KR&JP 2013 Travelogue Day 11: Tombs, shrine and manga in Kyoto

And it's goodbye to Osaka. Kind of, because I'm still in Keihanshin, and Kyoto is a short ride away. It was also my first workweek day in Japan, so I got a little experience of the legendary morning subway squeeze on my way to the intercity trail transfer station.

I alighted in Kyoto's Fushimi ward, where I would spend the rest of the morning, at the foot of Momoyama ("Peach Mountain"). Momoyama, a few kilometres south of Kyoto's city centre, has some urban areas around its base, but much of it is densely forested with trees old (bottom). This made the long walk up the tracks to Fushimi-Momoyama Castle gorgeously scenic (top).

The interior of the reconstructed castle (top left) is closed to visitors, but the grounds are open for ambling. Two main keeps (top right) tower over the smaller structures and gates (bottom left). The castle was constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and while not particularly large, is a little extra-luxurious on the inside, having been also intended to be his residence after retirement. The Toyotomi clan crest of the paulownia/kiri, which was also adopted as the seal of the present-day Japanese Government, can be seen in some of the castle's decorative components (bottom right).

A short distance away to the west is what I consider a major historical landmark for Kyoto: the tomb of Emperor Kanmu. The tomb is forested over and fenced off, but it's a beautiful place to walk around and pay a visit to the resting place of the emperor who not only created the title of shogun, but also put Kyoto on the map. Yes, Kanmu establishing Kyoto as his imperial capital, starting the Heian period. From then on, it was where emperors would remain for over a millennium -- even after the ascendant shoguns reduced them to figureheads a few centuries later -- all the way to the end of the 19th century and the shift of the re-empowered imperial dynasty's capital to Tokyo by Emperor Meiji.

Incidentally, Meiji's own tomb is a short walk southeast of Kanmu's. It's also fenced off, but the grey stone-covered tomb mound is clearly visible (top right). One can see the golden imperial crest of chrysanthemum/kikka on each door of the inner gate too (left centre). Visiting in autumn, I could enjoy the sight of the rich and diverse hues of the trees at the site (bottom). The tomb is located at a substantial height, with one cleared side facing the southern city, which afforded me a good view down (left top).

Walking southward down the very long flight of stairs (right) leading out from the Meiji tomb, I ran into a small shrine complex (left bottom), dedicated to some major figures in Meiji's administration (top left and top centre).

Another place I came across unexpectedly on the way to the station was the tomb of Emperors Komyo and Suko, the second and third emperors, respectively, of the Northern Court (the so-called Ashikaga Pretenders). They ruled from Kyoto during a period in which the imperial line was temporarily split into two branches, the other ruling from the Southern Court at Yoshino. Fukakusa no Kita no Misasagi, another important imperial tomb, is also in Fushimi, but I did not have the time to locate it.

Due to the dense schedule, morning activities were powered by a salmon onigiri (top left) and a boiled egg (top right) from a convenience store. The egg was borderline hard-boiled and was seasoned within the shell, so it had a slightly salty taste without the need for addition of the seasoning. The uniquely Japanese lactic acid beverage, Calpis (bottom left), is not really my thing, but it had an interesting taste. I also grabbed a genuine Japanese Pocky (bottom right) before heading up the next mountain destination. I have fond memories of these from my anime days.

After a train ride a little further up north, I entered the centrepiece of my day's agenda: Fushimi Inari Taisha. The gargantuan shrine complex is dedicated to Inari, the patron kami of the mercantile class (among other patronages), and is the focal shrine for Inari enshrinement. One of Inari's manifestations is the fox/kitsune, beautiful stylized statues of which appear at many places (right and top left) in the shrine complex. Par for Inari shrines, vermilion torii straddle every turn (left top and left bottom).

Apart from the requisite cabinet shrines (top left) and enclave shrines (top right), there are some large central shrine buildings in a variety of architectural forms (bottom left and bottom right), mostly of the later styles.

The place is also loaded; gold-plated decorative finials and other parts abound (top left and top right), aesthetically in harmony with their vermilion-painted backdrops. Shrine visitors also leave walls of votive icons, including some in the shapes of torii (bottom left) and kitsune faces (bottom right).

I decided to go for the full shrine experience, and walk the entire mountain trail circuit, which took about three hours even though I ran about half its length. The trail is paved, so it's not a bad walk, assuming you don't get lost; sometimes, you come across a platform that seems like the end of the road (bottom right), only to notice another path leading even further up.

The trail's most distinctive feature is the thousands of torii (top left) that straddle it every couple of metres, creating a tunnel effect. Most are vermilion-painted wood, but a few are stone (bottom left). I also passed by numerous roadside shrines (top centre) and small shrine buildings (top right) branching off the trail, each of a unique design.

I finally reached the top of the mountain (top left) and its peak shrine (top centre), and rested for a while to enjoy the view (top right) before descending via the return path (bottom), also lined with thousands of torii.

Having only had the aforementioned Pocky, and then an Asahi beer at a cafe (top) to fuel my ascent, I decided to grab a bite at one of the restaurants that can be found -- usually in clusters -- along the trail on my way down. The specialty of this area is kitsune udon (bottom), a dashi soup of buckwheat noodles with pieces of fried thin-cut tofu called aburaage -- said to be a favorite of the kitsune, and therefore very appropriate for an Inari shrine.

The trek took up most of my afternoon, so hurried down to the city and spent my last remaining slot of the day at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. The museum is comprehensive, covering the history of manga from its origins to the present day, and featuring a number of special purpose rooms and activity areas. It also has a lawn where people can relax and read from their collections.

I spread dinner over three spots. Two of them were yakitori houses (top row), and at one of which I also tried some lovely Japanese fruit liqueur (bottom right). Most outstanding, though, was the stewed pork strip (bottom left). After tasting this awesome savory and tender dish in Osaka, I hopped around the neighborhood until I finally found a place that served it.

(top) Dog is happy to be prohibited from entering Emperor Kanmu's tomb grounds
(bottom) Automated parking warden only folds down and lets your wheel pass over it when you pay the required amount

KR&JP 2013 Travelogue Day 9: Castle, Kabuki and Kansai jazz in Osaka

From Japanese media, my image of Osaka was that people there have a strange dialect, and that it has a big castle, a tasty pancake recipe and a possibly magical shopping district. But there's a lot more to my first Japan tour stop, the capital of Kansai, and one of the largest (and quirkiest) cities of Japan.

I had a lot of help from www.japan-guide.com in getting locations and timing. Still, some places I went to were a bit out of the way or obscure, meaning I also had to do some serious research (many Japanese websites do not have English versions, especially the ones of the more obscure/out-of-the-way places). English knowledge is not very common; I learnt some basic Japanese, but I kept sounding like Damuramu from Dragon Half whenever I spoke it.

Early morning on a Sunday. Woke up from a relaxing sleep at the friendly and conveniently-located Chisun Inn Osaka Hommachi. The subway stations are huge, and often packed with shops selling all sorts of goods and foods. The automated ticket vending machines are easy to use, but transport in Japan is relatively expensive -- even public transport. The passenger rail system is well-connected to the rest of the Keihanshin megalopolis, as well as numerous smaller towns and cities in the surrounding area -- very useful for the next day's agenda.

Top: Branded manholes; Bottom: Public notice on cleanliness

But for today, it's all Osaka. Like other Japanese cities I visited, a lot of city pride is visible: for instance, manholes are branded with sometimes very colorful designs, and the streets are clean and well-kept. A lot of manpower is in employ: if a section of sidewalk is closed off, they'll have someone at each end, guiding people onto and off the diversion path. Also, this was my first acquaintance with the custom of not forking over cash hand-to-hand, but putting it in a cash transfer tray. Like the rest of East Asia, there's no tipping custom here either, bless them.

Heading southwards, my first stop was the Shitenno-ji: the temple of the four heavenly kings. I generally didn't visit a lot of Buddhist temples in Japan, preferring to devote temple visit time to more uniquely Japanese Shinto shrines. The reason for making an exception with this one is that it's of major historical importance: it's the first Buddhist temple in Japan, built on the orders of the famous prince, Shotoku Taishi, himself.

Not only that, it segued nicely from my preceding week in Korea, as he invited builders from the ancient Korean kingdom of Baekje (a major source of Buddhist and other culture for ancient Japan) to help construct the temple.

The temple is beautiful, with ornate gates flanked by guardian statues, a large compound housing various dark wood- and patina bronze-roofed shrines and halls, and a tall pagoda towering over all. There is also a small museum onsite, which exhibits some Buddhist relics, including a giant pair of two- and three-tomoe dragon/phoenix drums and, upstairs, an especially exquisite set of Buddhist-themed kiri-e paper-cut depictions of Shotoku and the four heavenly kings.

Not far from the city center was my next stop: the palace site of Naniwa (left, middle). It's not a well-known fact, but Osaka briefly served as an imperial capital, and this palace was built on orders of Emperor Kotoku in 645 for this reason. Like most other East Asian buildings, it was made of wood, and therefore did not survive the ravages of time. What remains are the foundations of the platforms and pillars, now located in a rather nice park. Across the road are some reconstructed artifacts of ancient Osaka, such as the storehouse with characteristic boat-shaped roof (right).

The Osaka Museum of History is housed in a nearby bursting-pod-like tower (left) that happens to share a lobby with the local HQ of NHK, the Japanese TV broadcaster. I walked in on a live shoot in progress -- seemingly of one of those show formats where a panel of celebrities watch and comment on other TV personalities doing whatever (can't think of a better way to put it). Fans crowded around the open face of the studio (right) to catch a glimpse of their idols.

(clockwise from top left) Miniature of early boat, resembling samguk-era Korean boats; Court scene; House roof miniature; Ancient cuirass

The museum has a huge collection of artifacts and reconstructions, many dating to the dawn of Japanese culture. The models of houses, and even whole towns, are very detailed and well-presented.

Left: Ritual sickles; Top right: sacrificial array; Bottom right: Red lacquer serving set

Also displayed there are many traditional items from Japanese culture.

The ideal route begins at the top, working one's way down the levels using the stairs. The stairwell runs along the window edge of the building, which overlooks and offers a lovely, multi-perspective, and semi-panoramic view of the nearby Osaka Castle -- my next stop.

(clockwise from top left) Castle moat; Castle tower; A kendo school (inset: crest of Taira, from elsewhere in the city -- I just found it amusing); A hall in the compound (inset: crest of Tokugawa)

Osaka Castle is visually very striking, with a beautiful combination of white sides, patina bronze roofing, and intricate gold embellishments of fish, tigers, and other motifs making it instantly recognizable.

Located in a vast walled compound surrounded by a large moat and including numerous historical buildings, it was built by command and design of the almost-shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A generation later, it was wrested from his clan by Tokugawa Ieyasu; thanks to the defensive capabilities of the castle, however, this was not an easy job for the Tokugawas.

Within the grounds are numerous historical (and some recent) buildings, gardens and monuments, including a statue of and shrine to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (top left and top middle; note the Toyotomi crests on the banners) and a time capsule (bottom left). The main keep (right) is open to visitors, and houses a museum of its own.

The castle was the skyscraper of its day, and is still an impressive construction, affording visitors a beautiful panoramic view of the castle grounds and city center from the viewing deck near the top of the main keep.

Wearing the reconstructed ray-decorated helmet of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (left), and firing a few at the range (right)

I was, of course, happy to indulge in some historical role play there.

I rushed back to the hotel to get ready for a little fine cultural experience at the Shochiku-Za Theatre in Namba. It's one of the oldest running kabuki theaters in Japan, dating back nearly a century. I purchased my ticket well in advance on the online portal; it was possibly the most expensive single ticket I have ever bought for a non-VIP seat. True to Japanese form, it started bang on time.

Being a Kamakura era fan, I had wanted to see Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura, but it was only running in Tokyo, where I could not spare the time, meaning I had to settle for Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami. It was still a good play -- an amazing hours-long experience of flawless and ambitious technical execution, rich costumes and sets, and directorial perfection. The tachimawari segment, which took place on the banks of a onstage lake of real water and mud, was really as spellbinding as I had heard it would be, with a panicked-yet-comical Danshichi staggering through the prolonged murder scene in his bright red fundoshi.

After the show, I visited Osaka's "jazz building" at 1-6-18 Namba, located among the shopping streets, not far from the theater. The building, called "Chuwa Dixie", has a music bar on each floor. I visited the two jazz bars, Top Rank (left) and Bird/56, located on the 2nd and 3rd floors, respectively. Both had quite the jazz music collection, although neither had live acts that night.

I spent more time in Top Rank, browsing its walls of jazz record stacks, interrupted by the occasional antiquated playback device; all of these made it something of a jazz and audio-tech museum. Yakata de Voce (right), a jazz and bossa nova bar on the top floor, had a nice live act on, so I spent a fair while there too.

Jazz done with, I ambled around Namba, and down the infamous Dotonbori (top left). Plenty of jaw-dropping neon (top right) and inexplicable signage (bottom left) around. I never thought I'd ever seen Tommy Lee Jones and SMAP side by side (bottom right), but the Japanese have some interesting tastes in product endorsement. I also dropped by the famous Tako Tako King pub for a takoyaki and drink.

The Japanese use vending machines wherever possible, including for ordering food (left) at many lower- and middle-end eateries. This makes for a much faster and cleaner process, especially given the price of labor. Not long after arriving in Japan, I also encountered the famous Japanese toilet and its fancy control panel (right). It's pretty self-explanatory.

So, on to F&B. I wasted no time getting a proper bento box (top left) as soon as I arrived in Japan the night before. Before heading in to the castle, I also grabbed a seafood soup with barley and a crunchy shrimp and veg fritter (top right) from the cafe just outside, and enjoyed an authentic okonomiyaki (middle left) from a stand near the main keep.

After the kabuki show, I tucked into a ramen bowl (middle right) from Akebono Ramen, just opposite the theater. Judging by the signage, it seems to have been started by a sumo wrestler. The ramen was delicious, but it was especially the pork strip on top that blew my mind, as did every other I had in Kansai. I don't know what they do to get it that way, but it is unbelievably succulent, and just bursting with umami.

My visit to Top Rank was my first time trying Yebisu (bottom left), one of Japan's oldest beer labels. Earlier in the day, I also grabbed a few snacks from the bakeries, which are quite distinctive in style and fare in Japan (bottom middle and right).