Tales from the Old Capital - Kyoto

Waraku-an is located off Heian Shrine in eastern Kyoto. About a 5-minute (or less) walk from Kumano-jinja mae bus station, Waraku-an is quietly nestled in between shops and cafés.

The inn was remodeled from an old Japanese-style house, and although dimly lit, its rustic, almost Zen-like atmosphere gives it its charm. The dormitory is tatami-styled, separated by genders, and fitted with about five futons. Although there is a enough space in between the futons to lay your backpacks down, there is little privacy left as the room is small and little space is left for walking when all five futons are laid out. There is a second floor reserved for larger parties, also tatami-style.

Because the inn is old, the sliding doors make too much noise, you can hear people laughing and talking from the thin walls, and the creaking floor-boards mean that everyone will know when you are going to the restroom. The positive side to it is that is inexpensive, is run by a nice French-man, and is a delight when hanging out in its tiny garden and living room. Plus, it has 24-hour Internet connection, no curfew, has an inexpensive café/bar, and just a stone-throw's away from a supermarket.

I would recommend Waraku-an for its charm and convenience, and for bigger parties. And if you are traveling alone, don't mind the occasional noise, and enjoy the Zen-like and rustic interior design, then go for this inn.

Three Sister's Inn is currently run by the Yamada sisters, and this ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) has been in the family for 14 generations. The 11pm curfew usually discourages younger travelers from staying at this Japanese-style B&B. However, the friendly sisters and the overall cleanliness of the place makes up for it. The ryokan is located off the Kumano-jinja mae bus station. Walk for about 10-15 minutes into the neighborhood and you'll find the inn. It is close to the Heian-shrine, but still a couple of minutes walk.

The rooms are moderately priced, and I would recommend this for bigger parties and for families. The rooms are tatami-styled, equipped with an a/c - heater, a yukata (Japanese robe), towel, water pitcher, and sightseeing information. Even though the inn looks old and the rooms are not the newest, the tranquility and safety is more than adequate. You are also offered a complimentary Continental breakfast, and if you like, you can also order additional meals from their menu at an extra charge.

There are no dormitory-styled rooms, but again, if you are traveling with another person and don't really mind the curfew, then it would come out cheaper. The second floor has a small sitting area, hot water and tea bags, and sweets are laid out for whenever you need to unwind.

I particularly love the sister's friendliness. They make every effort to make your stay a memorable one. They can speak and understand English well, and often offer maps and sightseeing advice. It is a couple of minutes walk away from the main road and the convenient store, but I love the fact that the ryokan is family-oriented, comfortable, and safe. Some rooms do not come with bathrooms, so you would have to use the showers downstairs (there are only bathrooms on the second floor). It can be an inconvenience for some, but the showers are spotlessly clean.


It made a difference to me that the sisters went out on a limb to offer me traveling advice, tell me stories about Kyoto, and make my stay pleasurable. I'd definitely stay here again.

Ryoanji Temple lies in the north-western region of Tokyo (in Ukyo-ku), somewhat removed from the central Kyoto area. The most convenient way to get to the temple is by bus, with the bus stop just a couple of feets away from the temple entrance. It can be hard to miss since there is an unassuming and small rock path leading into Ryoanji's main gate. Ryoanji Temple is famous for its simple Zen-inspired rock garden. The garden is housed within "Kuri", the temple's main building. The small rectangular garden consists of only 15 rocks laid out on patch of symmetrically-raked gravel (no trees, no plants). It does not live-up to its hype upon first glance because the garden is just about 20 meters long. But as you sit there and try to wonder why the rocks were placed in such a way, you start realizing the peacefulness that surrounds the temple.

This Zen garden is simple, almost barren, but the longer you sit and the longer you stare, the more you will feel relaxed and refreshed. Walk around the main building to the back and you will see a simple stone basin with water trickling into it, and with the Japanese inscription "I learn only to be contented". The basin is surrounded by trees and a small water pond, and again, nothing ornate but very simple and peaceful. Walk around the grounds of Ryoanji and you will enjoy the temple's peacefulness.

The tree-surrounded gravel trail within the temple will lead you into smaller temple structures, a pagoda, and smaller tree and flower gardens (especially beautiful during spring-time when all the cherry and peach blossoms are blooming). There is also a lily-pad pond with occasional sightings of ducks. The temple and its grounds can be walked at a leisurely pace at about 1 to 1.5 hours. I suggest getting there when it opens (8/8:30am) so you can avoid the crowds and enjoy the garden and temple's Zen-inspired environment.

Nijo-jo (jo=Castle) was built during the 17th century by the ruling shogun (warlord) Tokugawa Ieyasu. Although the seat of the government was located in Edo (present-day Tokyo), Kyoto still remained the old capital where the powerless Imperial family lived. Nijo-jo was extravagantly built in Kyoto in a deliberate attempt to remind the Imperial family of the shogun's power and influence. I covered the grounds of Nijo-jo in about 3 hours. Nijo-jo is comprised of two separate palaces (Ninomaru and Honmaru) and their respective palace gardens, as well as other smaller gardens that are enclosed within the outer moat of the palace grounds.

Ninomaru Palace is the only original structure that dates back to the Edo period. Honmaru Palace was destroyed during a great fire back in 1750 and in 1788, and the current Honmaru structure was moved from the Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds between 1893 to 1894. Honmaru Palace is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and it is only open during special viewing dates. The castle's main attraction is Ninomaru Palace, built by Tokugawa Ieyasu and a designated national treasure. The palace contains 33 different rooms that are linked by countless corridors and sliding doors. The highlight of Ninomaru Palace are its intricate wall-paintings. Each room in the palace served for a specifically-ranked purpose (so the samurai, ministers, ranked officials, and the shogun conducted businesses in their respective rooms). The wall paintings in each room have different motifs (tigers, peacocks, pine trees, blossoms), in many ways representing the use and the ranking of each room. Aside from the wall paintings, the ceiling panels are also different for each palace section, depicting subtle details that helped separate the rooms.

The attention to detail is not only confined to ceiling panels wall paintings. Book-shelf doors were also delicately painted on both sides. There are also countless wooden carvings above the wall paintings that deserve attention. The palace gardens are less impressive, but nevertheless, it is a peaceful stroll. When walking away from Ninomaru Palace's garden, you will enter the Honmaru palace grounds, which is surrounded by another moat. Along its garden trail, you can climb an elevated platform on the western side to get a nice look of the surrounding moat and of Ninomaru Palace.