the viewing deck: Kyoto Solo Day Trip 1st part: Ginkakuji & other City Parks

7-days wandering solo in summer Japan
may 28 - june 04, 2013 tuesday to tuesday

Hakone solo day-trip last part

5th day of my 1st visit to the Land of the Rising Sun, where tourism has a concept of "history meets the modern technology". At first my plan was to navigate Kyoto using private trains because I don't have much resources how to do it on cheapest way. But during my strolling inside the Kyoto station, I was surprise a one-day bus unlimited pass is offered for only 500yen ($5). On that moment, I immediately walked to the bus station where the signs direct to the famous toursit destination I am planning to visit. After I saw the bus station, I asked one local tourist where can I avail the bus pass. He said it was just on the tourism office 10 meters away. I went there paying the 500yen in cash together with a free english colorful city map. Around 0800H, I started the one-day city tour.

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over a millennium and carries a reputation as its most beautiful city. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. Kyoto is vast in terms of its rich cultural heritage - the material endowment of over a thousand years as the country's imperial capital.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kyoto

Ginkakuji (Temple of Silver Pavillion)

Kyoto city bus day-pass

map route going to Ginkakuji

Ginkakuji Temple, a Zen Temple, was established in 1482 by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th Shogunate. Yoshimasa, following Kinkakuji Temple Kitayama den built by his grandfather Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, built Villa Higashiyama den to spend his retired life. Ginkakuji is the common name, and formally it was called Higashiyama Jishoji.

Ginkaku-ji ("Temple of the Silver Pavilion"), officially named Jishō-ji ("Temple of Shining Mercy"), is a Zen temple in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the constructions that represent the Higashiyama Culture of Muromachi period. The Philosopher's Walk (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 University professor Nishida Kitaro is thought to have used it for daily meditation. It passes a number of temples and shrines such as Hōnen-in, Ōtoyo Shrine, and Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji. The Kyoto Imperial Palace is the former ruling palace of the Emperor of Japan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher%27s_Walk

Hedge at Ginkakuji (Temple of Silver Pavillion)

Ginkakuji (Temple of Silver Pavillion)

KYOTO DAY-TOUR ITINERARY (June 02, 2013);

0600H ETD Hostel (JR Special Rapid Service)
0720H ETA Kyoto one day bus pass 500yen
Ginkakuji castle bus # D1 entrance fee 500yen
Philosopher's path, just walk, breakfast 800yen
Kinkakuji temple bus # 102, 204 entrance fee 400
Heian Shrine bus # 93, 204
Imperial Palace bus #93, 204 lunch 1,410yen
Nijo castle bus # 93, 204 entrance fee 600yen
ETD Central Kyoto bus # 50 bound to Kyoto stn
1607H ETD Kyoto stn bound to Inari stn (JR line)
Fushima Inari Shrine no entrance
1907H ETD Kyoto stn bound for Namba stn (JR line)
Osaka night photo-ops & dinner 707yen
2300H ETA Hostel 2,610yen

TOTAL : 7,527yen ($75.27)