Planes, Thrills and Meals: SQ to Kansai, Osaka , Kyoto and Universal Studios Japan

[yflyer]

After lunch, we took a slow walk along the Katsura River and crossed the river to head to the Matsuo-Taisha train station for the short train ride back to central Kyoto.





Japan is criss-crossed by a network (some would say patchwork) of different rail lines, services and operators. A very efficient system for getting around, and extremely well run. But the ticketing systems and machines seem to be quite different for each of the various rail and subway operators. This commuter train service line between Arashiyama and Kyoto was the only one on our trip we encountered where the ticketing machine had a Japanese language-only display. The staff member at the station was polite but spoke no English either, and told us how much our fare would cost, but was not able to explain how the ticketing machine for that particular train line worked.

It took a while before we collectively "cracked the code" of how to obtain a ticket from the machine. Hint: For many of the subway or commuter train ticketing machines we encountered in the stations, you need to stick in the money first before the machine takes you seriously...

But this was an isolated case, which happened on only one ticketing machine out of many that we used on the trip, in a fairly out-of-the-way part of greater Kyoto. In the larger stations, and the main railway and subway transport hubs, there was always an English language version of the ticketing screens, and English speaking staff ready to assist.

We spent the afternoon in central Kyoto shopping before heading back to the machiya for another “home-cooked” dinner.

[yflyer]

That evening, after dinner, Mrs yflyer suggested heading out to nearby Gion, the traditional geisha and entertainment district in Kyoto, for a walk.

I have to confess that, at that point, I was a little sceptical about what the point would be. It was a cold evening, I was ready to call it a night…but Mrs yflyer can be very persuasive, sometimes even without saying a word. In no time, I was all dressed up in my coat and ready to head out.

She handed me a paper map outlining where she wanted to go.



“Here…it’s very close by. I walked there during the day, but they say it is very different at night. It will be interesting. We might even see a geisha!” Mrs yflyer said with a smile, which had a hint of steel behind it.

We stepped out into the cold night air and headed onto the street…



Unlike Dotonburi in Osaka, which is as brightly lit as Vegas, the Gion geisha district in the evening is quiet, understated and almost deserted along the sidewalks. But that initial impression is deceptive…



Everything is happening inside, and there was evidently a lot happening.

Through partially opened doorways and open gates, we saw hints of activity within.



At one establishment, a row of black leather shoes, all polished to a high shine, lined the steps and entrance to a closed room, and large black limousines, with engines on and drivers ready, waited outside.

Further down the street, for a brief instant, we saw a door open, and several suit-clad gentlemen emerged, along with an elegant lady dressed in a kimono, her face delicately made up in white, with immaculately coiffered hair…they exchanged pleasantries and walked down a side street. A rare glimpse of an elusive, and camera-shy geisha.

A door opened, another shut, and the street was quiet again. Wow, what a stroke of luck. A few minutes either way, and we would have seen nothing.

In Gion, my guess is that everyone there would be a little camera-shy, so obviously I took few pictures. But our walk through the streets did give us a sense of the atmosphere in Gion, and a window into a very different way of life.

Mrs yflyer was very happy with how the outing turned out, and I found it more interesting than I thought I would.

[yflyer]

After 4 days in Kyoto, it was time to head back to Osaka. The kids were looking forward to this, as it would mean that they were one step closer to their much anticipated visit to Universal Studios Japan.

When I first arrived in Kyoto, I wondered if there was enough to see and do there to keep us all busy for 4 days, but at the end of our stay there, we all felt that we could have stayed for at least another day or two, if not more.

There was something about the vibe in Kyoto, and the way the people in Kyoto went about life, that seemed to lower one’s blood pressure, and which made me view the world differently, at a slower pace. And perhaps through more romantic and nostalgic eyes.

Maybe it was the absence of high-rise office towers and other corporate megastructures crammed full of stressed out salarymen. Maybe it was where we stayed, in a machiya whose very construction embodied the priorities and philosophies of a different era. Or it could just have been the serene landscapes, the air of tranquility around the temples, or just the sight of the rivers, mountains, and the beautiful autumn foliage. I really did not want to leave so soon, and I had the feeling that Mrs yflyer and the kids would not have minded staying longer either.

But plans are plans. The next day we tidied up the machiya, packed our bags, and headed back to Kyoto Station for the train ride back to Osaka for the next leg of our trip.

To be continued!

[Pinkfloyd]

Great TR as usual yflyer! I'm beginning to think we have a similar love of good single malt whisky (Japanese or otherwise)!

[orionmiz]

Don't recall ever flying out of NGO...maybe I should add it to my do-to list!

Oh I flew into/out of NGO before, because NGO still have the promo fare tickets, while KIX ran out of promo fare tickets (anyway, Osaka and Nagoya are quite nearby).

NGO is a relatively small airport, but because of the small number of people using that airport, the immigration and the check-in can be quite fast.

[Calcjr23]

Fantastic write-up yflyer, makes me wanna return to Osaka so badly.

[SQ218]

Thanks for the TR yflyer.

Will have to give Kichi Kichi a try on my next trip to Kyoto. Love Omu rice

[yflyer]

Great TR as usual yflyer! I'm beginning to think we have a similar love of good single malt whisky (Japanese or otherwise)!

Thanks, Pinkfloyd! Just beginning to explore the world of whisky! I can't say I have a very discerning palate right now, but I have been very keen to try different single malts, and do keep a lookout for interesting bottles to try.

[yflyer]

Fantastic write-up yflyer, makes me wanna return to Osaka so badly.

Thanks, Calcjr23! Yes, really enjoyed my visit there.

[yflyer]

Thanks for the TR yflyer.

Will have to give Kichi Kichi a try on my next trip to Kyoto. Love Omu rice

You're welcome, SQ218! If I ever go to Kyoto again, I would also head back to Kichi Kichi!

[yflyer]

Oh I flew into/out of NGO before, because NGO still have the promo fare tickets, while KIX ran out of promo fare tickets (anyway, Osaka and Nagoya are quite nearby).

NGO is a relatively small airport, but because of the small number of people using that airport, the immigration and the check-in can be quite fast.

NGO hasn't been on my radar so far...now it is. Not that near to Osaka, though, at 180km, but I guess distances are all relative. Folks who live in large countries probably think nothing of the occasional 180km drive...

[jhm]

Don't recall ever flying out of NGO...maybe I should add it to my do-to list!

If you do, please try the NGO airport onsen with runway view!

[jhm]

Thanks for the TR so far and the many excellent photos, yflyer. I made the big mistake of reading this on an empty stomach and am now counting the minutes until dinner.

The food in Osaka really is great and the city surely deserves its reputation for being Japan's kitchen and the Japanese phrase saying that in Osaka you eat until bankrupt! I also find the locals in Osaka and Kansai generally to be much less uptight (with their renowned sense of humour) than their straight Tokyo/Kanto cousins.

In Kyoto, did you get a chance to try vegetarian food (shojin ryori) ? I remember a very good and cheap lunch at one of the temples there.

A long term expat living in Japan once recommended that I visit Kobe which is relatively near Osaka. He said that they have an appreciation for beautiful things there (as well as of course the epicurean delights to be found there). One for my long list of places to (re)visit in Japan.

[yflyer]

If you do, please try the NGO airport onsen with runway view!

That's very useful info, jhm!

[yflyer]

Thanks for the TR so far and the many excellent photos, yflyer. I made the big mistake of reading this on an empty stomach and am now counting the minutes until dinner.

Thanks, jhm! Yes, I did get the impression that Osaka was a foodie paradise!

...Japanese phrase saying that in Osaka you eat until bankrupt!

A very likely possibility, if I stayed there any longer with Mrs yflyer...

In Kyoto, did you get a chance to try vegetarian food (shojin ryori) ? I remember a very good and cheap lunch at one of the temples there.

A long term expat living in Japan once recommended that I visit Kobe which is relatively near Osaka. He said that they have an appreciation for beautiful things there (as well as of course the epicurean delights to be found there). One for my long list of places to (re)visit in Japan.

No, I didn't try a vegetarian restaurant there, but the fresh vegetables, and the occasional vegetables dishes I had there were excellent!

Thanks for the Kobe recommendation as well! That wasn't on my radar either (Apart from Kobe beef...)...sounds like the kind of place that Mrs yflyer and I would enjoy visiting!