DAY FOUR
Kyoto Station as seen from Kyoto Tower, with the lovely orange frame work
me 'pushing' Kyoto Tower
Today we decide to rent some bikes and explore Kyoto like we Dutch are used to do: cycling! We cycle to nearby Kyoto Tower and ascend (by lift, there was no other way, honestly!). At a 100m high, the view was ok, but the orange bars in front of the windows did restrict the view a little. The orange bars are there to help the Kyoto Tower look like a lighthouse “to illuminate the landlocked city of Kyoto”, but didn’t impress me much. Never the less, it was a good view.
We then get into Kyoto Station Building to find the observation level. we can’t see much through the clouded windows, but the journey up there was pretty impressive, long long looooooong escalators up to the 12th floor, with a massive x-mas tree in the middle section. On our way down we go past the glass corridor that goes high above the main concourse (11th floor). Sweet views of the Kyoto Tower and as my dad gets snap happy and me an my mum wait, we take a few pictues of me ‘pushing’ the Kyoto Tower.
Then we cycle along to The Fushimi-inari-taisha Shrine. The shrine was dedicated to the gods of rice and sake.
The Torii of The Fushimi-inari-taisha Shrine
The fox's heads with wishes on them
A pathway wanders 4km up the mountain and is lined with hundreds of bright red torii (shirine gates) . There are also dozens of stone foxes everywhere. The fox is considered the messenger if Inari, the god of the cereals. the key often seen in the fox’s mounth is for the rice granary.
Tons of people com here to pray, you can also buy a wooden fox head on which you can write your wish, hopefully it will then become true!!
After this we are a bit cream crackered so we chill for the rest of the day.
A few Japanese things we have learnt (or trying to get in our heads) so far:
Konichiwa-Hello
Mata Neh-Bye
Domo Arigato-Thank you very much (or in Kyoto: Okini)
Hai-Yes Iie-No
One Gajshimas-Please
Sumi Masen-Sorry/Excuse me
Doi Tashimashite-You’re Welcome
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