Capricciosa

Capricciosa sign, courtesy of Hey Ladies!

Capricciosa is a chain Italian restaurant found all over Japan. Don't be fooled by its chain status- it actually serves up tasty family style food with great service in all of its locations. Everyone I have ever brought here to eat (including my mother, brother, aunt and best friend) have all loved it and wanted to come back to it ASAP. One trip we ended up eating here every day! They gave us a "membership card" that gave us 10% off at their location which made it a great economical choice where everyone could order something they liked.

Rice Croquette in tomato sauce. This is an appetizer, folks!

My favorite Capricciosa location is in the OPA building in downtown Kyoto. Located at the major crossroad of Shijo and Kawaramachi, the building is located on the northwest side of the intersection (across the street from the Takashimaya Department Store). The restaurant is on the 4th floor of the building, right by the elevators. Not all of the elevators stop at the 4th floor for some weird reason. I usually take the wheelchair access one (bad, I know!) because it will stop on 4.

My menu recommendations: Sicilian-style Rice Croquette (appetizer), Pumpkin Gnocchi and Sausage in Tomato Cream Sauce (smaller entree), Spaghetti with Crab Meat in Tomato Cream Sauce (larger entree), Penne Arrabbiata (larger entree) and Lasagna Gratin Capricciosa-style (smaller entree).

Pumpkin Gnocchi, my favorite.

The pizzas are decent, and the calzones look HUGE but are actually mostly puffed up with air. Garlic bread isn't really worth it you get such a small piece, but maybe I am too used to the US where they bring you a basket. There is also a risotto I heard was good. They used to serve squid ink pasta, but I don't see it on the menu these days. If you do have the chance to order it, it tastes like buttery, fishy pasta, and will turn your mouth and tongue black!

Crab Pasta, courtesy of Hey Ladies!

One of my favorite parts of the meal at Capricciosa is the after-dinner drink service. Your waiter will ask you whether you prefer coffee or tea, hot or cold and bring you your selection. It's not a huge cup, just a nice refresher after your meal. You'll have time to kick back and chat with friends, and it doesn't feel like they are rushing you out of the restaurant.

Risotto, courtesy of Hey Ladies!

 Bon Appetit!

Sanjusangendo

Sanjusangendo is probably my favorite temple in Kyoto. Most tourist guides urge you to go to the Golden or Silver Pavilions, but I say Sanjusangendo is far more worth your time.


To get there it's easiest to take the Keihan train line to its Shichijo stop. It's 150 yen from either the Sanjo or Gion-Shijo stations. You want to use Exit 2 from the station. It will bring you up on a corner of an intersection right across from the Kamo River. Walk up Shichijo St. east, away from the river. You will come to Sanjusangendo in about 3 blocks. You will see the wall around the grounds first- keep walking, the entrance is on the next corner!

The longest wooden building in Japan, stuffed with AMAZING.

It costs 600 yen to get in, and you get a short pamphlet that will give you the pertinent information on the temple, including how it used to be an imperial residence. You need to take your shoes off before you go in- one time I was here they made us carry our shoes through with us in a bag (lame), but last time they were back to letting you leave your shoes on shelves. It might depend on how busy they are and if there is a large tour group coming through, but no worries- your shoes are perfectly safe when you leave them behind.

So much better than carrying them.

Once you move into the main part of the building, no photography is allowed, and there are plenty of signs to tell you this. There is incense burning and you really feel like this is a holy spot. The 1001 statues of Kannon, bodhisattva of mercy are lined up in rows down the length of the building. There are so many statues that all look similar, but they say that you can find one that looks like you, so that's what many visitors are looking for while they are there.

In the center of the temple is the main image (the 1001st), which is larger and different than the other statues. There are many prayer candles and booklets you can buy there. Since this is my favorite temple, I bought a cool portable paper shrine that unfolds and has the prayer written on it (only 2000 yen!). You can also buy offerings to leave. There is a monk on duty, but they don't usually speak much English.


In front of all the Kannon statues are 28 statues of the Guardians of the Buddha. These are some of my favorite statues in the building- I can spend over 30 minutes just looking at the detail on them. On some of the statues you can still see traces of painted designs. Since they are in front they are much easier to see, and each one has a description posted to tell you about who they are. The defenders are a pretty varied group of deities- they include the famous Raijin and Fujin, lightning and wind gods, but my favorite is this guy:

 He's got a beak, but somehow he's playing the flute (and tapping time)! Last time I was there, a teenage girl asked her father, "If he doesn't have lips, how can he play the flute?" I was standing nearby and cut in, "That's what I want to know!!" Her dad tried whistling without pursing his lips for a few minutes, but in the end it was decided that it must be a "God-thing".

After you see all the statues you round a corner and walk back up the back side of the hall. This area is a museum with information on how the hall was built. There is also a display on the Toshiya, an archery tournament held every year at Sanjusangendo.

You loop back through to the gift shop and your shoes. I would recommend spending a little time on the grounds. They are not especially spectacular but are very pleasant on a nice day!

Across the street from Sanjusangendo is the Kyoto National Museum if you are up for more fabulous artwork. On the way back to the Keihan you will pass a curry shop called "Curry House Coco Ichibanya". Although it's a chain, it's very cheap and delicious! I make a point of stopping here after a trip to Sanjusangendo to recharge. Mmmm, curry!

Shichijo St. curry - a nice pick me up!

Thus ends our tour of Sanjusangendo, my favorite temple in the city!

Tofu Donuts

OM NOM NOM

 One of my favorite snacks back when I was in college was Tofu Donuts from the shop "Konnamonjya". Light, fluffy and sold by the dozen, these tasty treats are an inexpensive and authentic Kyoto experience. Buying them also takes you through Kyoto's Nishiki Market, also known as the "kitchen of Kyoto", where many fresh ingredients and local delicacies are on sale. You start your trip on one of Kyoto's largest shopping arcades, Shinkyogoku.

Shinkyogoku- Empty because it's 8 AM

Shinkyogoku runs parallel to Teramachi St., the other large shopping arcade downtown. Starting at the Shijo St. end of Shinkyogoku (cross street will be Shijo/ Shinkyogoku) walk up the shopping arcade. You're starting at the very beginning of the arcade, so there's only one direction to go. You'll pass one of my favorite shops on the street, The Mighty Soxer (yep, they sell socks).

Walk about one block and you will come to a shrine on your right. This is Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine.

Lanterns in the entryway

Fun things to do at Nishiki Tenmangu include:

*Get your fortune from the automated dragon-dancer machine. While drum music plays, the mechanical dragon dances, picks your fortune and bows.
*Check out the amazing flower arrangements placed around the shrine.
*Rub the head of the large cow statue. This is supposed to make you smarter!
*If you have a water bottle, fill it at the shrine well. This well is very famous and there are almost always people stocking up on its water, filling tons of bottles and containers.

                                                                                                              

Leave the shrine and go straight on the street that crosses the shopping arcades (Shinkyogoku and Teramachi). Once you pass both streets you will find yourself in Nishiki Market.

Nishiki Market may be known as the kitchen of Kyoto, but food isn't the only thing you will find sold there. A mix of souvenir clothing, practical household goods and freshly-made local specialties, Nishiki can be almost overwhelming, so take your time. You might get a chance to watch mochi being made, or get a chance to sample some interesting foods, like these boiled eggs stuck on tiny octopi:

 

Keep walking- "Konnamonjya" will be on your left, 6 intersections after you leave the shrine. The front of the shop sells Tofu, but the donut stand opens on the side street. They're pretty small, so they are sold y the dozen, 300 yen a pop. Don't worry, yo won't have any trouble finishing them off. Enjoy!

Mt. Kurama, Part 3

Once you reach Kurama Temple the area opens up a lot. There are benches to rest on and a small area with picnic tables. The temple is associated with the zodiac year of the Tiger, so there are statues of tigers on the premises and all amulets you buy will have tigers on them. There is stone triangle in front of the temple that is a "power spot" associated with the practice of reiki. I didn't know that at the time, but stood on it anyways- every little bit helps, right?

A roof at Kurama Temple

There is also a museum on the temple grounds, with an extra charge to get in. I didn't see this, but if you are interested in statuary it might be worth your time. Mostly I spent my time enjoying the beautiful weather and fabulous view. You are above it all up in the mountains!

From the temple you follow a steeper set of stairs up to the path to Kibune. This portion of the walk is truly a trail, with lots of roots and stones to watch out for. It isn't that bad since you are almost near the top- most of the uphill was just getting to the temple. Sights to see along the way include Kinone Michi, the path of roots, an area where the roots of trees have spread and joined across the forest floor. I was interested in seeing the measuring stone where it's said that Minamoto Yoshitsune measured his height while training with the tengu.

There are several small shrines and temples along the way down the mountain. They are great stops to rest, look around and enjoy the forest. You will know you have reached Kibune when you come out of the forest at a red bridge, crossing the river.

Another mountain shot, because being there rocked!

To get to the Kibuneguchi Station turn left on the road and walk 2km. Before you do, visit Kibune Shrine. They have one of a kind fortunes that are blank until you soak them in the shrine's spring.

Starting at Kurama vs. Starting at Kibune

Most guides will advise you to get off the train at Kibuneguchi, walk up the road to Kibune and start the hike from there. I think this approach might be best in the summer, when the shops in Kibune are serving lunch on platforms over the stream running through town, and it's a nice cool break after your walk from the station. Starting from Kibune also means you are all ready to hit the Kurama onsen (hot springs) when you finish your hike there.

Starting in Kurama means you are right at the trailhead when you get off the train. This is the ideal plan for anyone who only plans on seeing Kurama Temple and not hiking over the whole mountain. You can even hit the hot springs on your return. If you do plan on hiking the whole trail, when you arrive in Kibune depending on the time of year there may or may not be many restaurant and entertainment options. When I went it was very cold in Kibune, though I warmed up on my walk (nice and downhill) to Kibuneguchi station.

Ending Tips for a Trip to Kurama:
- Wear layers of clothes. In the mountains it can go from hot to cold very quickly.

- Bring something to drink and a snack. There's nowhere to get anything once you start up the mountain.

-Bring your camera to capture the beautiful scenery!

-Interact with other hikers. Most people are friendly and willing to try and talk even if you don't speak Japanese.

-Take into account whether you will be hitting the Kurama hot springs at the end of your hike and plan from there.

Mt. Kurama, Part 2

Road to the gate.

The road to the trail and temple is pretty obvious- you turn left out of the parking lot and about a block away you will see the large gate where they charge admission. Lining the road to the gate are a few touristy shops. I was a little surprised how few of them there were, but I recommend stopping by to pick up a drink and snack- once you get up on the trail there isn't really anywhere to purchase food.

Average section of stairs and road on the path.

It costs 200 yen to enter the mountain and temple area. They give you a very useful map, and walking sticks are available for free if you want to take one along for steeper parts of the hike. At this point you can decide to walk or take a cable car (100 yen) to the temple. I HIGHLY recommend walking, unless you have a physical limitation that will prevent you. The trail to the temple is more of a road, and the switchbacks make it a fairly easy walk. Also, if you take the cable car you will miss Yuki Jinja, the shrine where the Fire Festival is staged.

Yuki Shrine

Yuki Jinja is a few minutes up the path from the gate. There are some steep steps to get inside, but it's a nice place to take a breather and bond with your fellow hikers.

Steps up into the shrine.

When I was there I bought a "tengu fortune" which consisted of a bell shaped like a tengu head with a fortune rolled up in the back. The older ladies at the shrine all asked what my fortune was and then we speculated over what certains part could mean- especially the love section! Mine read: "You will meet someone good, but it will be dangerous". All the ladies were wondering, "Good but dangerous?" "Maybe it's a 'bad boy'?"

Tree with shimenawa

Yuki Jinja also contains a beautiful cedar tree with a shimenawa around it. Coming out of the shrine I stopped by a pond with a dragon statue (and offerings of sake) to take some pics. As I headed up the road I heard screaming coming towards me! I couldn't see what it was, but suddenly a large group of kindergarteners came running down the road, hurtling past me. I continued up the road until I reached the temple...

 

Born to be wild.

Some other pictures from this part of the trail:

Mt. Kurama, Part 1

I'd been to Kurama for the famous Fire Festival, but I'd never been up on the mountain before. Since it was a beautiful day to get out of the city I decided to give it a try.




Sanjo Keihan Station & BOOK OFF!


To get to Kurama I took the Keihan Line from the Sanjo Station to Demachiyanagi (210 yen). At Demachiyanagi I used Exit 5 to leave the underground Keihan Station and crossed the street to the above-ground Eizan Railway Station. From the Eizan Station it was 410 yen for a ticket to Kurama.

The Eizan is fun to ride since it's a bit of a throwback, Instead of electronic tickets at smaller stations you just take a paper slip noting what stop you boarded at, then hand it to a conductor along with the fare on your way out. Since it's an older train line there are also less cars in the train- 3 versus the 5 or 6 cars of a JR or Keihan lines.

I got off at the Kurama stop which is the end of the line. Many people and guidebooks recommend doing the hike the opposite direction, starting at Kibune which means getting off at the stop before Kurama, Kibuneguchi. I think both routes have their merits- more on this topic later.

Giant Tengu head greets you

When you get off the train there are a few huge statues of tengu faces in the parking lot. Tengu are a sort of youkai , a spirit or monster. They are mostly famous for having long red noses, so I have a lot of fellow feeling for them. The wikipedia article has a pretty comprehensive roundup on them, but in addition they have been popularized lately in several shoujo manga as romantic heroes (Love Monster and Black Bird come to mind). I wonder if this means the ever-changing public image of tengu will eventually make them like the sexy vampires that are ubiquitous in the US!