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Came to Osaka, left, came back, ate something, and then fell asleep without even remembering what it was. I'll put the pictures I took of Osaka city that day on this slide. There's also a big shopping mall right above the Osaka Station. We were staying at a hotel near the river. Some of the pictures were taken there.
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In the city of Osaka, a beautiful river flows between many large buildings. This is the Yodo River, which empties into Osaka Bay. Some of the buildings here look like a bunch of matchboxes standing on end.
On the morning of May 25th, we met our tour guide. He was an Irishman who, like many others we'd met, had married a Japanese woman and settled down in Japan. It was raining heavily, so we were stuck in the castle park. During the wait, the guide started telling us the old story about how Japanese people work themselves to death, with very strict rules at their workplaces.
By then, I had already done my research, so I told him directly that Japanese people commit suicide mostly due to loneliness or when they lose their jobs, not because they don't want to work. They are very willing to work. This Irish guide seemed to run a couple of tours in the morning but was otherwise living off his Japanese wife's earnings and didn't do much for the rest of the day. I don't know whther they have social welfare here, but England and Europe does.
The Osaka Castle palace is truly beautiful. Large rocks were brought in to build the walls. These big, flat-cut rocks make up the walls. Since it was built in 1583, it's not that old. There's a small pond and a beautifully maintained garden with flowers.
From the castle park, we went to a Shinto shrine. The way people worship there is a bit unusual. First, you have to wash your hands and feet with water from a basin, which I remember had a tap. After that, you offer money by throwing coins, then ring a bell. Finally, you bow your head twice, clap your hands twice, and then put your hands together to say your prayer.
In Osaka, there's a Korean sector called Ikuno Korea Town. It's completely like a ghetto, made up of small houses and shops all packed together. In one of the pictures, you can see drainage pipes on the roof. There are also roads and a train line running above the shops. I felt that London's Chinatown was more spacious than this Korean ghetto. However, if you want to eat Korean street food, it's a great place to go.
I'm posting this picture separately because I've seen restaurants where they take fish directly from a tank to cook and serve. In Russia, they also sell live fish from tanks at the market for people to eat. Here, however, they sell small, live octopus, and will even prepare them for you on the spot.
Another thing I saw was the huge crowds at the game shops. Apparently, people play there from morning until night. Some of these games are a form of gambling. In Japan, you can't win money directly from gambling because it's forbidden. However, you can win certain tokens. There are two other shops near these game centers where you can exchange the tokens you win for an item. If you don't want the item, you can go to a third shop and exchange it for cash, which isn't illegal.
On the way, we also visited the tallest building in Osaka, called Abeno Harukas. It's about 300 meters tall. Looking down from there, the train lines look beautiful, almost like a model train set. There's a video of it on YouTube; you can check out the link at the bottom of the article.
Our tour ended in the vicinity of a shopping center, on a crowded bridge in the middle of the river. In the distance, we could see a yellow Ferris wheel next to a shop called Don Quijote. This entire area is known as Dotonbori. It must have been around 1 p.m. at the time, and the crowds were incredible. It took us over an hour to walk back to our hotel from there, not because of the distance, but because of all the people.
We had some tea and relaxed for a while until the evening. We had made a mental note of a place we wanted to try. They serve a dish called Tako Tamago, which is a quail egg stuffed inside a whole baby octopus head, and another dish called Takoyaki, which is various types of fried octopus. Since this restaurant specializes in these items, we decided to go there.
It was around 8:35 p.m. I saw what looked like one person acting as both the waiter and the chef. When we asked if there were two of them, they said they were closed now. I pointed out a few tourists eating inside and said, "There are only two of us, we won't eat much, and we'll leave quickly." But they still refused. We came back outside, and Ines pointed to the sign, saying it looked like they were supposed to close at 8:30. I said, "But the others are still sitting there, and they're still making food for them." I had read that some Japanese restaurants have small signs that say, "No entry if you don't speak Japanese.
So we started walking again. We found another nice little restaurant, and I went in saying "Konnichiwa." Ines followed behind me. The Japanese chef inside didn't seem to notice her. He just pointed his finger at me.
The Japanese chef, whose English wasn't very good, said, "You drink? No drink, no come."
"Yes, yes, I drink," I replied, and walked in. Ines followed behind me.
The chef then asked me, "She drink, no drink?"
I quickly said, "Yes!"
"Okay, sit, sit," he said, pointing to two tall stools. It was set up like the previous place, with stools arranged around a bar.
We sat down, exchanging smiles with the two or three other people there.
The chef then explained the ordering process: "Okay, you go website order. One starter, one drink." (He meant we had to go to the website to order, and that one appetizer and one drink were mandatory per person.)
Ines told me she only wanted to order water and couldn't eat much.
The chef heard everything. "No, no, no! Water? You go!" he said sternly.
Just then, an American tourist sitting on a stool next to us spoke up. "You guys have to drink here. He doesn't like it when people don't drink. I thought you were the one who didn't drink," he said, pointing at me.
Ines responded, "He'll drink anywhere. I just don't drink when I'm tired." The couple was from Texas.
I asked the man, "Why did you think I wouldn't drink?" He winked toward the chef and said, "He'll tell you himself." The couple then gave us a list of the food they'd eaten and left.
Fearing that Ines would get up and leave, I quickly ordered two sakes and two starters.
Ines got up. "I want to watch him cook," she said, and moved to sit on the stool where the American couple had been sitting. Normally, no one would challenge something she does like that.
Then, the chef spoke up. "No sit there. No sit there. No change, no change!" he said, his English sounding like someone who had just arrived in an English-speaking country.
Ines explained, "I moved there because I want to watch you cook." From that seat, you had a much better view of the cooking area. But the chef sternly replied, "No, you don't need to watch. Go back to the chair you were sitting in!
I was dying of laughter. No one ever talks to Ines like that. Just ten minutes earlier, I had been told there was no room for us at the other restaurant. The chef is barely visible in that picture above.
I asked for a cucumber salad, and it came with a fantastic sauce. It wasn't from a bottle; the chef made it on the spot. The top picture shows the front of the restaurant, and the bottom one is my cucumber salad. Ines ordered the edamame.
A young man who was sitting on the other side spoke English well. He explained the menu. For my meal, I had tuna, which they call maguro here. I'd had the dish before, so I knew I wanted to order it. For Ines, I got gyoza.
In the meantime, the chef and I became great friends, especially after I finished my sake. He told me to call him "Mr. Jack" because that was the name he went by. While this was happening, Ines was like a heron, craning her neck to see what he was cooking. Eventually, Mr. Jack felt bad.
"Okay, you go there," he said, gesturing for Ines to move to a stool at the end of the bar. I moved to sit next to her, and then I finally understood why he hadn't wanted her to move earlier. There was a number on each stool. When we placed our order on the website, we had to enter our seat number, which would then show up on his iPad and a small monitor above. This is how he kept track of orders and prepared the final bill. It was a simple, efficient system that didn't require a waiter. A small Japanese or Taiwanese girl was helping out, as the place was extremely busy. Mr. Jack told me the upstairs was also packed with customers. I realized he must be quite famous in the area.
The tuna dish I ordered, shown in the picture below, is called takaki. This isn't sushi or sashimi; it's not completely raw. The chef beautifully seared the outside of the fish slices, leaving the inside a perfect pink—like a steak cooked between medium-rare and medium. It's truly an art form, and you can't get it that perfect without a lot of practice. He gave me his own special sauce to go with it.
For the gyoza, Mr. Jack gave us a different sauce. This is how he elevates the flavor of his food; he cooks with great care and precision. At one point, Ines noticed he made a mistake with a dish and immediately threw it into the trash.
Just then, a woman with a Spanish accent popped her head in and asked if there was room for two. Mr. Jack said no. She pointed to where Ines and I had just been sitting, where there were two empty seats, but Mr. Jack still refused. The woman started to plead with him. Ines was about to say something, but I stopped her. "This is his restaurant," I said. "He gets to decide who comes in. Maybe he knows who's going to appreciate his food and who's just looking for a place to sit." In the end, he didn't let them in..
A little while later, two young beautiful chinese looking women with big smiles came in and asked if there was room. He immediately let them in. I told Ines, "He's not a racist; he's just an eccentric person who's particular about who drinks."
Two Chinese women sat next to us. They had come to see a J-pop concert. One was a student living there, and the other had come from China just for the show. They ordered two massive German-sized beers and a large main course. Seeing this, I thought, "These are the real meals!" I used to think the videos of Chinese girls eating endlessly on Instagram and TikTok were fake, but these two were just like that.
I also noticed that many Chinese people visit Japan as tourists and students and are big spenders. People from Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines, however, mostly come to work.
When the Chinese girls ordered their main courses, Mr. Jack turned to me and said, "Hey, you guys didn't order a main meal!" We looked at the menu—it was full of large ramen soups and big rice dishes that we knew we couldn't finish. With some help from the Chinese girls, I explained to Mr. Jack that we eat less at night. He started laughing loudly and said,
"If I'd known that, I wouldn't have let you in!"
It was clear he liked us, though.
After that, he told me why he'd asked if we drank. He said, "Indian people like you come in here and only ask for water!" I just laughed.
Ines then said, "You don't need to tell him to drink. He drinks anyway." I replied, "I was born in Sri Lanka but live in London. Many people in Sri Lanka drink a little bit as a kind of medicine with their meals, so it's safe to let them in." As I said this, Ines ordered a Suntory beer, and Mr. Jack's smile grew even wider.
I told Jack that he was more of an artist than a cook. "No, no, me no artist," he said. "I am cook and owner." I ordered another sake and two prawns, which were large, like tiger prawns, and called kuruma-ebi. He served them beautifully with two slices of lotus root on the side.
We honestly felt like we should have ordered two full meals, even if we couldn't eat it all. But Jack didn't seem to mind. He even gave us a running commentary on the things he was cooking. Ines wrote it down, though I have no idea where her notes are now.
For dessert, I ordered a sesame ball dish. It had rice inside and was served with a jam-like sauce made from some kind of berry. It was delicious. The combination of the creamy sesame, the rice, and the jam was perfect. It would actually be a great breakfast. Plus, these types of things fill you up quickly.
We left the restaurant feeling very happy after paying the bill. Jack thanked us and waved before getting back to work. Ines said he was a real pain, but that she liked him. I told her I like people who are direct and say what they think, because they're easy to understand.
This experience strongly reinforced my belief that the Japanese are not as racist as some might think. They simply have a certain way of doing things, and you have to understand it. I have two more articles to write, and I'll need to expand on this topic in one of them.
In a comment on a previous article, someone suggested that my German wife, Ines, was with me, so I might not have felt the full effect of any racism. But the answer to that is right here in this experience: there was no such thing. I felt that Japanese people are very direct and say what they mean to your face.
These are the videos from Osaka.
You may have a different ideas. Pease comment if it is.
This is the other part of the story about going to the Railway Museum. In addition to the room Ines was staying in at our hotel, I booked another room. Outside that room was a track for intercity trains. Videos of it are on my YouTube channel.
This is the YouTube video of it.
We were supposed to go to Osaka by bullet train. It travels at 285 miles per hour, taking only fifteen minutes. But what's the use? We saw a special slow tourist train going on the same day. Japan has such trains. There are beautiful train services that go slowly, allowing tourists to enjoy the scenery. They don't cost much either—the same price as a regular ticket. "Tourists" doesn't just mean foreigners; Japanese people also take these train journeys quite a lot.
I called the travel agent. They told us we would lose the two Shinkansen bullet train tickets. But because of my train obsession, Ines agreed to go to Osaka and then come back to Kyoto on that slow train. So, that's what we did. As soon as we arrived in Osaka, we dropped our bags at the hotel and went to the Osaka Umeda station, where the regular trains run.
I videoed that train arriving at the platform. I also videoed the route to Kyoto from inside the first carriage. All of these are available on my YouTube channel for anyone interested. I'll just put one here.
I videoed almost the entire journey from Osaka to Kyoto and Kyoto to Osaka from the first carriage. The journey there was in the rain. These are electric trains, similar to the "Electrichka" trains they had in Russia.
Inside these trains, they've placed potted plants, hung beautiful pictures like in a house, and added various decorations. It reminded me of the decorated buses in Sri Lanka. I thought, "It's fine as long as they don't obstruct people or cause fatalities, right?" However, the carriages on these Japanese trains are decorated in a more orderly fashion. The pictures will make that clear. This is the slideshow.
The suspicion about Japanese people being racist came because people wouldn't sit next to me. On bullet trains where we hadn't booked seats, we sort of forced ourselves into seats where bags were placed. They moved their bags and made space. However, many people on three-seater rows leave the middle seat empty, respecting the other person's space. But on this train, it became clear to me that you can turn the seats around if you want, allowing you to travel freely and peacefully.
Another thing that stands out is the quietness. No one shouts into their mobiles or takes calls. On the train, you can read a book, talk softly, or just look outside. People here appreciate that.
We met a teacher who lived outside the city in a rather large house. She said that many people leave such homes and move to places where there are jobs.
The last picture shows where we went for lunch. You don't need to put your bags on the floor; there are wicker baskets for them. I didn't take pictures of the food, but it was fried chicken and small salads. We ate because we were hungry.
On our second day in Osaka, we went on a tour. Since the prices of the items there were very high, I thought I'd share some pictures and details about them.
You know Steve Jobs, the creator of the Apple iPhone. Every time he came to Japan, he would visit a special person. Steve Jobs was very fond of Japan. When he started creating the Apple iPhone, he used many Japanese manufacturing methods.
In Japan, people with exceptional skills in a particular manufacturing task—engineers, designers, etc.—are called Takumi. In English, you could call them artisans or craftsmen, but that word isn't really enough. This is because sometimes that skill comes from intense dedication. Only in Japan do they make the turntable needles that can play records. Only those who know how to make these machines work correctly are left there now.
Steve Jobs would always make sure to meet Yukio Sakunaga. Jobs reportedly thought after visiting one of his exhibitions that there was no one else who made Japanese porcelain sets as good as him. They are incredibly beautiful, truly excellent creations. He would always buy a jug, a plate, a set of saucers, or two or three other pottery items. He would also meet Yukio personally and spend hours discussing how to find this porcelain and the methods used in its creation. So, Jobs wanted his own creations to be equally excellent, with as few flaws as possible.
You can see these items are generally quite expensive. I'm bringing this up because of something I saw when we went to an Osaka shopping center the next day. There are special shops that sell these kinds of rarely produced fruits, sake, and drinks. They are quite pricey. However, these are made by specialized "Takumi" (artisans) who are specially trained for them.
It's apparently a Japanese custom to buy such expensive items as gifts for birthdays, for a boss at work, or for a special day for parents. There are two watermelons here that cost about £160. These are grown very carefully on a separate vine, and they reportedly taste different. But then again, they're probably best suited for the Japanese palate!
As for the whiskey, I bought a small set of bottles. This is because one bottle can cost upwards of £100, and even if I bought it, there wouldn't be space to carry it. An 18-year-old Yamazaki whiskey costs around £600, while a 12-year-old one is available for £150. The 12-year-old has a somewhat strong taste, while the others are very smooth.
The next article will be about the food from our remaining two days in Osaka, because the city of Osaka is truly a concrete jungle. If you don't believe me, just look at the photos.
This also happened on our last day in Kyoto, May 23, 2025. This was the couple of hours before we went to eat (p[lease see the previous post). After seeing the deer in Nara, we took the train back to the hotel. The tour bus had gone to get lunch (buffet style) and to show us how Japanese green tea is made. We skipped that part. The bus dropped us off at a train station to go to Kyoto. I uploaded that train journey to YouTube; you can watch it.
When we arrived in Kyoto, Ines said she was going to surprise me. I thought we were going to eat. But we had been walking for ten or fifteen minutes through the middle of the city, and she wouldn't tell me where we were going. One thing I noticed was that the city was almost completely empty. People were at work. There weren't many people on the streets. I saw children playing in two or three parks. Then we came to another park. As we walked through it, I saw small signs. The picture below shows one of them. The park is located next to several frequently used railway tracks. There are small model train engines made of cement or some kind of rock placed on tables throughout the park. I asked if we were going to see an old train.
And then came the surprise! It was the Kyoto Railway Museum. Inez had spoken to the travel agent and managed to free up the evening for us. That's what love is, isn't it? Finding out what your husband likes and taking him to see it.
From here on, it's a slideshow. I've uploaded several videos to YouTube.
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I think I like engine types because of their creativity and diversity. As for hobbies, I've done a lot of things. For a while, I collected silver spoons from various cities we traveled to. After that, I collected shot glasses. I collected coins. I collected old car models. When the kids were in primary school, I collected rock types to teach them. When I was doing my astronomy degree, I bought a telescope and looked at stars. These are hobbies I can always go back to. However, building a model train set was always hidden in the back of my mind because they're expensive. Instead, I did plenty of rail journeys. My father-in-law has a good, expensive German model train set. It's mounted on the wall, but it's not really used. In Japan, these are relatively cheaper than in any other country. So, I got a Japanese set. I'm working on building a model train set these days.
In the thirteenth frame of the slide, you can see how a train car has been set up so you can go underneath and look at it. In some pictures, you can see how the Shinkansen bullet train evolved.
Some pictures show old rail engines and carriages, a signal box room used in old railway systems, old computers, old ticket machines, and the pantograph that connects electric trains to the overhead power line. I took two videos of that for YouTube.
Because there are so many pictures, I'll have to put up two more slideshows. In this second one, in addition to the ticket machines, you'll see the names of Japanese rail companies. Japan is where I truly saw how competition among private companies benefits the public (the consumer).
In England, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher privatized water, railways, electricity, and gas. We pay more, yet millions of cubic meters of water are wasted each year. Fat cat directors make profits, and we pay. It's been the same with gas and electricity for a long time. Now, due to some competition, prices are increasing less frequently, but the war in Europe has caused issues again.
The railway service was completely ruined. Railway companies made profits but didn't renovate the trains. The tracks were old. European tourists used to laugh when they saw them. Ticket prices were the highest in all of Europe. Eventually, previous opposition leader Corbyn even threatened to re-nationalize them if he came to power. That scared them into making investments. Now, there are good new train engines and rolling stock. When Corbyn lost, things regressed a bit. Recently, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government took over South Western Railway, transferring it to the new state-owned company, Great British Railways.
In Japan, different lines are run by separate rail companies. Sometimes, to get to one place, you have to use trains from two or three different rail companies. We made mistakes a few times, but it wasn't a problem because the staff provided excellent service. In some places, they'd even come out of the ticket window and show you how to get to the platform, or even escort you there. If you needed to buy a ticket from another company, they'd provide that information too. They work with incredible dedication for their own companies. It didn't seem to me like they were being forced to work, as some people claim. Also, it appeared to me that one company didn't get better than another through dirty tricks or underhanded dealings. They focus on treating the customer well to improve. That's how I saw it.
There's something else in these slides. This museum has created accurate replicas of various steam engines. I took as many pictures as I could. Some of them can be seen in this slide.
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This museum also features two model train cities. One is a bullet train and an intercity train that both children and adults can operate. The first video of that is here.
I've uploaded two videos here. Watch both of them.
This video is also very beautiful. It shows a train running through a model village or city. The plan for it is in this picture. If you watch the whole video, it's lovely to see the lights of the tiny model trains running at night.
Here's that video. It's about five minutes long.
The next two videos show a rare opportunity. You can watch a steam engine being loaded with coal in one video.
The next video shows that engine shunting and parking. This is very rare for me to see. The last time I saw something like this was in Sri Lanka in the seventies .
I uploaded several other videos in youtube. Please watch them if you can. This blog post was delayed because it took time to create the slides and upload the videos.
However, I'm sure those who like trains and related things will enjoy the article more.
Our last day in Kyoto was May 24th. I need to write a separate article for that, not this one. On the morning of May 23rd, we boarded that tour bus again. This time, we went to the city of Nara, which is located between Kyoto and Osaka.
First, we went through Nara Park to see the Kasuga-Taisha Shinto Shrine. You can see pictures of a small reservoir we passed and the buckets hanging at the Shinto temple in this slideshow.
This temple is one of Nara's most important. It was built around 768 AD. The Fujiwara noble family was very powerful, and this temple was initially built as their private shrine. Many copper lanterns, offered to the temple, hang here, creating a beautiful sight. The wooden plaques hanging there, similar to those hung on Bodhi trees in Sri Lanka, are for writing good wishes or commemorating deceased relatives.
Pleaser see the slides:
Deer and stags are believed to carry messages to the Shinto gods at the temple. That's why there's a statue of a stag there. Because of this, our next stop was Nara's Deer Park. After visiting the Shinto Kasuga-Taisha Temple, everyone comes here to feed the deer. You can buy small biscuits for a few yen.
Feeding them is quite a funny sight! The women run around with the food, screaming and giggling, and the deer chase after them. No matter how many times you tell them to stand still and throw the food, they don't listen. The woman in the picture with us was a South African woman who was on our bus.
However, some people fed the deer without any problems by bowing to them. This is called ojigi. First, you need to bow your head to the deer, just like the Japanese do. Then the deer will bow its head back. After that, you should hide the biscuit behind your back. The deer will then bow its head again, and that's when you should give it the food. You can see this on my YouTube channel. If you like, subscribe for new and attractive scenic videos. . 😀😁
අTwo years ago, when I visited Sri Lanka, I saw some tourists taking photos inside the Isurumuniya Temple in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. They were facing away from the Buddha statue, trying to get the statue in their picture. Suddenly, a tourist guide, started shouting and scolding them and and looking for their guide. He accused them of disrespecting the country's laws and the religion. Since Ines and I were standing nearby, he started scolding me too, thinking those tourists were with me. We had hired a separate tour guide from Polonnaruwa. He said, "No, these people came with me," and then that man joined us in scolding those tourists. The other tourists' guide eventually came and took his group away.
On this trip to Japan, with only one exception (they don't allow photos of the thousand Bodhisattva statues, fearing damage), I saw tourists taking pictures as they pleased. They wore shorts, long pants, anything they wanted, and were very free. The Japanese people didn't come and yell at them, saying they were disrespecting their religion. I also took pictures with my back to the Buddha statue. Take a look at the slideshow.
The Todai-ji Temple is a Buddhist temple. This was the last UNESCO site we visited. A large bronze Buddha statue, Buddha Mahavairocana, or Dainichi Nyorai in Japanese, is enshrined in the hall. This Buddha is considered the embodiment of the entire universe. The temple building was built 1200 years ago from wood. The temple's significance lies in the fact that it was the first Japanese temple built by the Huayan school, a Chinese Buddhist sect.
Below is a statue of a Buddhist Arahant (enlightened one). It's believed that if you touch it, illnesses in your body will be cured. You need to rub the corresponding part of the statue where you have an ailment on your body – for example, if it's your knee, you'd rub the statue's knee. And oh, the Arahant's feet and legs are quite worn and shiny from all the rubbing! The head is barely spared, probably because you'd need a ladder to reach it. The funny thing is, it's mostly Western and Asian tourists who touch the Arahant.
Instead, I'll write about where we went for lunch that day. You know we usually look for places where ordinary Japanese people eat. As we were walking, we came across a white guy sitting in front of a restaurant. We asked him what was up, and he said he was waiting for it to open so he could eat. Turns out he was German. So, Ines quickly started chatting with him in German. The German guy said he had been eating there for the entire month he was there on a business trip. He said the food was fantastic.
We went inside too. I don't remember the details of the food, but I have pictures. Ines had ramen and said it was delicious. I had the rice dish with meat pieces and spring onions on top. We also got some fried squid with two sakes. These restaurants here are small. They cook and serve the food right there. The food is tasty and fast. By the time we finished eating and came out, people were queuing to get in.
Most houses in Japan are smaller than those in England. Also, there are many small cars, like the Wagon R models you see in Sri Lanka.
This can't be a drivable car.
This was a witch's shop. Turns out, the person inside was a man dressed as a woman. He was apparently a singer back in the day. A very unusual character. He had a lot of old junk piled up. I asked him what he did, and he asked me to tell him why his website wasn't loading. I gave him many reasons, and then I finally asked if he had published it. He said he didn't know; he just assumed the person he gave it to would have published it. Then, I mean, shouldn't he call that guy first? Oh well, these Japanese people!
A bicycle parking lot near the hotel above.
Next to my room at the hotel was a train station. So, naturally, I set up my camera and started videoing.
I came across the train line from Kyoto to Fukukusa on the way. So, this train enthusiast recorded them near the railway gate. You can find them right here.
There's one more very important article about Kyoto: "The Last Few Hours in Kyoto." After that, it's Osaka.
After Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the tour bus went directly to Sanjusangen-do, another temple made of wood. The temple was built in 1164 for the Kannon Bodhisattva. Its special feature is the display of a thousand standing statues divided into 33 sections. It's said to be arranged that way because the Bodhisattva takes on 33 forms to save people. This temple caught fire and was rebuilt in 1249. Now, there are 1032 statues.
Almost all of these statues are different from each other; Ines actually observed that. Taking pictures there is prohibited, so the one included is from a souvenir book. Another interesting thing is the statues of characters from Jataka tales. Sakra, Varuna (the thunder god), Vasu, Maha Brahma, Virudhaka, Virupaksha (the set of four guardian kings), Kinnara, Garuda, and Asura are all there.
We saw some Chinese and Taiwanese tourists, as well as Japanese, worshiping those statues. A teacher was there with adolescent school children. They were also asking for details and worshiping in line, just like our school days.
The garden of this temple is very beautiful. The picture I posted above looks like a real Japanese garden, just like the ones we used to see in books back in the day. Down below, there are some tombs of monks. This place feels both serene and majestic. Even though this temple also has many statues, perhaps because it's large and beautiful, it has a very calm and tranquil atmosphere.
After that, we went for a buffet lunch. I didn't take any photos there because we only had about twenty-five minutes to eat. The food was absolutely fantastic, though, with a really wide selection.: Korean style fried chicken, fried fish, sushi and they even had German cheesecake in small pieces, with mocha.
While we were there, I met a British Indian guy with roots in Tamil Nadu. Turns out, he's from Barnet, which is the town right next to ours in Enfield! What's even crazier is that he works for a company that makes legal software, and it's actually one of our rivals. He basically does the same type of job as me. It was a surprising coincidence!
After lunch, we headed to an even more beautiful temple,Tenryu-ji, located in Arashiyama. It's a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple that was founded in 1339. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is part of Japan's "Five Mountains and Ten Monasteries" system. This name came about because these temples were supported by the Ashikaga shogunate during that period.
The picture I've uploaded to my Facebook profile is from there. The temple is situated within a large bamboo forest, known as the Sagano Bamboo Forest. It reminded me of that scene from the Chinese film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Bamboo Forest Final Fight. This forest is entirely natural, which is incredible.
Apparently, the roof of the temple and the distant mountain peaks are designed to align perfectly, though I couldn't quite capture that in a photo myself. The entire area is incredibly scenic. It would be even more beautiful if there were fewer people.
Japanese families, dressed in kimonos and traditional attire, are sitting in the large hall. They're chatting very casually while drinking tea.
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From there, we went to see the Golden Temple, officially called Kinkaku-ji. It looks incredibly beautiful because of the small lake outside. The roof's peak and the first and second floors are covered with 0.5 µm gold leaf. Because of this, you're not allowed to go inside.
This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to Zen Buddhism. The palace, which belonged to the nobleman Saionji, caught the eye of the third Ashikaga Shogun, Yoshimitsu, a samurai general. He acquired it to turn it into a palace. It's said that the "Kitayama" culture (integrated with Chinese influences) began here.
Legend has it that the lowest, third section of the temple doesn't have gold because it was where the noblemen were allowed to sit. The Shogun apparently disliked the noblemen and did this to mock them. However, it's also said that he was killed by the noblemen because of this.
To wrap up this post, I wanted to include our visit to the Shinto Fushimi Inari Shrine, especially since I have two more articles to write about Kyoto! Shinto temples often have beautiful paths designed for walking. Along these paths, you'll find posts for lighting candles or lamps, which must look stunning at night.
Next, you'll notice that the gates of every temple are painted red. This color symbolizes vitality and is believed to ward off evil. Inside the temple, there are special paths with wooden arches called Torii gates. If you follow this path upwards, you can reach Mount Inari. Inari is the deity of rice, making this a very important shrine. You'll find many statues of wolves and foxes here, as it's believed that the gods send messages through them.
The Torii gates serve as a reminder of deceased relatives and close friends; you're meant to walk through them in their memory. If you have the means, you can even contribute a gate in honor of your parents or other departed loved ones.
The entire Kyoto region is overflowing with natural beauty, though it does attract a lot of tourists. To truly appreciate places like this, you should visit on days with fewer tourists. This way, you can fully absorb the tranquility of the area, meditate by the lake, calm your mind, and enjoy a peaceful stroll.
One more thing to note is that Japanese people often visit these temples dressed in traditional attire. Men wear Montsuki and Yukata, while women wear Kimono and Yukata.
