I'll have to edit this post later since I don't have everything I want for it right now and I don't have a ton of time.
Anyway, this last weekend was pretty busy. First off a friend and I finally found Bell Road, which has a lot of shops and tons of restaurants. The one that interested me the most was a store called Bulldog that has lots of cute things and a lot of...interesting things, too. I'll have go ask my friend if I can use this one photo as an example...I'll be going back to that one. Ah, before that we had biked to try and find the University of Shiga Prefecture where my elective class is held, which starts Wednesday. We got a bit lost when coming back and trying to find Bell Road, but find it we did.
Saturday was the big trip to Kyoto.
Which I'll talk about later because my phone is dying!
Anyway, this last weekend was pretty busy. First off a friend and I finally found Bell Road, which has a lot of shops and tons of restaurants. The one that interested me the most was a store called Bulldog that has lots of cute things and a lot of...interesting things, too. I'll have go ask my friend if I can use this one photo as an example...I'll be going back to that one. Ah, before that we had biked to try and find the University of Shiga Prefecture where my elective class is held, which starts Wednesday. We got a bit lost when coming back and trying to find Bell Road, but find it we did.
Saturday was the big trip to Kyoto.
Which I'll talk about later because my phone is dying!
Now to continue!
Note to self: stop typing on my phone. Autocorrect ruins everything.
In any case, Friday was fun, and I don't think I did anything other than that. Then on Saturday we went to Kyoto. A couple Japanese friends showed us Kiyomizu Temple and Yasaka Shrine, which was really fun. It's the first time I've been to either a temple or a shrine. I think we came across some old statues that we'd talked about in our history class. Not that I remember the names of them. I'll let you look that up, as I'm too tired and lazy right now to try. Well, but I guess Kiyomizu Temple is pretty famous, especially for this large viewing platform/area and for the sakura blossoms in the spring. The temple is actually fairly far up a mountain and has a great view of Kyoto. Of course after that we walked down some streets with tons of souvenir shops and restaurants, most of them selling what I think was called "yatsuhashi", a famous dessert from Kyoto. We ended up eating an udon shop, which was great, because udon is delicious. Although, I was kind of hoping to try something new, but it was still great.
After that, we went to Yasaka Shrine, which is fairly nearby. There was actually a Japanese wedding and a traditional Japanese wedding going on when we got there, so I took some pics (all of which I'll put up later on). All I can say is that it's bright, bright orange-red. It was very pretty, though, as was the temple. Again: temples are Buddhist, shrines are Shinto. Well, so we found a small visual kei store (it's a...genre of music, though that's not quite the right word; I've talked about it before, and if you still haven't, I dare you to Google them) and I ended up buying a packet of some merch from one of my favorite oshare kei bands (a sub-genre of visual kei). You don't understand how incredibly happy I am about this.
And then we spent the rest of the day in a famous shopping district place, which I guess people our age usually go to, like after school or just to hang out and shop and whatever. I really want to go back so I can take a second and closer look at everything there. Oh, and of course we did purikura again. I think when I get back to the US, I'll be wondering why there isn't at least one place in each bigger city to do purikura (they're probably in many smaller towns, too). I'll also be wondering where all the vending machines with amazing Japanese drinks disappeared to...You can't go anywhere here without coming across at least 5 of them or more.
Now for pics:
Note to self: stop typing on my phone. Autocorrect ruins everything.
In any case, Friday was fun, and I don't think I did anything other than that. Then on Saturday we went to Kyoto. A couple Japanese friends showed us Kiyomizu Temple and Yasaka Shrine, which was really fun. It's the first time I've been to either a temple or a shrine. I think we came across some old statues that we'd talked about in our history class. Not that I remember the names of them. I'll let you look that up, as I'm too tired and lazy right now to try. Well, but I guess Kiyomizu Temple is pretty famous, especially for this large viewing platform/area and for the sakura blossoms in the spring. The temple is actually fairly far up a mountain and has a great view of Kyoto. Of course after that we walked down some streets with tons of souvenir shops and restaurants, most of them selling what I think was called "yatsuhashi", a famous dessert from Kyoto. We ended up eating an udon shop, which was great, because udon is delicious. Although, I was kind of hoping to try something new, but it was still great.
After that, we went to Yasaka Shrine, which is fairly nearby. There was actually a Japanese wedding and a traditional Japanese wedding going on when we got there, so I took some pics (all of which I'll put up later on). All I can say is that it's bright, bright orange-red. It was very pretty, though, as was the temple. Again: temples are Buddhist, shrines are Shinto. Well, so we found a small visual kei store (it's a...genre of music, though that's not quite the right word; I've talked about it before, and if you still haven't, I dare you to Google them) and I ended up buying a packet of some merch from one of my favorite oshare kei bands (a sub-genre of visual kei). You don't understand how incredibly happy I am about this.
And then we spent the rest of the day in a famous shopping district place, which I guess people our age usually go to, like after school or just to hang out and shop and whatever. I really want to go back so I can take a second and closer look at everything there. Oh, and of course we did purikura again. I think when I get back to the US, I'll be wondering why there isn't at least one place in each bigger city to do purikura (they're probably in many smaller towns, too). I'll also be wondering where all the vending machines with amazing Japanese drinks disappeared to...You can't go anywhere here without coming across at least 5 of them or more.
Now for pics:
Walking up to Kiyomizu Temple. The next few pics are also of the temple.
The above image is of one of the statues I was talking about.
The next few images are of the platform area I was talking about, and also the view of Kyoto from it and of another part of the temple we walked to.
The next few images are of the platform area I was talking about, and also the view of Kyoto from it and of another part of the temple we walked to.
The above image is the infamous platform. Next are pics of what my friends said is a shrine that's basically within the temple's area, but I'm not sure if it was. It's apparently the most famous shrine for good luck, though. The image below of the rock is the famous Love Rock (I think that's what it's called). Legend says if you touch the rock, close your eyes and walk in a straight line across the way and manage to touch the other rock, you'll soon find love. Somebody actually managed it while we were there. After that are more images from the shrine.
The above is basically the equivalent of a wishing well. You throw a coin into the box-looking thing and make a wish.
The below is also famous. If you drink from all 3 things of holy water (or the equivalent of holy water, I guess) and make a wish, it's supposed to come true. The line was long for that, though, so we didn't do it.
The below is also famous. If you drink from all 3 things of holy water (or the equivalent of holy water, I guess) and make a wish, it's supposed to come true. The line was long for that, though, so we didn't do it.
Sorry, I skipped a couple pics. Here's a couple more from the shrine:
The above is something you commonly seen at shrines, I think. I believe you have to buy one of those little card-like things, but then you write your wish on it and hang it on there and it's supposed to come true.
Sorry, I'm tired and have stuff to do and there's a lot more pics than I thought, though I think I'm getting close. Plus my computer's dying. So I'm going to sign off for now and edit this later. Again.
Sorry, I'm tired and have stuff to do and there's a lot more pics than I thought, though I think I'm getting close. Plus my computer's dying. So I'm going to sign off for now and edit this later. Again.
Sorry, somehow I've been pretty busy in the last week. Let's see, where did I leave off...
So after that, we made our way down, down and down, back to the street with souvenir shops. We stopped at a restaurant for udon, actually. Here's the street:
So after that, we made our way down, down and down, back to the street with souvenir shops. We stopped at a restaurant for udon, actually. Here's the street:
We then went to Yasaka shrine after another friend met up with us:
So there was a traditional Shinto wedding going on when we got there, and I think a traditional Japanese wedding of another kind had just finished in another area, too.
Then we walked a bit before finally reaching a popular shopping district thing, where I guess people my age (high school, college, etc) go to hang out. First, the below image is of the mascot of Kyoto, then of a very old and once popular street and the sign explaining it, and then a kabuki theater we passed by, and then the shopping area:
We shopped in the area in the above image for a long time, did purikura again, and I bought too much stuff. Again. I want to go back and explore some more! Oh, also, in the street of souvenirs we found a store selling a bunch of visual kei stuff, so I ended up spending a lot there, but it was worth it.
Just really quick, I wanted to discuss trains. Best thing ever. It was a bit freaky to go through a few tunnels under the mountains, though, and every time we first entered one my ears kept popping. I don't remember if I posted pictures of my station and stuff yet, so maybe in my next post I'll do that.
Well, to end the Kyoto trip part, here's a pic of some of the city
Just really quick, I wanted to discuss trains. Best thing ever. It was a bit freaky to go through a few tunnels under the mountains, though, and every time we first entered one my ears kept popping. I don't remember if I posted pictures of my station and stuff yet, so maybe in my next post I'll do that.
Well, to end the Kyoto trip part, here's a pic of some of the city
Just real quick: on the next day, Sunday, I went to Nagahama again with a small group. It was pretty fun, and we had omurice again. It was fun exploring the shops more, but I think what I liked the most was this store that was specifically for chopsticks. They were all really nice, expensive ones, and I almost caved and bought a pair. I'm kind of glad I didn't though, because this last Friday when we went to Viva City again, I bought a pair with Totoro on it! Along with new shoes and clothes...Anyway, since it's been a busy week since that day, I'm having issues remembering anything else we did there, but I think that was about it. Otherwise, this week I've been busy studying and hanging out with people and stuff.
Oh, but after getting back from Kyoto, we ended up having McDonald's. Now, I loathe fast food restaurants like that, but it was better here. Maybe only by a little, but it was. Rather, it wasn't oozing grease and actually had flavor and real, fresh lettuce and everything. It's a bit more expensive, I think, but they have real food, so it's understandable.
Well, I think that's finally it. Now to write my blog about this weekend's trip.
Oh, but after getting back from Kyoto, we ended up having McDonald's. Now, I loathe fast food restaurants like that, but it was better here. Maybe only by a little, but it was. Rather, it wasn't oozing grease and actually had flavor and real, fresh lettuce and everything. It's a bit more expensive, I think, but they have real food, so it's understandable.
Well, I think that's finally it. Now to write my blog about this weekend's trip.