Himeji: Castle and Garden

Himeji Castle

My last visit to Kyoto, I had wanted to visit Himeji Castle, one of the oldest surviving castles in Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  But it was closed for renovation and major repairs, so it was not an option then.  But the castle has since been reopened to visitors and so naturally became one of the "must do" items for this visit.  

The town of Himeji is about an hour's journey from Osaka (train from Osaka station). We realised after looking at the fares that this was indeed one of those few occasions when it was worthwhile to purchase the one-day JR pass.  But it's only valid for JR, so other journeys still have to be paid for.  Since we were staying in the Dotonburi area, we had to find our way to Osaka station - easier said than done, given the numerous private railways, and the subway lines which intersect with the JR lines.  Maybe if we didn't want to "maximise" the use of our one day pass it would have been easier.... a lesson for another time...

Anyway, after adding another hour to our travel journey (to get to Osaka station), the train ride to Himeji was uneventful. Once there, it was clear that we didn't need a map to figure out how to get to the castle - it dominates the town, and the road from the railway station leads you right to the base of the castle grounds.

Himeji castle is a majestic, yet extraordinarily graceful building.  It's apparently supposed to resemble a white heron - and I suppose the wings of the building, beside the towering main keep, the white of the walls and the tiers of the roofs do support the idea of a bird in flight.   Yet, this beautiful and elegant building was very much a functional castle - built to be defended on top of a hill, with small windows piercing its sturdy walls to allow defenders to shoot cannon and arrows down on potential invaders.  A comprehensive description of Himeji Castle's history is here.  More about Japanese castles is here.

The castle is organised in several sections, with an outermost moat just in front of the castle wall.

The sturdy walls of the castle

 Once past the main gate, you enter the large open grounds right in front of the castle - a great photo opp - and walk all the way to the next section, just beyond the ticketing counters.  Here, things start to get more serious.  Internal walkways are much narrower and wind around the hill.  The sturdy walls enclose the last section, containing another courtyard and the castle well.  We went next into the keep, and climbed all the way up to the top where we admired the glorious 360 view of the castle grounds, and the Himeji region around that.  I could almost imagine myself a castle guard looking out for the enemy hundreds of years ago!

I have to say that whilst there were notices and placards here and there giving more information on the building (and also a little pamphlet) there could perhaps be more done to excite visitors about the Japan of that era.  There were not that many exhibits in the first place, and the ones which really caught my eye were the model of Himeji and the surrounding country side and the scale model done to aid an earlier restoration.  There was also a Himeji Castle app but it wasn't available in the Singapore app store and having to figure out how to switch to the Japanese store, then find the app, etc etc was just too much bother.  Which was a pity, because it was a real opportunity to learn more about Medieval Japan.

We followed our visit to Himeji with a a visit to the Koko-en Garden, just next to it.  Once part of the castle, the garden is now a separate attraction in itself.  Actually it is not one garden but nine  - each with their own name such as the Garden of Bamboo, the Garden of Flowers, etc.

Garden of the Lord's House, with Himeji Castle 

One of the most impressive gardens was the Garden of the Lord's House.  You enter via a long wooden corridor, over a pond.  On your left is a little cascade, trickling down from the rocks.  But on the right - a waterfall greets you, with its waters pouring into a large pond, with a quiet garden beyond that.  The leaves were gorgeous, glowing red. Himeji Castle rises in the background.  Indeed, a fitting sight for the lord of the manor!

My other favourite was the Garden of Summer Trees.  Indeed, it should be called the Garden of Autumn Foliage instead.  It is a smaller, more intimate garden than that of the Lord's House, meant for private pleasure rather than public show.  I could see myself sitting in the small shelter, reading a book and enjoying the brightly coloured leaves.

Garden of Summer Trees

We left Koko-en as the sun was setting, which meant also that we could watch as the skies around Himeji Castle darkened around the illuminated castle.

Where Kyoto is a city of temples, Himeji indeed stands out as a reminder of Medieval Japan.

Himeji at dusk

More photos on my Flickr album.

Going Local: Holiday Apartment Living

What we did quite differently this trip to Japan was to try some apartment living (interspersed by a night in a ryokan).  This was prompted partly by the high hotel rates (thanks to the autumn leaves) and partly because they are so much more spacious than the tiny hotel rooms you get in Japan!

Home away from home

In Kyoto, we stayed in a small house in the Gion neighbourhood (the quieter, southern part of Gion) with a sitting/dining/kitchenette area downstairs and two bedrooms (one western style i.e. With beds and one Japanese style ie with futons!) upstairs.  It is not a traditional machiya but it is a snug cosy place (thanks to the gas heater) and we liked it very much.  It is not that easy to find, being at the end of a small alleyway tucked in between two buildings on the main road.  But thanks to the excellent directions given, we were able to find it.    Our "travel angel" let us into the house - we were so early getting there that the house was still being cleaned from the last tenant (cleaner is an elderly Japanese man), so he first proceeded to give us a little tour of the area, and showed us where the local supermarket was, and gave us little tips about the eateries around us.

We took one of his suggestions later that evening, and went to eat at the local Okonomiyaki restaurant around the corner.  The shop was a one-woman-operation.  She was a bit abrupt but then we didn't speak the language.  Tried to order the grilled tofu the guy next to us was having but she pulled out her English menu and got us to order from it.  Looks as though she has her own way of dealing with the foreign tourists who turn up, as opposed to her "regulars".  Halfway through our meal a Malaysian couple arrived.  We were able to guide them through the ordering process.  And also to explain what "Okonomiyaki" was. (They were hoping for teppanyaki, I can tell).

A tea house or ochaya near our house

Another night, we wanted to have dinner at a restaurant near our place.  We wandered around the area but must have made a wrong turn, as the street we ended up in was a row of tea houses or ochaya - the sort where the geisha entertain in!  We heard music and clapping coming from one teahouse, and some samisen music from another.  Admission, clearly, was by invitation only.  We finally found the row of restaurants, but one was closing (at 8pm!) and the other was selling hamburger..... so we picked up dinner at the supermarket and went back to our little home away from home and ate it off our breakfast bar.  How pleasant it was to be able to kick off one's shoes and rest on our comfy low sofa and table, before eating sashimi and potato croquets.  We finished our meal with the persimmons and sweet pancakes we bought from the stalls at the subway station.

In Osaka, we had an apartment also but quite clearly we were only supposed to sleep there and not

My bed, and bed companion

Much more.  The entrance lobby opens up on one side into the laundry area and shower, and on the other side into the room for the WC.  Another door leads you to the main apartment, which is divided by Japanese-style screen walls into a main kitchen-cum-sleeping area, another sleeping area and a third Japanese style room with futons stacked up on the side.  So this little apartment, with one shower and one WC, can sleep SEVEN people in total!  Dormitory style accommodation indeed.  (Our Kyoto apartment at most can host four).   There was no eating area per se, you are not really meant to sit and eat in the apartment unless in the Japanese room where there was a low coffee table.  It was not as clean as our Kyoto residence and the kitchen was not as well equipped.  But it was nice and roomy, and I really liked the company of the Snoopy stuffed toy.  

There are, I realised, a few things to look out for when renting apartments in Japan.  First, the standard rule where it comes to properties - location, location, location.  Where exactly do you want to stay?  Near lots of eateries, shopping, or in a quiet neighbourhood where you can feel like a local?  Do you intend to make lots of day trips, in which case being next to the station could be very useful and important to get that early start to the day?  

Second, check on how the house is furnished and equipped.  Does it have wifi, for example, or a washing machine?  Another tip, relevant perhaps especially for Japan - to check on the type of beds.  In particular, if the apartment has western style beds or Japanese futons.  Futons are all very well for a single night but for multiple nights, give me a proper bed!  

Third, whether you want to be met or not.  Both our apartments were accessed off a small little alleyway (not a side road, an alleyway) and you can't take for granted that the directions given are correct.  So it is very reassuring to have a person to call in case of need.  It was also good for someone to tell us how to use the equipment, advise on when and where to dispose of rubbish and so on.  For example our Kyoto travel angel told us which rubbish bag was for our glass/plastic/ aluminium containers and which was for the other items.  And if there is, say, defective equipment, it can be rectified quickly or at least it is quite clear that you didn't break it.

One last point.  We went through a company, Japan Experience (google "Japan Experience Kyoto holiday apartment" and you should be able to find it) for our Kyoto apartment and for Osaka, got the booking off Agoda, where it was rented by an individual.  May be better to deal with a company, just for the more consistent service and better backup it provides.

Anyway, the more I travel around the Japan, the more I realise how convenient everything is and how easy it is to get around even for a foreigner who doesn't speak the language.  And that from a complaint-prone Singaporean, is saying something indeed!

More photos on this trip (in general) can be found on my Flickr album.

Nara: Oh Deer Me!

Isuien Garden

Nara is one of Japan's ancient capitals, situated about 45min train journey from Kyoto.  Whilst many people do it as a day trip from Kyoto, we spent the night there, and travelled on to Osaka the next day.  With about 24 hours in Nara, we didn't have much time.  So since autumn leaves were the focus of our trip, we decided to spend the time at the famous gardens and parks of Nara.

Yoshikien Garden - Pond Garden

Japanese gardens are in themselves, an art form - carefully designed, beautifully executed, meticulously maintained. It is another way the Japanese express their love and appreciation of nature, flowers, and scenery.  Indeed, I really felt that the visits to the garden really refreshed the soul and delighted the eye.  The gardens are designed so that every step presents a different view and every turn surprises the visitor.  More about Japanese gardens and the different elements in the gardens can be found here and here and here.

We were indeed privileged to visit two very famous gardens in Nara, the Yoshikien and Isuien Gardens.  The Isuien Garden dates from the 17th Century and is famous for its use of shakkei, or "borrowed scenery".  Both gardens have ponds, and the pond in the second garden is supposed to be in the shape of the Japanese/Chinese word for water or "shui" (in Chinese).  But I couldn't quite make it out.

The Yoshikien Garden is just next to the Isuien and is made up of three gardens - the Pond Garden in front, then the Moss Garden and lastly the Flower Garden.  A small hill by the Pond is topped by a pagoda, with a charming view of the water and the tea house by the water.  Another tea house looks out into the Moss Garden - which was surrounded by the russet and red of the maple trees.  Sadly, there were not many flowers in bloom this time of year but nonetheless the Flower Garden was a charming spot, with a dry rocky river, a pavilion and more autumn foliage surrounding it.  I can just imagine how lovely it must be in spring or summer, with the flowers all in bloom.

After our stroll around the gardens, we went back to our ryokan.  We stayed in Nara Hakushikaso,

Kaiseki

which is really close to the Kintetsu Railway Station and also a short walk from both the gardens and Nara Park just beyond it (in fact the gardens are on the perimeter of the park).  We had to clean up and get dressed in our yukata (an informal kimono) in readiness for our yummy kaiseki dinner.  The dinner was served in our room - you can see from the photo our sashimi, soup, hotpot, tempura, pickles, chicken cooking on a hot plate, each with their own dipping sauce (or seasoning) as appropriate.

After dinner, one of the staff came in to lay out our futon beds.  I have to admit that it was quite comfortable and I woke up feeling refreshed.

Deer are everywhere

On our second day in Nara, we decided to walk around Nara Park.  Many of the important temples and shrines are actually in the regions of the Park and so it is well worth spending an entire day there, if you have the time, visiting the temples and wandering around the park.  We contented ourselves with walking around the park, looking at the imposing temples and of course, meeting the deer!

Indeed, it is not possible to avoid the deer, even if you wanted to.  They are everywhere!  But it is also important to remember that these are semi-wild deer and hence their behaviour can be unpredictable.  We saw a notice at the park warning us to be careful and there is also a video online for visitors to the park, advising visitors to only feed the deer the specially made deer crackers, being careful around them, etc.  I should admit that we did not bother buying deer crackers but saw many people with crackers not being able to "escape" from the deer who kept on following them for more. Later on, we also saw a deer trying to get the crackers directly from "source", ie one of the street vendors selling the crackers...  .... that's one smart deer.

Bridal Couple (and deer)

But in general, we really had a lovely time in the park, just walking around, watching the people interacting with the deer, against this gorgeous background of the park and also some of the nicest foliage we have seen thus far, over a little stream. (Note: parts of the park are best seen during cherry blossom period, whilst other portions have maples planted and these look best in fall.  So not all the leaves on all the trees are red).  

My dear father, when I showed him my photos, said that the scenery was so beautiful, it made fools of photographers.  i.e., any fool can take a great photo.  But I have to say that it was really such a beautiful place that it is no wonder we saw at least three wedding couples taking their bridal shots in the park.  Of course the deer became part of the bridal party.

So, it was a short stay in Nara but looking back, I will always remember it as a really special moment in our holiday.

As a;ways, more photos here