Kyoto travel: Fushimi, Arashiyama & Nara

My itinerary for the day was:

1. Fushimi Inari

2. Arashiyama

3. Nara

4. Tsujiri and Nishiki

5. Back to Tokyo and ready for departure

Since this is going to be my last travel fay in Japan, I packed my bag, check out from the hostel early in the morning and put my bag to the coin locker at the station (medium bag 500yen, only 100 yen could be used). Then I am free from my bag.

It was summer and I didn't want to be in Fushimi inari and Arashiyama packed with people, so I intended to go very early. From J Hopper's hostel I went at 7 .30 am, put my bag and arrived at Inari at 8 am. Take a picture of the vermillion gates is a must, I particullarly like senbon torii, one thousand red gates. I think that is the best spot to take picture. Since it was very early in the morning, not many people had come (yay). 

It was just 8 am but since it was Kyoto summer, its already hit 37 C. I was all sweaty, and I tried to hike the mountain. Alas, I should have come earlier to hike the mountain. So halfway I got down and head to the JR inari station (if you use JR pass from Kyoto station/Tofukuji, its free since it was coveted by JR pass. But be careful to take the local JR Nara line not the rapid one). 

From JR inari, back to Kyoto station, I took JR Sennin line towards Sonobe from platform 32/33 (its on different platform with other kyoto line) its a bit far. Stopped at Saga arashiyama station.

From there you can take the romantic train towards Kameoka, the station is next to JR Saga Arashiyama but the ticket is 620 yen and its like once per hour so I don't think its worthy if you want to go to Arashiyama only. Anyway since I got lost last night, I went with Toroko Arashiyama romantic train (its an old train solely purposed for sightseeing). 

I got to Arashiyama at 10 so there were a lot of people already. 

Since both inari and arashiyama are free and open for 24 hours, I suggest you to come early and take nice picture with less competition lol. 

Then at 12 I headed to Nara. If you have JR pass, then use Miyakoji special rapid train which only take 45 minutes rather than use local train bound to Nara which will take 75 minutes. Its on the same platform, 8,9,10 at Kyoto station all bound to Nara. Miyakoji special rapid train departs every 30 minutes, start at 9.09 and etc.

Then I arrived at Nara at around 1.15 pm,  then go down the stairs and head to the bus stop. Nara is a tourist city, so there is a sightseeing bus, and every bus should have stopped at least to one famous spot. Get a map from information center. Ask for Chizu or map at the information center. Anyway, take the bus stop no. 2, bus number 2, 70, 72, 97 will stop at Nara's top attraction: Deer park/Nara park, Toudaiji.

Recommended path: stop at N-4 Kencho-mae, then look at the deer and head to Koufukuji temple, where it has the 5 story pagoda, the highest in Nara, then walk to the Nara museum or cross the street to arrived at Toudaiji (500yen), the temple to the left of Toudaiji was also beautiful but idk why there is no one there, lol then end up at Kasuga shrine and go down and wait for the bus no 70 or 97 to get back to Nara station.  If you have time, then try visit Horyuji temple ( a nice obaasan told me).

Koufukuji 5 story pagoda

Toudaiji gate (from mononoke!)

The great Buddha in Toudaiji main hall

Kasuga Shrine

Tsujiri's matcha

Then head back to Tokyo for tomorrows departure back to my country. I took the shinkansen back to Tokyo and stayed at my friend's apartment. 

Kyoto souvenier suggestion:

Tsujiri matcha

Kyoto warabimochi