One of my most cherished memory of Kyoto is my visit to Arashiyama, in the western part of the town. It is completely different, it is like you are in a resort, in the mountains. It is a location very appreciated by the tourists, who come here in great number, attracted by the temples, the boat cruise on the River Katsura, in the Hozu Gorge, and the Romantic Sagano Train, in the same valley. I think one can spend a whole vacation in Arashiyama without to become bored.

I left Kyoto in the morning and, after aprox. 20 stations by bus, I eas there. I started my visit with the Tenryu temple, there were most tourists go. After this visit, I went through the Bamboo Grove, and started to visit smaller and less visited temples. Only few tourists were there, and all of them have been Japanese. I experimented again how great it feels to have a small temple only for yourself, and enjoyed the entire atmosphere in that enchanted part of Kyoto. It was like I was in a completely different part of Japan. It resembled more a mountain resort. Few traditional Japanese villas, temples tucked at the feet of the mountain, in the forests, mani small restaurants and souvenir shops. Wonderful!

Una din cele mai frumoase amintiri din Kyoto este pentru mine cartierul Arashiyama, cu tot ce am vizitat acolo intr-o zi. Acesta se afla in partea de vest a orasului Kyoto, pe malul raului Katsura, dar are un aer cu totul diferit de Kyoto. Asezarea sa intr-o zona impadurita, il face sa semene mai degraba cu o statiune de odihna. Este o zona mult gustata de turisti, care vin aici in numar mare, atrasi de temple dar si de plimbarile cu barca prin cheile Hozu, care au inceput sa fie vizitate inca din 1885. La acestea se adauga trenul romantic Sagano, care parcurge acelasi traseu. Cred ca s-ar putea petrece un intreg concediu in aceasta zona, fara teama ca te-ai putea plictisi!

Asadar, am plecat dimineata devreme din Kyoto, cu un autobuz si dupa aproximativ 20 de statii, am coborat. Am inceput vizita mea cu Tenryu-ji dar pana acolo am avut timp sa observ acest cartier fara case sau blocuri inalte, cu vile mici, traditionale si aer pastoral.

Dupa ce am depasit zona mai aglomerata din jurul Templului Tenryu si Padurea de bambus, am intrat pe un fel de alee din care se desprind drumurile spre majoritatea templelor. Acolo chiar ma puteam socoti intr-un fel de excursie la munte. Casele sunt mai rare, in schimb exista o multime de restaurante mici si magazine cu suveniruri de toate felurile. Eram incantata si as fi dorit sa pot sta cat mai mult acolo dar, din pacate, nu se putea. Se dovedea, inca o data, ca marile placeri sunt trecatoare…