村裡的緯緯: 8月 2013

2012.12.29
I was arriving in Kyoto from Tokyo by night express bus. In my memory it's getting cold these day.

Even it's comfortable and safe on night bus ,I didn't have a good sleeping . It's departed 10:40 pm in Tokyo station and heading to Kyoto ,arriving very early 6 am .
The blue bus is the one I rode.

I booked a chained guest house here.For saving on accommodation,I rode a night bus instead of comfortable bed in hotel. If you have good physical strength and wanna have enough time to explore a place in budget .

Kyoto Station south gate

6 am Kyoto

Inside the Kyoto Station Building

After sleeping on the tatami of the guest house a whole morning (Usually 3 pm that can check in Japan's hotel ,and 11 check out) , I felt better to do some activity and wait my friends to catch up with me tonight .

There's for season in japan , the maple trees were famous in the the autumn and cherry blossom were in spring time .

It's a sunny day to do cycling around Kyoto,this ancient city was the capital of Japan ,it's not that busy,commercial,surrounded by skyscrapers but romantic ,historic, full of cultural things.

Kamo gawa 鴨川

street view in Kyoto

Where is Kyoto? let's watch the map.

When you go to Japan ,you may find bicycle is a main transport in Japan. It didn't ask you to wear the helmet,follow the traffic rule and don't park your bike where it is not allowed .

My cycling route ↓

There's a main river in the middle of the map ,it's Kamo gawa(鴨川). There's a lots of restaurant along Kamogawa river. The street of Kyoto are organized. You can see the blocks in the map,so when you familiar with these Japanese street name that you won't get lost in Kyoto.

Red line is Philosopher's Walk

I didn't do lots of prepare works before I came here ,Japan is a friendly country for foreigner. I got some traveling information in Mandarin or in English. It's really easy and comfortable for me to travel in Japan,one thing is that I can understand the Chinese characters easily.

This day I rode along Kamogawa river and turn right at Imadegawa dori (今出川通) heading to Philosopher's Walk .

What's Philosopher's walk ?

The Philosopher's Walk (哲学の道 Tetsugaku-no-michi?, lit. Path of Philosophy) is a pedestrian path that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal in Kyoto, between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji. The route is so-named because the influential 20th-century Japanese philosopher and Kyoto Universityprofessor Nishida Kitaro is thought to have used it for daily meditation. --- refer to Wikipedia

The 4 Japanese character are Philosopher's walk. Follow the cherry blossom trees and walk through the path along the river .

It's a decoration outside of a restaurant .

Japanese love cat and believe that cat will bring the good fortune to them .I found many cats when I was in Japan.
It's not a busy season in winter here ,but still full lots of visitor .
There are lots of sightseeing temples near Philosopher's walk.
I didn't ride my bike all the time ,I walked and snapped the photos .
And found some lovely cats on the way .

Cats on Philosopher's Walk

Visitors played with the Cats

heaps of Cats

Drinking Cat?

On my way heading back to K's house (the guest house I stayed),I pass through 平安神宮（へいあんじんぐう）.

Kyoto is famous for its tofu product.The fine dinner tofu set is more than 3000 yen . I enjoyed the cycling so much ,it's dark when I go back to hostel. The road near 四条 is busier at night. Here was

Restaurant on Imadegawa dori
I walked in a Okinawa restaurant. Haha I know it's kind of strange why I did't eat Kyoto's famous food in Kyoto . Anyway I wanted to walk in this restaurant.