JET Programme Series: Kyoto - One of the most majestic places i have ever visited - Annika Mohammed
2020/7/22
JET Programme Series: Kyoto - One of the most majestic places i have ever visited - Annika Mohammed
Kyoto- Autumn 2019
Kyoto is one of the most majestic places I have ever visited. When exiting Kyoto train station, you are met with a huge rocket-like tower. It’s actually one of the best places to go to see the entire city. To see the real city though, you would have to travel a bit more. Kyoto is both modern Japan and old Japan at the same time. Its vast cultural sites may seem daunting for someone who loves to explore, only because there are so many that its impossible to visit them all on one trip.
So, I’m going to share the ones that were the most impactful to me.
The first thing you think about when you imagine Kyoto is the Fushimi Inari Taisha.
This may arguably be one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Japan.
It is dedicated to the Shinto God of rice and it is believed that the fox is a messenger for the God Inari.
The journey to the shrine is a long one, but it’s definitely worth it. On leaving the station you are plunged into a world of amazing food. The road to the shrine is littered with food stalls, tempting you with every type of food Japan has to offer. After indulging yourself in all the delicious food, a few steps forward and you are met with this enormous red torii gate. As you enter the shrine, you are met with the main building where people pray and make offerings. The most popular part of the shrine is located behind it. The mountain trails which start behind the shrine are filled with thousands of red torii gates, appropriately named Senbon Torii ("thousands of torii gates"). I visited the shrine at the beginning of autumn, so the weather was cool and crisp, making it easier to walk the long trail. Walking along the trail you are suddenly swallowed into an endless tunnel of red gates, with a beautiful lush forest just beyond. Walking back down is just as beautiful as walking up, the trail leading to the bottom has many small shrines and statues dedicated to the fox.
I also visited Kinkaku-ji, a stunning golden pavilion. The breath-taking view of the temple on a clear autumn day is one of the most magnificent things I have ever witnessed. It was definitely worth the long lines and crowds. The temple is surrounded by a pond which reflects the beautiful golden building on its waters, creating an illusion that makes it seem like its floating on the water. Just beyond are beautiful gardens and a tea house where you can buy delicious matcha tea and ice cream. I visited other places while in Kyoto for example, Kiyomizu-dera (a Buddhist temple) and Arashiyama bamboo grove. Kyoto is truly one of the most spectacular and calming places I have ever been to, I hope to visit it again before leaving Japan.
Annika Mohammed
JET (Japanese Exchange & Teaching) Program Assistant Langauge Teacher
Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, JAPAN
JET Programme Series: Kyoto - One of the most majestic places I have ever visited (Japanese Embassy Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
Kyoto is one of the most majestic places I have ever visited. When exiting Kyoto train station, you are met with a huge rocket-like tower. It’s actually one of the best places to go to see the entire city. To see the real city though, you would have to travel a bit more. Kyoto is both modern Japan and old Japan at the same time. Its vast cultural sites may seem daunting for someone who loves to explore, only because there are so many that its impossible to visit them all on one trip.
So, I’m going to share the ones that were the most impactful to me.
The first thing you think about when you imagine Kyoto is the Fushimi Inari Taisha.
This may arguably be one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Japan.
It is dedicated to the Shinto God of rice and it is believed that the fox is a messenger for the God Inari.
The journey to the shrine is a long one, but it’s definitely worth it. On leaving the station you are plunged into a world of amazing food. The road to the shrine is littered with food stalls, tempting you with every type of food Japan has to offer. After indulging yourself in all the delicious food, a few steps forward and you are met with this enormous red torii gate. As you enter the shrine, you are met with the main building where people pray and make offerings. The most popular part of the shrine is located behind it. The mountain trails which start behind the shrine are filled with thousands of red torii gates, appropriately named Senbon Torii ("thousands of torii gates"). I visited the shrine at the beginning of autumn, so the weather was cool and crisp, making it easier to walk the long trail. Walking along the trail you are suddenly swallowed into an endless tunnel of red gates, with a beautiful lush forest just beyond. Walking back down is just as beautiful as walking up, the trail leading to the bottom has many small shrines and statues dedicated to the fox.
I also visited Kinkaku-ji, a stunning golden pavilion. The breath-taking view of the temple on a clear autumn day is one of the most magnificent things I have ever witnessed. It was definitely worth the long lines and crowds. The temple is surrounded by a pond which reflects the beautiful golden building on its waters, creating an illusion that makes it seem like its floating on the water. Just beyond are beautiful gardens and a tea house where you can buy delicious matcha tea and ice cream. I visited other places while in Kyoto for example, Kiyomizu-dera (a Buddhist temple) and Arashiyama bamboo grove. Kyoto is truly one of the most spectacular and calming places I have ever been to, I hope to visit it again before leaving Japan.
Annika Mohammed
JET (Japanese Exchange & Teaching) Program Assistant Langauge Teacher
Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, JAPAN
JET Programme Series: Kyoto - One of the most majestic places I have ever visited (Japanese Embassy Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives