Kyoto, Day 2

origamiunicorn ♦ August 2, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

Slow day

I was feeling a little under the weather today. The oppressive heat plus still not being caught up on sleep plus walking miles each day had me feeling tired and achy. I took my time in the morning before getting out and about.

I went for breakfast at a small coffee shop. I had a toast set that included cabbage salad and potato salad. It was an odd combination but quite delicious. From there I wandered around, doing some shopping and people watching. I felt like I was starting to wilt from the heat so I went back to the inn to relax.

I rested in the sitting room, edited photos and worked on my blog for the day before. The other innkeeper, Shu, came in to chat and showed me a flower arrangement he had done. He is an ikebana instructor and offers workshops daily. If I had been a little more energetic I would have loved to try one. The simplicity of the arrangement captured my eye and enjoyed looking at it. I wanted to try sketching it but my energy level was very low. Eventually I went back to my room to rest for a couple of hours.

Fushimi Inari

The rest & relaxation paid off because I was able to muster the energy to go out again after sunset. I was anxious to see the Fushimi Inari shrine and I had heard that after dark was the best time: the Torii gates are lit up, there are fewer tourists, and the temperature is a little cooler.

The walk to the train was about 20 minutes and then there was a short train ride to Fushimi Inari. The signs were easy to follow and I started through the first Torii gate.

The total hike is roughly 2 hours and I had no intention of doing the whole thing that late in the evening. I decided to hike for about 45 minutes and then head back down. The path is a combination of stairs and paved slopes. There are sections dense with Torii gates and then some areas surrounded by trees and small shrines. The trail has a few larger shrines where you can stop and rest.

The hike plus the heat and humidity had me drenched in sweat almost immediately. My legs were burning through some of the steeper areas and I stopped frequently to drink water. That late in the day, the tourists were scattered so I walked for some stretches without seeing anyone. There were warning signs about wild boar, which are very common in the mountain areas.

Walking out from the Torii gates into a quiet wooded part of the path, I heard rustling in the trees. As I approached I heard a pig-squeal and branches cracking. I could see the small round body of what I assume was a boar disappearing in the woods. It startled me, but apparently I scared it as well! Inoshishi is the Japanese word for wild boar.

I hiked up to trail intersection where there was a water barrel to wash hands and mouth before proceeding up to the next shrine. I stopped there and washed my hands following the instructions, careful not to touch the ladle. I hiked a little further to a clearing with a spectacular view and then decided it was a good time to head down.