KYOTO: OF RED LEAVES AND GOLDEN TEMPLES (3日目)

Does this photo ring a bell? 

Fig 1. Fushimi Inari at sunset.

NO? WHAT ABOUT NOW?
It may seem familiar if we bring the sun back up.

Fig 2. Fushimi Inari before sunset.

You'd recognize it if you've watched the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. The lead actress Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) used to run through the tori's (gates) of the shrine in her childhood. This is it on the inside, right before dusk. I chose to visit here because I adore the color.. orange is my fave!

HOW ABOUT THIS? 

Fig 3. Kinkaku-ji on a cloudy day.

This is dubbed the Golden Pavillion of Japan. It's a world heritage site and I was fortunate enough to capture it with a symmetrical reflection on the water below it.

I was in town for just 8 or 9 hours and I had to meet up with my student here. I spent more than half of my time eating and talking with her. So contrary to what Kyoto is famous for, this post will not zero-in on its religious and usual tourist aspect; rather I'd like to show some of the interesting foods that I had and saw there. In no specific order, they are:

Fig 4. Tofu doughnuts at Konnamanjiya, Nishiki

Fig 5. Iidako aka baby octopii @ Nishiki.

Fig 6. Grilled Mochi @ Mochitsuki-ya, Nishiki.

Fig 7. Cakes @ Kinkaku-ji.

Fig 8. Green and Sakura Teas.

Fig 9. Matsutake mushrooms @ Nishiki,

 Fig 10. Fish eggs/roe.

Fig 11. Japanese whisky @ Nishiki.

Fig 12. Tsukemono/pickles.

Fig 13. The omnipresent Kuri (chestnut).

If I had more time, I would be running through the bamboo forest in Arashiyama, strolling down the river banks of the couples' river, taking a two hour class in Tea101 @ Ippodo, trying out Michelin restaurant after Michelin restaurant in the city, going up the Kyoto Tower and eating numerous variations of Ramen. Unfortunately, I'll need to be on a honeymoon to do all that, altogether... LOL.

Fig 14. Under a semi-canopy of red, orange and green trees in
the Fall Capital of Japan.