Kyoto, Part 2: Some Prefer Nettles

Day 3: Arashiyama

On day 3 I basically followed the route I suggested in my previous post.

Walking west from Utano, it takes about 10 minutes to reach Hirosawa pond.

Panorama of Hirosawa pond.

A fishing boat moored in the pond.

A small monument by the pond-side road.

Rustic buildings dot the far shores.

A villa on the eastern shore.

It's easy to forget you're in a city.

Farms and rice paddies lay between Hirosawa and Daikakuji.

 

The pagoda at Daikakuji.

Kyoto, Part 1: The Old Capital

The night bus from Tokyo dropped me off in front of Kyoto station early in the morning. As nothing was open yet, and the city buses were not running, I explored Kyoto station. The entire station is covered by an undulating glass canopy, under which lies not only the station building but a park built on the rooftops of the station as in stair-steps its way from the ground floor to the 11th floor. There is an open viewing platform at the top with nice views of the city.

Kyoto station schematic.

When the buses started running I hopped on bus 26 to perhaps my favourite hostel in the world, the  Utano Youth Hostel in northwestern Kyoto. It's a long ride to the Utano—almost one hour—but the bus drops you off right next to the hostel and you don't have to make any transfers so it's not that bad.
Utano is the second-last stop for Bus 26, "Youth Hostel Mae." After getting off at the Youth Hostel stop, simply cross the road and walk up the street leading north; the hostel will be the first building on your left.

Front of the Utano hostel.