In search of Totoro
May. 16th, 2009 02:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
qatarperegrineIt rained today, so I went hiking. There are two beautiful wooded valleys north of Kyoto, called Kibune and Kurama, and one can hike over Mt. Kurama from one to the other. It only takes an hour or so, which is good since I got a much later start than intended due to late-night karaoke with some new friends from my hostel.
I tragically forgot my camera battery (left it charging) so I resolved to write down impressions every time I wished I could take a picture:
A little boy leading his patient father from stepping stone to stepping stone across the river, sending two cranes into flight.
The clever signs in Japanese train stations, which tell you the name of the current station AND, with arrows, the names of the next station in each direction, so you can easily tell when your station is next.
The many intense shades of green of the forested hills north of Kyoto, vivid against the white sky.
Wisps of cloud between me and the highest peak.
Hearing nothing but the patter of rain on the leaves, and the competing sounds of half a dozen waterfalls.
Coming across a large Shinto shrine seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Stopping to ring the bell to honor the mountain, and startling a tiny wren in the undergrowth.
The view down the valley on descent: nothing but mountains and trees and clouds and the gracefully concave roof of one temple.
My first funicular ride, from Kurama temple down to town. So cool! Like an outdoor elevator with seats.
The bus up to the onsen, which in addition to having self-opening doors like other taxis here, also had a live video feed on the dashboard of the rear view of the vehicle.
Finally, the view up at the mountain from the onsen itself, which I couldn't have photographed anyway. An onsen is a hot springs that has been turned into a public bath. It was amazing. Every afternoon hike in the mountains should conclude with outdoor nude hottubbing -- the world would be a better place, I promise.
I am now in a fancy falafel restaurant near Kyoto University, watching the people around me eat pita sandwiches with chopsticks. Wow. I don't care, I'm eating mine with my hands. I'm pretty sure I'm more authentically Middle Eastern than anything in this restaurant, anyway. :-)
Tomorrow I'm off to Tokyo. I still haven't seen the golden temple, though. I'll have to decide tonight how unmissable it is; I could always go see ot first thing in the morning, before catching the train.
I tragically forgot my camera battery (left it charging) so I resolved to write down impressions every time I wished I could take a picture:
A little boy leading his patient father from stepping stone to stepping stone across the river, sending two cranes into flight.
The clever signs in Japanese train stations, which tell you the name of the current station AND, with arrows, the names of the next station in each direction, so you can easily tell when your station is next.
The many intense shades of green of the forested hills north of Kyoto, vivid against the white sky.
Wisps of cloud between me and the highest peak.
Hearing nothing but the patter of rain on the leaves, and the competing sounds of half a dozen waterfalls.
Coming across a large Shinto shrine seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Stopping to ring the bell to honor the mountain, and startling a tiny wren in the undergrowth.
The view down the valley on descent: nothing but mountains and trees and clouds and the gracefully concave roof of one temple.
My first funicular ride, from Kurama temple down to town. So cool! Like an outdoor elevator with seats.
The bus up to the onsen, which in addition to having self-opening doors like other taxis here, also had a live video feed on the dashboard of the rear view of the vehicle.
Finally, the view up at the mountain from the onsen itself, which I couldn't have photographed anyway. An onsen is a hot springs that has been turned into a public bath. It was amazing. Every afternoon hike in the mountains should conclude with outdoor nude hottubbing -- the world would be a better place, I promise.
I am now in a fancy falafel restaurant near Kyoto University, watching the people around me eat pita sandwiches with chopsticks. Wow. I don't care, I'm eating mine with my hands. I'm pretty sure I'm more authentically Middle Eastern than anything in this restaurant, anyway. :-)
Tomorrow I'm off to Tokyo. I still haven't seen the golden temple, though. I'll have to decide tonight how unmissable it is; I could always go see ot first thing in the morning, before catching the train.
