FUSHIMI INARI-TAISHA AND NARA

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Day 7: INARI (Fushimi Inari-Taisha) - NARA: Kofukuji, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha - KYOTO

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Today we start the day at 5.30 in the morning, that after a couple of days getting up a little later, we already missed these early rises! And today is a special day, which deserves at least these hours of less sleep. Today we will meet Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in the same day.
Fushimi Inari-Taisha awaits us first thing in the morning, so today we have to use our provisions of 7Eleven and have breakfast at Citadines Kyoto Karasuma-Gojo before leaving, to gain some time on the clock.

Already ready to start today, we leave our our hotel in Kyoto at 7 in the morning, to catch the train that leaves from the Kyoto Station, direct to Fushimi Inari-Taisha at 7.32h.
We arrived at the station in just the right time and after teaching our 14-day JRP, we went straight down to platform number 10 to catch the local train to Nara that stops at Fushimi Inari-Taisha.

We start the day! Today it's time to enjoy Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara

With Japanese punctuality, in 5 minutes nailed we arrive at the Inari station.

Train to Inari ...

As soon as we leave the station we find ourselves in front of a red Tori, which announces that we are already entering a sacred place. This time in one of the most important in Japan, in Fushimi Inari-Taisha.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha entrance

Although we must also say that Inari He became more than famous in the wake of the movie Memories of a Geisha, in which one of the most famous scenes takes place precisely here.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha

The entrance to Fushimi Inari-Taisha It is free and as soon as we enter, we already sense what awaits us.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha

We are very lucky that there are almost no people, not only because of the early morning, but also because of the time in which we made this trip to Japan, something that will allow us to enjoy places like this in absolute solitude.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Fushimi Inari-Taisha's details

In the eighteenth century, the Hata family dedicated this enigmatic sanctuary to the gods of rice and sake, but as the role of agriculture diminished, deities were asked to guarantee the prosperity of business.

Enjoying Fushimi Inari-Taisha

The complex consists of five sanctuaries that extend along the forested slopes of Inari-yama.

Amazing scenes in Fushimi Inari-Taisha

With every step that we take in Inari, we are more impressed and we like it more.

Emotion in Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Without a doubt one of the places we will never forget Japan.

While still photographing a moment. Fushimi Inari-Taisha

This is one of the things we like in travel, that every day there is something new that is impressive, that every day seems to be better than the previous one and that when you are asked why it is what you liked most about the trip ( something that by the way is one of the things that first ask us), let's not know what to answer, because we really liked and impressed everything.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha

We begin to travel the first section of Fushimi Inari-Taisha with the idea of reaching the point where the two paths begin to surround the mountain.

Two roads open in Fushimi Inari-Taisha

The path that runs Fushimi Inari-Taisha It is 4 kilometers and enters the mountain, always flanked by red torii.
There are also dozens of stone foxes. The fox is considered as messenger of Inari, the god of cereals.

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The Japanese traditionally see the fox as a sacred figure, somewhat mysterious, capable of possessing human beings.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha

As we ascend, we continue to think that we are lucky to have come so early since there are not many people and we can enjoy the road quite calm, almost alone.

We continue ascending in Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Map of Fushimi Inari-Taisha

By the way, if the weather is bad, don't worry because the toris hide the cloudy sky, so the photos will be just as good 😉

Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Time flies by and when we want to realize it is already 10 in the morning and expecting that today we have a very complete day and that now we have another main course as it is Nara, we decided that the time has come to go out and go straight to the Inari station, from where we will take the train from Inari to Nara.
A good and comfortable option to visit Nara and Inari is to book this guided tour in Spanish, where they will pick you up at the hotel.

It's time to say goodbye to Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Fushimi Inari-Taisha entrance and exit door

But before we pass by a supermarket that is right next door to buy a bag of potatoes, a lemonade and a grape fanta (which by the way is great !!) and thus make a second breakfast on the train.

Loading energies at Inari Station

Fanta de grape !!

Our train from Inari to Nara It leaves at 10.25 am and although it is not the express, if not a local one, it takes 69 minutes to arrive from Inari to Nara, so we will not change (which would be another option), to take the express even if we lose 10 minutes.

Train from Inari to Nara

These are the kind of decisions that make it very easy to make Hyperdia consulting.
We prefer to go to the safe and not risk losing the connection by bundling us, so for 10 minutes we don't even think about it.

Interior of the train from Inari to Nara

The train arrives as predictable on time and we make the journey in train from Inari to Nara Reviewing the guide and the things we have to see the rest of the day.
We arrived to Nara at 11.34 in the morning and just leave the train station we can not believe. It's raining!

Just arrived in Nara. Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

We had read that December was the less rainy month in Japan, but in view it is that today was a day of those that are the example that breaks the norm.
It is not that it rains too much, but enough to discourage us a little, so we try to take it easy knowing that we still have a few hours left and take the opportunity to stop at the tourist office and take a map of the Nara.
To reach the area of Nara Park, which is where we will find all the visits we have to do today, we have to follow the shopping street, which leaves right from the Nara station.
Halfway and seeing that it does not stop raining, although it is 12.15 noon, we decided to enter an Italian restaurant to eat, after looking at the weather on the internet and see that the forecast is that it stops raining about 1 noon.
We ordered a diavola pizza and a pasta dish plus a water and a beer and coffees for 3150 yen.

Charging energy. Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

Eating in Nara

All great and after these days without eating in an Italian, we have been seated wonderfully.
After a good table and although we check the weather again and it says that it is still raining, we look at the time and decide that no matter how much it rains, it is time to start the visit to Nara, so we get going.
We go out to the street with the hope of the sky when it is almost 13.30 noon and just set foot in the street we see that it does not rain!
A smile is drawn on our face instantly and we start without thinking twice, ready to make the most of the time, since the forecasts are not encouraging the rest of the afternoon.
A good option to know the history of the city and not miss anything is to book this guided tour in Spanish.
The first place we stopped at the Nara Park it is Kokufuji.

Kokufuji entrance. Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

In the year 710, this temple was moved from Kyoto to the place it occupies as the main temple of the Fujiwara family.
The original complex had 175 buildings, but the fires and destruction resulting from power struggles have only left a dozen standing.

Kokufuji Pagoda

There are two pagodas, with three and five floors, dating from 1143 and 1426 respectively.
The highest is the second of Japan in height, a few centimeters below that of To-ji in Kyoto.

Five-floor pagoda in Kokufuji

It is under restoration, so we do not devote too much time to this visit.
We follow the path through the Nara Park and crossing with a lot of crows and even some deer-child struggles, while parents record or take pictures.

Nara Park Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

Everything is for a funny memory ... even if the child takes the blow of the century!
After this walk with “views” through the Nara Park , we continue until we reach Todaiji Temple, following the directions of the streets and in less than 15 minutes we planted at the door.

Todaiji Road in Nara

We paid 500 yen to enter Todaiji Temple and as soon as we arrived at the Temple we stayed with our mouths open.

Still-hee. Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

One of the most amazing places we've ever been. Awesome.

Still-hee

The Todaiji Temple, with its vast Daibutsu-den room and its huge bronze Buddha image, is the star attraction of Nara.
On the way to the temple you pass through Nandaimon, a huge gate with two fierce Nio guardians, wooden statues carved by the sculptor Unkei in the 11th century.

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The anecdote comes when at the door we see a sign of a man with an animal in his arms ... and we laugh when I get confused and say they don't let him in Todaiji Temple to people with fawns in their arms ... and it turns out that the cartel animal, as was obvious, is a dog !!
So after a few laughs and a few pictures, we enter the Todaiji Temple and just cross the door ... we see it in front of us.

Amazing!! Still-hee

We feel the same as in Polonnaruwa, in Sri Lanka. That feeling of peace that only certain places transmit and that remain forever in our memories.
The Daibutsu-den, in the Todaiji Temple, is the largest wooden building in the world.
The Daibutsu, Great Buddha, which keeps inside was first founded in 746 and is one of the greatest bronze figures that exist.

Todai-ji bronze Buddha

Still-hee

As the effigy is surrounded to appreciate it from behind, a wooden column with a hole in the base will be seen. Popular belief states that those who manage to pass through the hole, which is the same size as one of the two nostrils of the Great Buddha, will reach enlightenment.

Wooden column in Todai-ji

Bronze Buddha in Todai-ji

After a more than exhaustive visit in the Todaiji Temple We leave and go to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

A fanta or a coke? Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

On the way we pass through the street of the stone lanterns and the intermediate temples of Nigatsu do.

Kasuga Taisha road. Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

For the time being, the weather continues to hold for what we are more than happy and the smile from our mouth is not removed. And it is not cold at all, something that we were especially aware of in Nara.
On the way to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, although it is not too late, we already see that the shops and businesses of the road are closing, so we intuit that at this time of year, as many people as we can see, the volume is not the same than at other times of the year.
After a good walk we arrive at the Kasuga Taisha Shrine and after a walk around the whole site, we decide that it is time to start the way back to the center of Nara.
Nara we liked it a lot, but we can't think of anything other than time, which in the end has been arranged for us 😉 and has allowed us to enjoy one of the excursions from Kyoto.
When we have already gone down a few meters from the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, we see that there is the bus stop that leads to the center of Nara and seeing that the sky is threatening, we say that it is best to follow the destination and take it to take us to the Nara Station and from there take a walk along the commercial street of the city.
And writing these notes destiny, at this moment, wants it to start raining. Every day we are more convinced that there is “something” that watches over us and gives us these truces along the way that allow us to enjoy the things we like the most.
After a few minutes the bus arrives and we don't think much when it's time to get on and take a seat.
When we arrive at the Nara Station, we are going to pay for the bus in the departure zone, which is 400 yen both and we see that we only have 10,000 and 5000 yen tickets.
The driver tells us that he has no change and to our question of what we do then, he starts speaking to us in Japanese, to which we logically understand absolutely nothing.
Luckily, a woman who is behind us in the queue to pay and seeing us so rushed by the change, she herself changes the 5000 yen bill for 1000 bills.
So after this little “stumble” that has already taught us that we always have to bring change, we go straight to Sanjodori Dori, which is the shopping street of Nara Where we arrived this morning.
And as soon as we start to walk the street, it starts to rain harder, so we take shelter in a shop and take the opportunity to look at Hyperdia and see that there is a fast train that leaves for Kyoto at 4:24 p.m. so we don't think about it, we accelerate the pace and after a race we arrive just in time to catch it!

From Nara to Kyoto. Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara in one day

We arrived to Kyoto at 17.11 in the afternoon and as it is still early to go to dinner we take the opportunity to stop by JRP Kyoto Office to book tickets for the remaining routes.
The best way to make reservations is to take all the indicated routes, with the schedules and give them to the person who attends us.
And being here is where we realize that reservations are only for fast trains and shinkansen and that for locals it is not only that it is not necessary, they cannot be booked!
After almost 30 minutes to put everything in order and to attend us, we find that we will have to go separated in a couple of long journeys and in one we cannot book to go already full.
At first it seems easy, but the truth is that with so much train in the end we have ended up getting involved.
So when we finish at the window, we go back to review everything and we realize that we have left a reservation and it is just tomorrow, so we get back in line and start again! Of course, in less than 10 minutes we have everything solved.
It must be said that professionalism is 10 and that attention at all times is more than professional.
When we leave the Kyoto Station it's still raining so we stopped for dinner at yesterday's restaurant, which is halfway to our hotel in Kyoto and we ordered some gyozas, some potatoes with cheese and some udon for 1350 yen.
Mmm ... how are we enjoying Japanese cuisine !!
On the way out it is pouring rain so it touches race until our hotel in Kyoto where we go straight to the room to pack and lower them to reception to be sent to Tokyo.
As we commented, the procedure is done by themselves and in less than 5 minutes we have our receipt in hand for 2750 yen. 2 medium suitcases of 20 kilos each ... this is the invention of the century!
Tomorrow we leave for Okayama at 6 in the morning and for the next 4 days we will start what will be the second part of our trip to Japan, touring Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka, Takayama, Shirakawa-go ... before going to Tokyo.
We will be sleeping every day in one place, so we have preferred to pay and have our suitcases delivered to Tokyo and thus go more comfortable with a backpack.
With everything fixed and our prepared backpacks we will rest at our hotel, the Citadines Kyoto Karasuma-Gojo, which tomorrow begins the second part of the Trip to Japan.
Today we will dream of toris and buddhas and the day we met Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Nara ...