Osaka Marathon 2018- Post marathon @ Kyoto Day 2 (27th November 2018)

After I got back to the hotel for check in the previous day, I made a booking for the shuttle service to Kinkakuji the next day. There were 8am+ and 11am+ shuttle bus service, and the lazy me opted for the later service so that I can sleep in. Despite only getting out of the hotel late at 9am++, I was in a rush as I needed to get breakfast before boarding the shuttle service. The restaurants at Avanti were mostly not opened that early so I ended up at 7-11 again, eating some onigiris and instant miso soup for breakfast. That was still very yummy and filling so I was happy when I walked back to the hotel in time to catch the shuttle service.

The weather was quite warm this day, so I did not need to put on my down jacket for most of the day but I still had it with me in case the weather turned too cold again. I even took off my Juicy sleeved jacket while in the shuttle bus as I felt really warm. I was the only passenger on the shuttle bus for most of the journey while it made many turns around the area and stopping at various hotels. Eventually it picked up a family heading to Kyoto Station, where I started from, and I realised its a loop service.

Quite pretty autumn leaves leading to Kinkakuji

A map of the garden 

The shuttle service dropped me off at a bus stop nearest to the sight and I joined many tourists on a short walk towards the temple. The garden area was also covered by nice autumn colours so there were many people taking photographs.

Nice weather and scenery

Finally caught sight of the pavilion 

Another shot from a different angle

Grand with the perfect water reflection

After walking along with other tourists for a short while, the crowd thickened and I realised I was approaching the golden pavilion. It was indeed glowing in a very magnificent way and just watching it from the other side of the pond gave me a very zen and peaceful feeling. Unfortunately, the place was once again very crowded and unlike the sights of Hokkaido which I could admire for a long while with just a few people, there were many people this side of the pond trying to take photographs with the golden pavilion as the backdrop. I seriously doubted the photographs would turn out nice with the crowd so I was just happy admiring it from afar. The good and sunny weather made the gold leaves on the roof of the temple gleamed in brightness, so it still looked good in the photographs.. without the people.

Unique hut selling those good luck charms (omamori)

The ticket to enter Kinkakuji, very unique and traditional

Before heading to Kinkakuji, I checked out the route to my next destination Inari Fushimi and took note of the bus timetable. From my experience, Japan public buses are not frequent like public buses in SG and they strictly follow the timetable. I noticed the bus I was supposed to take made two trips every hourly and I was wondering if I could catch the 1.30pm bus so that I'll have sufficient time to check out the next place before nightfall. I thought it will be quite a rush to only have 1.5hour at Kinkakuji but I was wrong as the garden of the pavilion was overwhelming small for such a popular sight, compared to the big gardens I used to visit in Japan. Generally a tourist will only need an hour or so at Kinkakuji, unless he/she stop for sweets and tea or food.

A row of stalls selling souvenirs and stuff

Groups of high school students on a school trip

I reached the Kinkakuji bus stop around noon and was already heading out of the garden slightly after 1pm. I was quite happy with the timing as it was exactly as what I had hoped for. I waited quite a while for the bus 102 which Google map directed me to take, I'll stop at a train station and then take a train or two to get to my next destination. Unfortunately, something went wrong along the way and the bus did not take the route mapped out on Google map. I was still lucky enough to have wifi access at all times so I just alight at the bus terminal and take the train back to Kyoto Station to get on the train to Inari Fushimi.

Bus timetable at bus stop

The bus stop, nice design

I did not have a proper breakfast earlier that day, so I decided to stop for lunch at Kyoto Station since my stomach was already growling. I had ramen, rice and soba during this trip so I was craving for udon this time. I spotted this shop at the station with some locals queueing so I decided to join the queue. 

Cool vending machine and I paid with my Suica phone app

How the shop looked like from outside

Didnt know it was raw egg with beef, but I still enjoyed it

The concept of the shop was almost similar to the ramen shop I had lunch the day before, it was pretty much like a canteen concept and people were kind of like in a rush to get to places, so they quickly sit down, finish their lunch and go. I bought my meal ticket from the vending machine outside the shop and got in queue to pass the ticket to the staff behind the counter, it was self service so I waited for my udon before finding an empty seat to settle down. I ordered a standard beef with egg (raw egg?!) udon and added a tempura prawn as I was craving for it. The lunch tasted not too bad and it was hot and filling.

Inari station was just a short train ride away from Kyoto station

The station is quite simple and small but filled with tourists

The first big tori gate that greeted me