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People write their prayers and wishes on these cedar blocks that the monks bless. Stacked together to create these cylinder shapes, they are collectively set ablaze like a bonfire so that these prayers through smoke and ash are delivered up to the gods.

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Regarded as one of the most sacred mountains in Japan, Koyasan is home to many Buddhist relics and an ancient forest with hundreds of year old cedar trees. Many make the pilgrimage up to Koyasan to pay homage to Kukai, the high monk who first settled the land. Locals believe his spirit lives on in eternal meditation in one of the temples.

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Temple meals: dinner and breakfast respectively. Tofu, beans, pickled and tempura vegetables and miso soup. Healthy and tasty! 😋

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Stayed at a monastery for the night. It was in the high 30s (Fahrenheit) during the day and teens in the evening. The doors to the temple were wide open at all hours, and heating was scant. I had every every layer on me, and it still wasn’t enough. The table skirt was heated, so needless to say, I practically hid under the table for most of the night.

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Long train ride to Koyasan. Took the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Osaka Namba, and then changed to the Nankai Koyasan line to the tramway, and then finally to the bus. Over 3 hours in transit, but beautiful views all around.

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To holy grounds — Kyoto > Koyasan

Day 16

Date: Jan 12th Transport: Shinkansen > Nankai Koya Line > Tramway > Local bus Distance to Travel: 100 miles Known For: One of the most sacred mountains in Japan Feeling: Ready for some peace and quiet

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Out of Kyoto for the day

For my last day in Kyoto, I decided to put my JR pass to use and explore some nearby cities. Even though I still had two shrines left on my list to visit (Kinkakuji and Ryoanji), I just couldn’t do another day of temples. I needed some variety.

I had originally planned to make a brief stop at Hemeji on my way back to Tokyo. Right off the Kansai Shinkansen route, the city would be easily accessible with my train pass. However, with a last minute addition to my itinerary and Himeji only being a 45 minute bullet train ride away from Kyoto (half the time of a local train), moving the city earlier up on my schedule made more sense timing wise.

After sharing my day’s plan with the hostel owner, he gave me a quizzical look. What is it I asked. Do you not recommend Himeiji? He thought for a moment trying to find his words.

He finally responded Himeji did have a castle, the largest of its kind in Japan. It was recently renovated and admitted it should be really nice. He quickly followed-up with a recommendation to stop by Kobe since it was on my way back to Kyoto anyways. Given my 3 hour wait at Yamamotomenzou the day before, he knew I was looking for some good eats. Kobe it was for dinner!

Himeji Castle 🏯

Well now I understand the lack of enthusiasm from the hostel owner. Yes, there was a castle in Himeji…but not much else.

It felt aged—not in a historical sense, but a worn-out sense. Except for the more newly appointed train station, the buildings all around looked tired. Even the city’s people looked grey and grizzled. I’ve read news reports about the aging population in Japan and how this, among other factors, stands as a barrier to reviving their shrinking economy. I’ve seen many elderly Japanese people throughout my trip. Yes, I recognize old people exist everywhere. But there were instances when I would look around me on a bus or a street, and I’d be one of only a handful of “young” people around. In Himeji, this was especially palpable.

Hemeji was incredibly uneventful. The best part of the visit was the free bicycle rental, a perk the city offers, perhaps in an effort to draw more tourists. I opted not to go into the castle. I’m sure it would’ve been glorious up close. But I could see the castle from all angles within the city anyways. And with the bike, I decided to spend the time covering more ground rather than concentrating it all on one site.

With no specific route in mind, I headed towards a path that ran along a moat that surrounded the castle grounds. Around, across and through I went. Wherever the path took me, I followed.

Against the backdrop of the castle, clusters of snow white cranes gathered. Some were floating in the water, others were perched in the trees. At a glance, I mistook them for large, unusual flower buds. Close by, a half dozen or so cats freely roamed. A grandfather hunched over a box of treats was feeding the strays. Women clad in ornate kimonos, hair and makeup done, were all around getting their portraits taken.

I rode around like this for a good hour observing my surroundings. It was nice being on two wheels instead of my two feet for once! 🚲

Kobe 🌇

I don’t know what I expected from Kobe, but I was a little surprised by what I found. A city developed right on the coast of the Osaka Bay that leads straight into the Pacific, Kobe is a big port town. From the giant Christian church that stands as a beacon in the heart of downtown to the Elvis statue (one of only a few in the world, so says the local visitors guide book) to the foreign settlement, it is a city with strong Western influence.

I know the name Kobe for its beef, as, I assume, do many other people around the world. But desserts? Yes. It turns out, Kobe is also just as well known for its sweets as it is for its beef. There are stores dedicated to Kobe produced confections. Kobe cheesecake. Kobe pudding. Kobe wafers. Many brandish official looking stickers that proclaim award and international recognition. There is even a Kobe patisserie school. Who would’ve thought! So with my new credit card in hand (I had received it just a couple days before), I decided to buy one of those award-winning cheesecakes. I had to try it.

But not before, of course, a taste of Kobe beef first. After all, I was in Kobe. It would've been a shame to leave without trying its namesake beef.

From food stands to restaurants and everything in between, signs screamed Kobe beef. It wasn't hard to find a place that served the protein, but, rather, the issue was where to go. Teppanyaki seemed to be the recommended and preferred method of preparation for the beef, so that's what I focused my search on.

After much consternation and googling and wandering (and sometimes getting lost), I finally came up to a nondescript building with two high-ish rated restaurants. One was closed for the day. The other, located on the 3rd floor, was fortunately open.

The teppanyaki restaurant was not your cheesy Benihana experience, although they are entertaining. It felt more like a sushi restaurant, simple and austere. It's all about the beef. Much like a sushi chef, the grillmaster (not sure if that's officially what they're called, but I'm just going to go with it) was there to do right by the beef, cook it to your desired temperature and provide recommendations for how best to taste the beef (little salt, some cracked pepper, dip in ponzu sauce, maybe a little bit of mustard, enjoy as is).

I ordered the 100g grade 10 beef set menu. The beef came out as two nicely marbled pink slabs the size of my palms. The chef skillfully cut off the fatty ends and used them as the oil base. He quickly and carefully seared one of the slabs on all sides, making sure each side was evenly cooked. He then cut it into a half a dozen or so bite-size pieces and repeated the searing process. After about 3 minutes of this methodical process, the meat was done. He neatly arranged the pieces on a large platter that was set in front of me.

He urged me to eat while he set the second slab on the grill surface. The beef was tender and had already been slightly seasoned with salt while on the grill. The meat was so tender, so flavorful (without any seasoning). It was pretty dam* good beef.

It was also obscenely expensive beef, my most exorbitant meal in Japan. I may have been feeling too flush with my new credit card.

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Getting my Kobe fix. Yes, it’s known for beef. But who knew it’s home to many award winning desserts as well? 🍰

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Pit stop in Kobe. It was on the way back to Kyoto from Himeji, so why not? Making my way from the harbor to Chinatown to the Shinkansen station, I was on the hunt for Kobe beef 🐮

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Made use of my JR Pass and spent a day outside Kyoto. About 45 min south of the city by bullet train, Himeji is well known for its castle, the largest of its kind in Japan…and that’s about it. But I decided to skip the castle (I could see it from everywhere within the central part of the city anyways). Instead, I spent most of my time exploring the small city by bike which was free for tourists 🚲

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And the temple tour stops🚦 After having read several good reviews of Yamamotomenzou (well known for their freshly made udon), I planned to “stop by” for lunch since I was in the area anyways. 3 hours later, I found myself seated at a small noodle bar. I got the spicy udon with tempura rice cakes (the cubes in the noodles that look like tofu) and tempura burdock sticks (like french fries, except crispier and less starchy) with curry powder. This was really, really delicious. And the tempura rice cakes! They were divine. Freshly fried…crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside. So good!🍜😋

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Feeling enlightened—walking along the Philosopher's Path

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And the temple tour continues: a brief visit to Ginkakuji

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The picturesque Storm Mountain

Arashiyama was a place I had wanted to visit on my first tour of Kyoto, but it never materialized. On the northwestern outskirts, it is quite a bit removed from all the other sites that sit at the eastern end of town. However, with my JR pass, it would be easily accessible via the local JR Sagano line.

At the Arashiyama stop, a slight, elderly man with a folder that read, “Volunteer, English,” stood next to the station map. He greeted all the site-seers with a warm smile. In his limited English, he answered the questions he could and provided rough directions by pointing at different locations on the map.

Everyone was there for the same reason—to see the bamboo grove. So I left it to the crowds to guide me. Down an alleyway and across two roads we went. We came up to a bustling Main Street with stands selling small bites and trinkets and empty rickshaws waiting for passengers. Signs clearly indicated that the grove was less than 50m ahead.

To start, the bamboo grove was a bit underwhelming. The trees didn’t feel as tall, the grove not as dense. It didn’t look like the pictures I saw online at all.

However, the further in I walked, things progressed. While groups of people were trying to capture the perfect picture at the start of the path, myself and a handful of people forged ahead. The last 150-200m stretch was the real highlight. All around the trees grew dramatically. It felt like I had been swallowed in a sea of green. And with a smaller crowd, I was able to enjoy my surroundings free of group pictures and competing selfie sticks. I just wish the last part, the best part of the path was longer.

At the end of the bamboo walk, I veered away from the pack. While many turned right, I made a left onto a sand and gravel path. I had no idea where it would take me, but I was curious.

It led me to the Arashiyama park. There was a meandering trail up a slope to a vista point with views down into a gorge. Walking back down and across, I ended up on the bank of the nearby Oi river. And from a distance I could see the Togetsuko Bridge come into view. The bright sun, blue skies and crystalline waters could not be beat. It had to be one of my most favorite moments in Japan.

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Bed #6. Home for the next 3 nights.

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The quintessential Arashiyama Buddhist specialty: yudofu. Tasted like tofu.

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Japanese coffee leave a bit to be desired, but % Arabica made up for it ☕️😄👍🏻This cute little shop has amazing views of the Oi river.