11:04 The goddess of Fushimi Inari Taisha is Uka-no-mitama-no-Mikoto, the goddess of fertility. The statue of a fox displayed in front of the goddess is her messenger. In the case of food-related deities, foxes and cats, which exterminate rats, serve as messengers. e.g. In the case of Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, the god of pioneering, the messenger is either a mouse that saved him when he was almost killed by the storm god or a rabbit that he cured.
Jason, this has to be best video ever made on Kyoto. Not that Kyoto needs promoting but if anyone wants to, they can use your video because after watching this more and more loads of people would like to visit. I am dreaming about visiting Japan for long time but now i'm sure I will. I am following you since Hampi (Ind) videos and you have produced another gem. Kyoto is just beautiful. You would want to be lost on those alleyways like going back in time. That bridge across the river mesmerizing. Best wishes mate. Have a lovely rest of the trip.
渡月橋 (Togetsu-kyo Bridge) in Arashiyama: 渡月(Togetsu) means Crossing Moon in English. 渡る (To or Wataru) means to Cross. 月 (Getsu or Tsuki) means Moon. And 橋 (Kyo or Hashi) means Bridge. So, it’s means Moon Crossing Bridge. 嵐山 (Arashi-Yama) means Storm Mountain or Stormy Mountain as the same analytical style in Chinese characters witn 渡月橋 (Togetsu-kyo) respectively.
Good video and a very soothing place to visit, I guess. The strolls through the alleys, Bamboo plantations and other places should have been relaxing experience for you, i guess.
This worsened my longings back to Japan! Kyoto is lovely but Nara is my home in Japan. I’d recommend not to do just a day trip but to stay at least one night. Nara is at its best in the evening when most of the tourists are gone. I usually stay one week to one month at a time in Nara and I just love to wander the quiet streets at night.
This series from Japan has been so interesting. It is absolutely amazing to me that the Todai-Ji was built 13 centuries ago and the scale of it and intricacy of the woodwork puts it in a class of world monument that few buildings are in. It makes me wonder what those ancient people must have been thinking when they saw it for the first time.
Nice video, but it would be even better if you had shown the lesser know (to tourists) parts of the city. Kyoto has so much more to offer, but in most travel video's only a few spots are highlighted and causing those places to be overcrowded by tourists in the end. For example, everybody wants to go to Arashiyama's bamboo forest but instead the Bamboo Forest of Nishikyo-ku is also very nice, and lesser crowded (or goto Jizo-in Temple or Kyoto City Rakusai Bamboo Park) I have been a few times to Kyoto over the last 10 years, and even tho I really like the city, I am lesser inclined to visit it because of the number of tourists. Instead if you want to see Geisha's (maiko, geiko) try to visit Kanazawa instead. Lesser know city, but has a lot to offer, and lesser tourists.
I am so loving your videos. I am headed to Japan in October so these are very helpful. Excited about going to Kyoto. Question: Do you know why they not allow cameras on that street?
My guess is that too many people were taking pictures and it became overwhelming. I believe a lot of Geisha’s passed through it too, and they were also getting inundated with photos (now there’s a ban on that).
