Travel for Life: Kyoto

Showing posts with label Kyoto. Show all posts

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Cultural Immersion: Experiencing a Traditional Market in Kyoto

Planning a trip to Kyoto (京都)? Don't miss Nishiki Market (錦市場 Nishiki Ichiba⭐), a vibrant food market steeped in history!

A 400-Year Legacy

Nishiki Market boasts a rich tradition dating back over 400 years. To get a glimpse of this bustling marketplace, check out this video.

Finding Your Way Around

This map, courtesy of the Nishiki Market Shopping Street Promotion Association, will guide you. Look for "錦市場商店街" (Nishiki Market) on the map. While there are several covered shopping arcades in the area (between Sanjo and Shijo streets), Nishiki Market is unique - it's dedicated entirely to food!

From Gion-Shijo Station to Nishiki

The above map shows Nishiki Market stretching roughly 5 to 6 blocks from east to west. Here's how to get there from Gion-Shijo Station:

Head West: Walk west from Gion-Shijo Station.
Turn Right at Teramachi Dori: Once you reach Teramachi Dori (street), turn right. You'll enter a covered shopping arcade with a white roof - this is Teramachi Shopping Street.
Look for the Colorful Roof: Continue walking for a few minutes. You'll see another covered shopping street with a distinctive yellow, red, and blue roof. Take a left here! This vibrant entrance marks the beginning of Nishiki Market (錦市場).

Get There by Bus and Train

Here are the different train lines in Kyoto, which are run by different railways companies.

Based on the Association's information here, there are different ways to reach Nishiki Market:

City Bus No 5 Line (市バス5系統)

Get off at Takakura Dori Stop ( 四条高倉) which is in front of Daimaru Department Store (大丸百貨店) and walk for 2 mins

Karasuma Subway Line (地下鉄烏丸線)

Get off at Shijo Karasuma Station (四条駅) and walk for 3 mins

Tozai Subway Line (地下鉄東西線)

Get off at Kyotoshiyakusho-Mae Station (京都市役所前駅) and walk for 10 mins

Hankyu Railways (阪急京都線)

Get off at Karasuma Station (烏丸駅) and walk for 3 mins
Get off at Karawamachi Station (河原町駅) and walk for 4 mins

Keihan Raiways (京阪本線)

Get off at Sanjo Station (三条駅) and walk for 15 mins
Get off at Gion-Shijo Station (四条駅) and walk for 10 mins

References

Kyoto Street Food Guide: Nishiki Ichiba Market 京都錦市場買い食い ★ WAO✦RYU!TV ONLYinJAPAN #40 (video)

Food items mentioned in this video:

Eel liver (うなぎのきも)
Soy milk donut (豆乳ドーナツ)
Matcha Warabi Mochi (抹茶わらび餅)
Boiled Japanese Conger eel (Ike Hamo)
Baby octopus egg head on a stick (Tako Tamago)
Matcha soft ice cream cone (宇治抹茶アイスクリーム / Uji matcha aisukurīmu)

Nishiki market shopping street promotion association

How to get there (in Japanese)

How to travel between Kyoto and Tokyo (japan-guide.com)

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Japan: Visiting Nara (奈良) in One or Two Days

If you plan to visit Kyoto (京都), you may want to plan a 1-to-2-day's side trip to Nara (奈良). Assuming you do, here is a plan for you to consider.

Video 1. Nara (奈良) In Japan—A Deer Theme Park and More (YouTube link)

Todaiji (東大寺)

You can visit Todaiji Temple, Nara Park and its surrounding gardens and temples in one or two days. If you're also in the season, you may also view the splendor of autumn colors as reported here. The plan is as follows:

Train Stations

Kintetsu Nara Station
JR Nara Station

Kofukuji (興福寺)

Kofukuji is a five minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, or a 20 minute walk from JR Nara Station.
Kofukuji's pagoda is both a landmark and symbol of Nara.

Yoshikien (吉城園)

10 minute walk away Kofukuji Temple
The entry fee to the garden is waived for foreign tourists.
A visit to Yoshikien provides the opportunity to see three different variations of Japanese gardens in one spot.^[27]

Isuien (依水園)

If visitors still want to see more techniques of Japanese gardening, the Isuien Garden is located just across the small river to Yoshikien Garden (10 mins walk away).

Todaiji (東大寺)

The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara (video).
Deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely (video).

Nara Park (奈良公園)
Naramachi (奈良町 or literally "Nara Town")

Former merchant district with old houses.
Boutiques, shops, cafes, restaurants and a few museums now line the district's narrow lanes.

More What-to-sees

Arriving Nara from KIX

There are three options of arriving Nara from Kansai International Airport (KIX) depending on whether you use JR Pass or not (thanks to Hiroko for her feedback).

With JR Pass (~ 1 hr and 18 mins)

KIX

Take JR trains

Tennoji (天王寺)

Arrival track No.18 / Departure track No.16 (Warning: this information may differ)

JR Nara Station (奈良駅)

Without JR Pass

Option #1 (~ 1 hr and 40 mins)

KIX

Take Nankai Line (KIX関空 →Namba難波)

NAMBA(NANKAI) Station

Walk (12 mins)

OSAKA-NAMBA Station (大阪難波)

Take Kintetsu Nara Line (Namba大阪難波 →Nara近鉄奈良)

Kintetsu-Nara Station (近鉄奈良駅)

Option #2 (~ 1 + ½hours)

Take a Limousine bus KIX → Nara

References

Nara (Japan-guide.com)
Nara Travel Guide
Japan Rail Pass
Japan Rail Group
Public toilets in Japan

"Public toilets are usually readily available all over Japan, and can be found in department stores, supermarkets, book stores, CD shops, parks, most convenience stores, and in all but the most rural train stations."
Carry some toilets just in case.