa fell in love with her, but she stated she would only marry him if he courted her for 100 days. He did so for 98 days, but on the 99th day, he fell ill in a snowstorm and died.
The entrance fee is 300 yen.
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Umenomiya Shrine
Chionin's Sanmon Gate
Sannenzaka
The Ginkakuji Temple
