Monday, July 31, 2017

Day 2 - Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe Trip 2017 - Kyoto Yodobashi

After a very long and tiring day, dinner was taken late at Yodobashi , located just behind our hotel and Kyoto Tower. Kyoto Yodobashi is a large department store located to the immediate north of Kyoto Tower. Four floors of this six story building are occupied by the popular electronics chain store, Yodobashi Camera. The rest of the building contains a variety of shops, restaurants, a café, a bookshop and even a British style pub. (Read more from source.)

On the 6th floor, there's many restaurants, we have no problem finding food here. Did not know there's so many shops here, thought they only sell electronic stuff.

There's also a supermarket on basement 2.

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Day 2 - Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe Trip 2017 - Shopping Street along Kawaramachi and Shijio Street and Nishiki Market (How to go to Kawaramachi and Shijio Street from Kiyomizudera Temple by public bus)

After we were done visiting Kiyomizudera Temple and sourvenir shopping, we decided to go to the biggest shopping street in Kyoto at Shijio Street and kawaramachi. We walked out to the main road (the same road that we alight earlier when we board Bus 100 from Kyoto Station), so now we took bus no. 207 or 201 (I cannot remember which bus no. I took) to head to Kawaramachi and Shijio Street. Took about 10 minutes ride from here to Kawaramachi and Shijio Street. If we had to wak from here to Kawaramachi , I think would take about 30 minutes for senior citizen, shorter if you have stronger legs and faster pace hahaha. So this is where the one day bus pass comes handy.

Got this map of the bus stop and bus number from the tourism board in Kawaramachi. We alight at Bus Stop D (the bus stop is Shjio Takakura. ). The bus stop is between Takashimaya and Daimaru. If coming from Kyoto Station, can take bus 4,17 and 205 and alight at the bus stop called Shjio Kawaramachi (Bus Stop F or G as above map) . To return to Kyoto Station from Kawaramachi will be the opposite side(Bus Stop B as above map).

Opposite Daimaru is the shopping street called Shin Kyogoku and is linked to Nishiki Market (just walked into Shin kyogoku and the market is the first turn on the left if my memory is correct). Nishiki Market closes at 5 pm while most shops in Shin Kyogoku closes around 8 or 8.30 pm. Daimaru and Takashimaya closes at 8 pm but the restaurants in the upper levels of the department stores closes later.

For those who loves raw seafood, can eat at the stalls in this market but I prefer Kuromon Market in Osaka (will blog about it). Hubby and me dont take raw food. No problem for those who do not take raw food or Japanese food there's lot of other choices and restaurants in here. Can always head to the upper level of Daimaru or Takashiaya , they have very nice restaurants and the price is not expensive. I came back on Day 3 for dinner at Takashimaya hahaha.

After browsing Nishiki Market, we shopped along Shin Kyogoku.

We then head to Daimaru Supermarket to buy some fruits.

Glad we were able to buy some cut fruits at Daimaru Supermarket. I love visiting their supermarkets.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Day 2 - Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe Trip 2017 - Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") - How to go to Kiyomizudera Temple from Kyoto Station by public bus.

Day 2, we started our sightseeing with the famous Kiyomizudera Temple. Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. But we came at a bad time, the temple was undergoing a renovation of the roof, so the temple was covered up and we could not take a nice photo of the temple. The renovation will be completed in 2020.

Opposite our hotel (Hotel New Hankyu Kyoto), was the bus terminal, we took Bus 100 from the bus terminal to Kiyomizudera Temple. The bus fare was 230 yen. The bus ride was about 10 minutes away.

The map I collected from the tourism board in Singapore prior to my departure was so useful. I can alight either at Gojozaka Bus Stop or Kiyomizumichi Bus Stop and crossed over to the temple. We can use our ICOCA (IC)card or buy a one day bus pass, so do some calculations before purchase one day pass.

There's is a screen and announcement in the bus to annouce the bus stop in Japanese, Mandarin and English so no problem. Need to get up the bus from the back door and exit from the front door to pay fare. No worry if you are using IC Card without sufficient money, can always top up the difference in cash and slot into the box.

Lots of tourists and students visit the famous temple, unsure where to go, just follow the crowd, I use the above map as my guide. Is only short walk from the main road, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Admission fee of 400 yen to the temple is required.

So sad, the temple is covered up for renovation, could not take nice photo of the temple.

Nice view from the top of the temple, could even see Kyoto Tower.

After temple visit, we walked back the same route as we earlier took but dont walked all the way to the main road, halfway through, turn right to a small lane(see map), visit many old shophouses where there's a lot of nice souvenirs and food. Free tea and food samples too. Nice atmosphere. This is the place to buy all your Kyoto souvenirs, I bought quite a number of beautiful fans from here.