Day 6: Arashiyama and My Last Night in Kyoto
Today is my last full day and night in Kyoto. Tomorrow I head for Ise. Before heading out, I have to do laundry. I wake up early and do laundry, the drying taking about twice as long as I expect. Afterwards, around 11, I decide to visit the one place I haven’t gone, Arashiyama, which has dense bamboo forests. A scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was actually filmed in this forest. I get on the train and get their direct and early. There is a historical train station attached to the modern one, so I walk inside and visit the station first. There are old steam engines on display, and for some reason, copper statues of Braham, Beethoven, Schubert, and Mozart observe cafeteria lunch-goers. I go back to the path and start walking through the bamboo. The height and density of the forest nullifies much of the noise from the streets just a few hundred meters away.
On the paved trail, rickshaws pull groups of 2-3 through, giving them the full tour and even stopping to take a photo of them in the forest. They pass quickly, the fit men pulling their passengers swiftly. Of all the places to pull a rickshaw, I would say that the shaded bamboo grove is one of the best available. I walk around, admiring the beauty, and take a few pictures. However, even in the bamboo’s shade, I overheat quickly. I drink a cold water, hoping that will help, but it only stifles the heat for a moment. Feeling overwhelmed, I head back into the historical train station to cool off, and realize that today, I am not going to be able to stay outside for long without feeling miserable. I leave and find a new grocery store. I realize that it is already 2 pm, and decide to have lunch. Instead of finding a restaurant, I go into an upscale grocery store and find some delicious looking pieces of sushi. Seeing that they are half-price after 2 pm, I decide to try an 8-piece package, which is only 300 yen. I get that the sushi and a bottle of peach flavored water and sit down in the dining area, watching pedestrians walk past the window. As I bit into the sushi, I realize that it is fresher than almost anything that I’ve had stateside. The cool sushi, rolling in my mouth, is the perfect meal for a hot day like this.
After I finish, I decide to save my energy and go back to the hotel and pack. Everything ready to go tomorrow, I go back out and walk around downtown Kyoto, taking paths and streets I’ve not seen yet, seeing what I come across. I find the International Manga Museum, but it is closed by the time I arrive. In the courtyard of the museum, a pair of couples play croquet. I continue walking. I find other random sites, such as an Art Institute, but it is getting late, and only restaurants and the occasional bookstore or convenience store are open.
I decide that I’d better get back, since there is a long day tomorrow, and go to bed relatively early, around 10 pm. Rejuvenated, I’m ready to travel to Ise. I'll miss you, Kyoto.
