Kiyomizudera Temple

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5:00am JST

Watching the sunrise over the mountains through my hotel window and rolling out the media from yesterday’s photo and video shoot onto disk to make way for more material today.

8:00am JST

Successful photo shoots always start by tanking up: fish, eggs, rice, vegetables, sausages, miso, orange juice, tea and natto! I wouldn’t mind the taste of natto if it didn’t look so awful and wasn’t so damned hard to maneuver about.

[ First-Time Travelers Tip: Natto is good for you, mix it with rice and wash it down with miso soup! ]

10:00am JST

Kiyomizudera Temple, within walking distance of my hotel, is a natural place to start the “First Time” touring. Although, Kiyomizudera is picturesque in the Fall when the leaves turn, it’s too early in the year to catch the Fall leaves this trip. The backpack is loaded up with camera gear, batteries are charged, memory cards are empty and we’re off!

[ First-Time Travelers Tip: Always make sure your batteries are charged and your equipment is prepped and tested BEFORE going out on a photo shoot! ]

11:00am JST

Wow, that was no leisurely 25 minute walk, and it was uphill the whole way. You know your journey to a shrine or temple has come to an end when you run the gauntlet of food and souvenir vendors. I’m a sucker for this kind of stuff and found some very nice fans with ryo, usagi, tora and uma motifs. Visiting a shrine or temple can have a festival atmosphere and nowadays can be a good place to take a date.

11:30am JST

Made my way to the pagoda and entrance to the temple. Before entering the temple I stand in line waiting to ritually cleanse myself of earthly evil before I enter the place of Buddha. Offered prayers (and some coin for the offering box) and joined the rest of humanity in enjoying the view of the grounds from the temple veranda. After enjoying the view, visitors can walk along an elevated path for a good view of the veranda and temple against a blanket of Fall leaves (even though its too early in the year for anything but some Japanese Maples to turn color).

The popular expression “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu” is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression “to take the plunge” but decided to take photographs instead…

http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/lang/01.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera

[ First-time Travelers Tip: Plan your photo shoots and vacations with specific seasons and events in mind, this proved critical in my visit to Sawara and failed me with Kiyomizudera! ]

1:00pm JST

Although I brought both a DSLR and video camera, I’m focusing mostly on using the video camera, its light, portable and not very intrusive. Toured the temple grounds and got some good video footage of pagodas, natural surroundings, and the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond for visitors to catch and have their wishes fulfilled.

1:30pm JST

Just had an amusing “conversation” with a women at the local area street map. We tried to understand each other but had difficulty getting passed the vocabulary and grammar of our respective languages. After struggling for a few minutes with the total lack of commonality in language, we laughed and said goodbye… one of the few words we did have in common.

The dancing bear might not be proficient but he’s damned amusing!

The neighborhood that surrounds Kiyomizudera has a few other temples and feels like a nice place to live, although not flossy. There are plenty of beautiful images to be made along the Komagawa and in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto. These hills are a killer, though, especially for the elderly which explains the parade of taxi’s running up and down Matsubara-dori. Kyoto is jam packed with taxis too, but that’s to be expected in a dense, metropolitan area with so many attractive cultural sites and tourists to photograph them.

5:30pm JST

Decided to wander about the neighborhood again. Found a take-out bento box place that also serves food by the pound, deli style. I ordered the egg on beef with rice, cheap and good! Also stopped at the nearby 7-Eleven for a Match and chocolate eclair. Tested the credit card, which did not work but the more preferable debit card did work. Using a card on the Visa network is probably the most convenient and cost-effective way of getting money overseas.

On the way back to the hotel I also found a “kippu” machine restaurant. I hope to have lunch here tomorrow…

Arrival in Kyoto

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1:00pm JST

The Nozomi Shinkansen speeds into Kyoto after only two and a half hours of travel time! Too bad the stations don’t seem to have many escalators, because I had to lug all of this luggage up and down several flights of steps before arriving at the ground level and a taxi. The cab driver hadn’t a clue as to where the hotel is located, and silly me of course he can’t read the address of the hotel in romanji which I had thoughtfully provided.

Kyoto streets can be very busy and the hotel is much MUCH farther away from Kyoto Station than it appears on the map. Total taxi fare came to only 970 yen – worth every yen considering the distance I would have had to have walked. Had I known, I could have taken the bus from Kyoto Station because two bus lines stop right outside the hotel.

My hotel room is perhaps slightly larger than the typical Japanese hotel room. It is very nice and includes a good size modular bathroom, decent size bed, window and a black leather couch (because I got the semi double). A perfect arrangement in a nice section of town with easy access to bus lines, which I only reserved at the last minute. Win!

But after settling down to some needed video editing time, I discover that this hotel has no three prong plugs, so now I need to find a “Type A” adapter and quickly. There can only be one place in all of Japan to go for that kind of gear and that’s Yodabashhi Camera and there’s a Yodabashi near Kyoto Station! So I hoofed it down to the Kyoto Station area under a magnificent twilight sky to one of my favorite stores of all time… Yodabashi Camera!

6:30pm JST

Incredibly, the greeter at the front door understood exactly what I meant when I babbled at her about “denki mono”, and directed me to the section of the store that stocks a vast array of power converters, plugs and adaptors mostly for travel purposes. Having found my power adaptor, I proceeded to the sixth floor for dinner: tonkatsu and miso soup. Yes, Yodabashi Camera is a little expensive but I still love them.

Walking the streets at night also gave me an opportunity to discover where everything was in the neighborhood, the conbini, vending machines, restaurants, temples, subway and bus stops. And even at night you feel safe walking the streets as you watch families with children riding their bikes, playing in the neighborhoods, and elderly people out for a stroll. The stream of bicycles ridden by all ages and all walks of life is endless. Kyoto has two forms of transportation: 1) the taxi and 2) the bicycle, both can run you down if you aren’t mindful of the road.

I get a very real sense of neighborhood and community here.

8:00

I now have my Type A adaptor and am up and running again!

The Road To Kyoto

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7:00am JST

Tanking up at the buffet near a sunny window with … I think these are octopus balls because of the tentacles… curry chicken, grilled fish, potato pancakes, orange slices, mmiso soup, rice with sprinkles and pickled vegetables. Every good day of photography starts with a good breakfast!

8:00am JST

Godzilla raises his immense mass from the buffet table and lets out a mighty roar of conquest. Other patrons flee, panicked by the earth shaking sounds exploding from the mighty thunder lizard! The mighty thunder lizard also has a mighty sunburn from his day in the hot sun in Sawara.

9:00am JST

Today I’m heading to Kyoto on the Shinkansen, but there’s little hurry so I walk down to Narita to photograph the geomancy animals and other points of interest in town. Narita is a very handsome town for photography with its winding streets and traditional architecture. I’ve discovered that there is much to see in Narita than just a convenient airport town too, including a calligraphy museum, and a cream filled pastry shop people line up to get into to. I plan to return here if possible, perhaps before the flight out of the country. Also Ino Tadataka’s house in Sawara, when they’ve finished the renovations.

Hotel checkout is 11:00 which gives me 15 minutes to wrap up this photo shoot, checkout of the hotel, pick up my three pieces of luggage and jacket and hoof it to JR Narita Station. The plan is to catch the Narita Express (Nex) and connect with one of the bullet trains to Kyoto. Whoops, that didn’t quite happen as planned…

11:00am JST

The Nex apparently runs between Narita Airport, Chiba, Tokyo and Yokohama. To get to Tokyo from Narita you have to take one of the “Rapid Express” trains, not a big deal but not as fast and plush as traveling on the Nex. The ticket office gives me two tickets: A Rapid Express train and a connecting Shinkansen ticket.

Hoofing it down to the platform and there’s just enough time to purchase a Match vitamin drink from the vending machine, conveniently located on the platform. The train arrives and leaves the platform 5 minutes after I purchased the tickets.

11:14am JST

Bound for Tokyo via the Rapid Express and camera in hand, the scenery outside the window is lovely under a blue sunny sky! Japanese countryside, rice fields, mountains, shrines, towns and homes all roll by and every station we stop at greets us with throaty chirping birds singing in the stations. Needless to say I have both the video camera and my Nikon D300S DSLR at the ready to capture the moment.

12:12am JST

I didn’t think that we’d make so many stops and this concerns me because this is supposed to be the “Rapid Express,” two words that don’t go along with “local stops.” I can’t imagine we’ll arrive at Tokyo Station by 12:33, though and I’m wondering if I haven’t boarded the wrong train. At least we’re headed in the right direction, because I can see Tokyo Sky Tree up ahead.

11:32:45am JST

And we arrive at Tokyo Station with 15 seconds to spare!

I rush through the station to get to the Shinkansen platforms, as are thousands of other travelers. I recognize much from my last stay in Japan but much has changed from the expansion project they started five years ago. I pass by the central Shinkansen ticketing desks and since I’m headed to Kyoto, I follow the signage to the Tokaido line platforms. I’ve ridden the Tokaido line Shinkansen before so it’s all familiar and wonderful, and I also notice changes and renovations to the station itself. And what a mob scene Tokyo Station is!

Now the turnstile is just ahead, I put my ticket in the slot and… the machine rejects my ticket…

The way this works is, you’re supposed to run both tickets through the machine at the same time. That’s how they make sure you are using the connecting trains in proper sequence and not exiting the system. I hoof it with all my luggage to my assigned car with only 5 mins to spare. And that’s lugging three pieces of luggage up a couple flights of stairs to the Shinkansen platform. You’d better be in shape if you want to run this gauntlet and time table without mistakes.

1:00pm JST

Since in past trips, I’ve relied on JR Pass, my Shinkansen travels have never included the Nozomi trains, but since I’m paying out of pocket, this time I get to ride the fastest (well almost) bullet train in the fleet, the platypus billed Nozomi Series 700.

THe Shinkansen leaves Tokyo Station right on time and roars down the tracks with all the sinewy power of a jungle cat. Mountains, plains, the Pacific Ocean and even wind farms speed past us as we head towards Kyoto and then Shin Osaka. Once out of the Kanto plain, Japan turns very mountainous. They say that 70 – 80% of the country is actually mountains. I could video tape this scenery for hours!

[ First-Time Travelers Tip: Green car is waaaay too flossy and expensive. Go with regular reserved seating. Ordinary cars are still very nice and JR has replaced the old flooring with a new softer pebble finish that is much more attractive than the old linoleum flooring! ]

The conductors always bow to the car as they exit and always always step aside to let a passenger pass by. Nice respectful touches.

Japanese people are QUIET. Not a sound can be heard on the train other than the turbine growl of the train itself. Not a word is spoken except for the occasional child babbling and even then children are hushed by their mothers. Riders are urged to put their cell phones on silent. It’s fortunate that I was assigned a window seat, because I like watching and photographing the scenery as it races by. Unfortunately, I was assigned a left-hand window seat which means you can’t see Mount Fuji or the five story pagoda of Toji Temple in the center of Kyoto.

[ First-Time Travelers Tip: Choose the side of the train depending on the time of day, the angle of the sun to avoid window glare, and what you want to see out the window. For photographers this is critical! ]

Earthquake!

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2:00 pm JST

Earthquake! I’m told that Sawara was a mere eight miles from the epicenter. It felt like a sudden cold front of thunderstorm had blown into town. The street quivered like jello under my feat, and then as suddenly as it began, it was gone. There was little apparent concern from the residents here as well, and the festival rolled on…

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000d4vp#summary

Sawara Fall Festival

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7:30am JST

My first full day in Japan begins uber early by tanking up with a hearty breakfast. Buffets at hotels are par for the course in Japanese hotels and I started with a plate load of breaded fish, salmon, scrambled eggs, sausage, and bowls of rice and miso soup. I like my rice with sprinkles and pickled vegetables. Its a lovely sunny first day as the morning light streams in through the windows.

[ First-Time Traveler Tip: Get up by 6:30am and make the most of the day! ]

8:00am JST

Man I just want to keel over from all that food, but no time to waste… I’m setting out for the town of Sawara, former home of Ino Tadataka, the first man to make a comprehensive map of Japan. I hoof it to JR Narita Station and ask the ticket office which platform to use for the next train to Sawara, track #5. I use my Suica card for the first time.

[ First-Time Traveler Tip: Get either a Suica or Pasmo card, they save a lot of time fumbling with change at the ticket machines! ]

8:45am JST

Purchased a ticket at the Narita JR station and waiting on platform 5 for the train to Sawara. JR Narita is a nice, old station with that rusting era of deprivation character. Birds serenade me with their throaty song as I wait.

9:00am JST

Sudden change of trains, but there’s the whistle, announcements and we’re off!

9:46am JST

We arrive at JR Sawara Station, I breeze through the turnstile and consult the town map where I identify Ino Tadataka’s house in town. I head for the bridge that crosses the tracks… and the wrong side of town…

[ First-Time Traveler Tip: Japanese maps are oriented with the map oriented in the direction you’re looking, and NOT with North necessarily up! ]

10:00am JST

Asking a couple in the street for directions. Other side of the tracks. Yosh!

10:30am JST

Visiting the local travel and information office and discover that there’s a festival starting today and ending on the 14th, and I have the whole day to spend touring Sawara. This is the kind of serendipity I’m famous for when in Japan! While in the travel office I also buy a pair of very handsome “furoshiki” used to wrap packages or belongings when adventuring in Japan and making maps.

10:45am – 12:00pm JST

The Fall festival is glorious with various groups parading what can only be described as “party barges” bearing giant effigies on the top of the float. These are not “Mikoshi” because there doesn’t seem to be a deity in residence, although the Fall Festival is hosted by the local shrine.

The Fall Festival is a huge deal in Sawara and involves a dozen or so floats and street vendors and games like catch the goldfish. Many of the elderly were out with their families, reliving memories of past festivals. Many children being doted over by their grandparents experienced the Fall Festival for the first time. Chatted with a few residents of Sawara and admire them for their classic, old lovely homes.

Time to deploy the video camera and H4N audio recorder to capture this one time experience! Interestingly enough so are dozens of other Japanese onlookers.

1:30pm JST

Asked a Japanese police officer for directions to Ino Tadataka’s house. Suddenly those Japanese study sessions featuring the words “migi” and “hidari” came in handy.

2:00pm JST

Earthquake! I’m told that Sawara was a mere eight miles from the epicenter. It felt like a sudden cold front of thunderstorm had blown into town. The street quivered like jello under my feat, and then as suddenly as it began, it was gone. There was little apparent concern from the residents here as well, and the festival rolled on…

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000d4vp#summary

2:30pm JST

Ino Tadataka’s house is more than just a house, there’s a modern museum dedicated to him as well as a complete river side neighborhood that really looks like it was lifted out of old Edo. The festival floats roll down the modern asphalt street and found there way winding through the old stone streets of Edo period Sawara. Ironically, Ino Tadataka’s house is under canvas for renovations so even although I’ve found it, I can’t actually see it or film it.

3:30pm JST

I’m beat, tired and dehydrated… and what do we do when we’re dehydrated? Why we look for the nearest vending machine that dispenses “Match” vitamin drink, and I found one! After refreshing myself I wander about the town, taking “B roll” footage and enjoy the watching the rest of the street festival. Near the railroad tracks I watch with bemusement as one of the floats is rolled across the tracks soon after a train has crossed.

4:00pm JST

The time has come for me to leave this party but I’ve just discovered that I’ve lost my Suica card! Now I have to purchase a ticket with cash and most likely cough up another Y500 for a new Suica card. Well its not like that’s the first time in history that this has ever happened. The train ride back to Narita is relaxing after a day well spent behind the camera.

I have a few minutes before the train arrives so I use the station “Toerei.” After washing my hands I find there are no paper towels or blow dryers but I’m unconcerned because smart first time travelers always carry a handkerchief with them in case the rest room doesn’t have any way to dry your hands. This happens a lot more often than you might think!

[ First-Time Traveler Tip: Always pack a handkerchief! ]

5:17pm JST

Stopped off at Lawsons, one of Japans convenience store chains, for some quick conbini food, drinks and obligatory chocolate custard filled eclairs. I’m soon fed, hydrated, off my feat, eclairs chilling in the mini-fridge and watching Japanese television. Time for a quick nap…

10:00pm JST

Wrapping up the day munching my chilled chocolate eclair while watching baseball news. Oh wow, the Orioles still have a chance at the World Series! Looking back on a well spent day full of serendipitous goodness and a mountain of video and audio tracks I have to edit.

Only bad thing about the trip so far… I lost the Suica card.

Arrival

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As my flight approaches Narita Airport, I can see Tokyo Sky Tree looming in the distance! That thing must be utterly huge if you can see it all the way to Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture! I breeze through declarations and customs because I’m organized and squeaky clean, and magically my luggage appears before me as I reach baggage claim.

Ahhhh, Narita Airport, looks the same as the way I left it. You’d think someone would have cleaned up that mess by now. I ask at transit information where to find the Keisei bus, but the next Keisei bus leaves in an hour so I opt for the Keisei line train to Narita (the town). Downstairs to the trains and thanks to a friend I have a convenient Suica card to get me on the Keisei Main Line train quickly and to the station hotel safe and sound.

After that grueling 14 hour flight, I just want water and dinner. The cat is on the prowl in Narita and enjoying a walk in the streets under the luminescent violet hues of the sunset, also made somewhat magical by the rain clouds lofting overhead. The town smells like Japan, sounds like Japan, feels like Japan. It’s good to be back.

Wandering the streets of Narita, I’ve found the 24 hour Lawson’s, the 24 hour Family Mart and a street lined with stone animals that are either the guardian deities of the streets or geomancy animals that control the feng shui of the town’s arcade district: first rabbit, then lion and then horse and many many more.

Enjoyed my first meal on Japanese soil at “Sumibi No Utori”, a local yakitori bar featuring beer, yakitori and izakaya theatre…

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped by the Family Mart and picked up an Imuraya green tea/azuka bean ice cream bar and bottle of Pocari Sweat and then relax with some Japanese television and snacks. The ice cream bar was sublime. The Pocari Sweat hasn’t changed. That HD programming, by the way, comes to you courtesy of Sky Tree’s line of sight to Narita!