food | Blue Lapis Road

THE BEAUTY OF CHAOS, Street Markets, Old eateries, Heritage Buildings and Calligraphy Signage of Sham Shui Po (深水埗), Kowloon (九龍), Hong Kong

Hong Kong has its charm as a vibrant metropolis and financial hub in the Far East, but it also has its issues of insanely expensive housing and tremendous gap between the rich and poor. New immigrants, elderly and young people living in bunkers about the size of coffins (known as “coffin homes”) have made the headlines in recent years while at the same time government’s land sales and housing prices have skyrocketed to record levels. Because of its concentration of inexpensive tiny bunkers and decades-old apartments, Sham Shui Po (深水埗), an old neighborhood in West Kowloon, has often been associated with issues of poverty and urban decay.

With its vibrant street markets selling everything from cheap electronics, second hand appliances, clothing, toys, and a wide range of DIY parts, from buttons and fabrics, to cables and motors, Sham Shui Po seems like one huge flea market. Beyond the chaotic appearance, however, visitors may find a special nostalgic charm in this neighborhood, with traces of the beautiful old Hong Kong that have been mercilessly replaced by cold and glassy highrises, luxurious malls, and uninspiring chain-stores throughout the city. A walk in Sham Shui Po is a diverse journey full of chaotic street markets, affordable and unpretentious food, lovely heritage buildings and much more.

Compared with many upscale residential neighbourhoods and the city’s commercial heart, the streets of the relatively less affluent Sham Shui Po are much more human and pedestrian oriented.

Sham Shui Po still has a variety of traditional businesses from Old Hong Kong, such as a high concentration of pawnshops.

Some old apartment flats in the area have been converted to subdivided rental bunkers. The worst type is called “coffin homes” due to their tiny size similar to real coffins.

Every view in Sham Shui Po seems layered, chaotic and complicated.

Quite a number of streets in Sham Shui Po are famous for street markets. Catering for different clientele, each market zone is more or less designated for a distinct type of merchandises.

Looking from above, the streets of Sham Shui Po seem like an abstract painting composed of rows of colour swatches.

While the streets are vibrant and chaotic, the rooftop level seems like a totally different world.

Ki Lung Street (基隆街) is popular with customers looking for DIY supplies for clothing, including fabrics, buttons, ribbons, trims, zippers, you name it.

Nicknamed Street of Beads, Yu Chau Street (汝州街) is another street in the area famous for DIY clothing accessories.

Known as the miniature of Sham Shui Po, Pei Ho Street (北河街) is a market street famed for its fine clothing in really affordable prices.

Another well known market street is Apliu Street (鴨寮街), a large flea market specialized in electronic parts and second-hand electronics.

There are many stalls at Apliu Street (鴨寮街) specialized in electronic repair.

Other than shopping, food lovers also have their reasons to visit Sham Shui Po for some of its more small, traditional and down-to-earth eateries that are disappearing fast in other areas of the city. Sun Heung Yeung (新香園 (堅記)) on Kweilin Street (桂林街) is one of the most popular Hong Kong style cafe in Sham Shui Po, famous for its beef and egg sandwiches.

Established in 1957, another renounced eatery in Sham Shui Po is Wai Kee Noodle Cafe (維記咖啡粉麵 ) on Fuk Wing Street (福榮街).

Wai Kee Noodle Cafe (維記咖啡粉麵 ) is famous for their beef and pork liver noddles (豬潤牛肉麵) and Coconut Jam French Toast (咖央西多士).

Kung Wo Dou Bun Chong (公和荳品廠) or Kung Wo Soybean Product Factory is another major attraction for food lovers.

With over a century of experience, Kung Wo Dou Bun Chong (公和荳品廠) sell all kinds of bean curd or tofu products.

Even the interior of Kung Wo Dou Bun Chong (公和荳品廠) is full of nostalgic ambience.

Apart from shopping and eating, Sham Shui Po is also a great place to admire Hong Kong’s old architecture. The government proposes a series of urban renewal.

Sham Shui Po still has a considerable amount of tong lau (唐樓) or old tenement buildings with a covered colonnade on street level. The ground floor was usually occupied by a small shop, such as a pawnshop or food vendor. This type of architecture once dominated much of Hong Kong before 1960’s.

The 5-storey Nam Cheong Pawn Shop at 117-125 Nam Cheong Street was built in the 1920’s. Even the iconic cantilevered pawnshop signage have becoming rarer nowadays.

58 Pei Ho Street is probably one of the most famous heritage buildings in the area. Built in 1920’s and served as a pawnshop until the 1970’s, it was then converted into a shop selling dried seafood until present days.

The curved balcony of 58 Pei Ho Street is quite unique. The amazing feature window a level above the street is such a lovely design gesture back in the old days when there was less vehicular traffic.

Old Chinese calligraphy signage can be seen all over the streets of Sham Shui Po. Before graphics design being computerized, most Chinese signage came from the hands of a professional calligrapher. Each neighborhood allowed a few calligraphers to earn a living, and each calligrapher had his/her own style. It’s the individual human touch that makes these calligraphy signage unique, especially in the age of computerization and standardization.

Built in the 1940s, Hang Jing Pawnshop is no longer in business. The colonnaded area is now used as an outdoor workshop of a nearby shop. On the columns, beautiful calligraphy of the former pawnshop is still visible.

On the concrete wall of Hang Jing Pawnshop, the old calligraphy set in the plaster represents a bygone era

April 5, 2017 | Categories: Hong Kong, Kowloon | Tags: Apliu, Apliu Street, Architecture, 福榮街, 鴨寮街, food, Fuk Wing Street, heritage, historical building, Hong Kong, Ki Lung Street, Kung Wo, Kweilin Street, market, Pei Ho Street, Sham Shui Po, street, Sun Heung Yeung, Yu Chau Street, 公和荳品廠, 北河街, 基隆街, 新香園, 桂林街, 汝州街, 深水埗, 九龍 | Leave a comment

DAY 5: FAREWELL KYOTO, Kyoto, Japan

After we came back from Fushimi Inari Taisha, we thought it would be a good idea to find a place for lunch in Downtown Kyoto. There was still a few hours before our 18:30 flight.

We opted for a revisit of Nishiki Market (錦市場), the five block long market street known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”.

For the past few days we didn’t really have a decent meal of sashimi. We ended up sitting down at a sashimi restaurant Nishiki Daimaru Yoshi (錦大丸). The restaurant was hidden behind its fishmonger shop.

At this popular restaurant, we were the first customers sitting down at the long counter in front of the food preparation area.

There was only set lunch available. We wouldn’t mind as long as the sashimi was fresh. The set included sashimi, tempura and grilled fish.

The washroom at the restaurant was small but full of character.

After lunch, we went outside of the Nishiki Market and arrived at the back side of Daimaru Department Store. There was a small vendor selling farmer’s produce. We couldn’t resist but bought a few items to bring back to Hong Kong.

Then we headed back into Nishiki Market for another stroll.

We passed by a vendor selling all kinds of traditional sweets and snacks. We picked up some regional roasted peanuts.

There were quite a few shops selling Tsukemono (漬物, Japanese pickled snacks). Many items were seasonal.

Then we passed by the chestnut shop where we bought some delicious local chestnuts before.

At the end of Nishiki Market, we arrived at the entrance of Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine, a Shinto shrine conveniently located at the heart of the downtown.

Another shop worth noting in the area was Tamaru Inbo (田丸印房), a Hanko shop, a store selling traditional stamps and seals made of wooden or stone blocks. With over a century of professional reputation, Tamaru Inbo was a great place to check out Japanese hanko.

From Shijo Dori, we walked east to the Kamo River (鴨川). We decided to walk south along the river for a final stroll along the peaceful river.

The weather was perfect for a relaxing stroll.

Like us, many preferred to take the route along the river instead of the city streets.

We passed by many restaurants facing the river. Hopefully next time we would be able to enjoy a meal at one of the many waterfront dining patios during the summer months.

We left the riverbank when we reached Gojo Dori Street. We decided to get a good cup of coffee before leaving for the airport.

We landed on a cafe called Efish just south of Gojo Dori, at Kiya-machi Dori, a small neighborhood street sandwiched between the Kamo River and Takase River (高瀬川). Unlike several blocks up north where Kiya-machi Dori represented the vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene of the city, here the narrow street became a laid-back neighborhood alley.

Efish is great for its relaxing atmosphere by the river. Other than refreshing food and drinks, Efish also showcased cool design housewares inside the cafe.

On our way from Efish to Kyoto Station, we walked past Umeyu Rakuen (サウナの梅湯), a retro 80-year old bathhouse. In 2015, 25 year-old Yusuke Minato, a long-time devotee to traditional bathhouses, took over the declining bathhouse and transformed it into a hip venue to promote traditional bathing, as well as occasional gigs and flea market. We didn’t have time for a soak and would have to save it till next time.

After another few minutes of walk we could see Kyoto Tower from a distance. A big crow on the treetop over our head was making loud noises, as if yelling out our parting wishes with the ancient capital.

Minutes later we reached the futuristic Kyoto Station once again. We took the escalators down to the basement to pick up our backpacks at the lockers and hop on a Haruka Express for the Kansai Airport. As the train leaving the station, we were already planning for a return trip sometime in the near future. Kyoto was and always will be the perfect venue for us to dwell in the power of heritage, nature, and spirituality whenever we were overwhelmed by the dull and routine work lives.

This concludes the record of our 5-day Kyoto trip in December 2016.

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March 12, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: サウナの梅湯, cafe, chestnut, 田丸印房, Efish, 錦市場, 高瀬川, 鴨川, food, Japan, Kamo, Kyoto, market, Nishiki, pickle, sashimi, Shrine, station, Takase, tamaru Inbo, tsukemono, Umeyu Rakuen, 京都, 漬物 | Leave a comment

DAY 4: RAMEN & CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, Kyoto (京都), Japan

It was already past 7pm when our Kintetsu express train arrived at Kyoto Station from Nara. We decided to check out the Kyoto Ramen Koji (Kyoto Ramen Street) on the 10th floor of the station for a quick dinner. We took the escalators up to the famous Daikaidan (Grand Staircase). The Daikaidan stretched from 4th floor all the way up to the sky garden on the 15th floor. Architect Hiroshi Hara specifically provided a stage on the 4th floor, while the staircase would become an enormous amphitheater. There was no performance when we were there. Instead, the stage was occupied by a large Christmas Tree. The lights changed colours according to the background music.

The big Christmas Tree occupied the open space on the 4th floor.

From the Christmas Tree we walked up the Daikaidan (Grand Staircase) to the 10th floor for our ramen dinner.

There was a strip of LED lights at the nosing of each step. The lights changed colours constantly.

With the LED lights on each step, the entire staircase became a giant screen of festive animations.

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We entered the building on the 10th floor, and could immediately smell the pork ramen and feel the warmth of the atmosphere. Here at Kyoto Ramen Koji (Kyoto Ramen Street), there were about ten different ramen restaurants, representing the ramen style from different parts of Japan. We ended up picking Masutani (ますたに), a Kyoto based ramen restaurant established since 1948.

We queued in front of the restaurant for about 20 minutes and then ordered our ramen from the machine by the entrance.

Once inside, we handed the tickets to the staff and sat down by a wooden counter.

After several minutes, our hot and delicious ramen arrived, a perfect answer for the chilly night!

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After the tasty ramen, we didn’t want to go back to the hotel yet. In front of Kyoto Station, we hopped on a night bus bounded westwards. Our destination was the ROHM Illumination Festival 2016. With 800,000 light bulbs lighting up 82 trees along Kasuga Dori, ROHM Illumination is the biggest annual Christmas lighting event in Kyoto since 1995. ROHM, a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer based in Kyoto sponsored the event annually to light up the immediate area of its office in town. The light show was smaller than similar events in other large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, it did however transform a tranquil neighborhood into a romantic, glittering and festive promenade of lights.

The entrance of Kasuga Dori was guarded by the two Yamamomo Trees (Chinese bayberry) covered with dazzling lights.

The Yamamomo Trees were round in shape, perfect for turning into spheres of lights.

Kasuga Dori was lined both sides with 20 metasequoias, all dressed up with tiny light bulbs to create the luminous promenade.

With the lighting, the yellow crowns of the metasequoias appeared as if on fire.

Two types of light bulbs were used, small LED and twinkling incandescent lights.

The lights transformed the small Nagura Park into a romantic public venue.

Families and kids were having fun in Nagura Park.

Under different music, the LED balls on the ground and the 13.5m (h) by 9m LED screen made use the lawn next to the Nagura Park to put together the “Ensemble of Light”.

Kids had a good time at the playground and the light show.

Antique cars somehow blended in well with the ambience of the light festival.

At 9:30pm, we turned back to the entrance of Kasuga Dori and had a final look at the two for the trip’s last day.

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March 2, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: ますたに, bulb, Christmas, daikaidan, Ensemble of Light, Festival, food, Hiroshi Hara, illumination, Japan, Kasuga, Kasuga Dori, Koji, Kyoto, Kyoto Ramen Koji, lights, Masutani, noodles, railway, ramen, ROHM, station, Yamamomo, 拉麺小路, 京都 | Leave a comment

DAY 3: MORNING IN NORTHERN HIGASHIYAMA (北東山), Kyoto (京都), Japan

On Day 3 we decided to dedicate the morning to visit Northern Higashiyama (北東山). The area was less crowded than the Southern Higashiyama (area around Kiyomizu-dera) but still contained some of the most impressive temples in the city, including Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺) and Ginkakuji Temple (銀閣寺). We had a simple breakfast at Le Bac a Sable, a small French bakery near Higashiyama Metro Station. Run by two Frenchmen, the bakery was cozy and causal, and offered good bread and coffee. After breakfast, we took bus no.5 to head northeast. The bus drove by National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Kyoto City Zoo, and Okazaki Park, where a large torii gate led to the Heian Shrine beyond. We got off at Shirakawa Dori (白川通), and found our way into a network of residential streets heading towards Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺), the most important Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto. The peaceful street scenery of grey roof tiles, dew-wet timber panels, moss covered stone walls and autumn red maples under the early morning sunlight was impeccable. We couldn’t ask for more for a perfect start of the day.

Breakfast at Le Bac a Sable, a simple French bakery near Higashiyama Metro Station.

We waited for the bus no.5 at the peaceful Sanjo Dori.

We got off at Shirakawa Dori (白川通), and crossed the road into a network of small residential streets.

The air was fresh and the sunlight was soft at around 8:00am.

A alleyway leading into the neighborhood of Nanzenji Temple.

A cyclist under the soft morning sun.

The residential streets near Nanzenji Temple was so serene. All we could hear was the sound of singing birds and running water from the channels along the edge.

Red maples matched perfectly well with the timber sidings.

Moss-covered stone and white wash wall of one of the large residential complex.

Channel brought the fresh water down from the Eastern Mountains.

Signage for the north gate of Nanzenji Temple and Philosopher’s Path beyond as we approached the temple complex.

We passed by the entrance of Jishin-in Temple (慈氏院 ) just before entering Nanzenji.

The woodland near the entrance of Nanzenji Temple.

Path leading to the main entrance of Nanzenji Temple.

The trees were still wet from the morning dew.

The autumn colours at the entrance of Nanzenji.

A natural carpet of red leaves at Nanzenji Temple.

The Sammon Gate (三門) of Nanzenji Temple leading into the temple ground.

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January 31, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: breakfast, 白川通, food, Higashiyama, Japan, Kyoto, Le Bac a Sable, Nanzenji, Shirakawa Dori, Temple, 南禅寺, 東山, 京都 | Leave a comment

DAY 2: YAKITORI HITOMI (炭焼創彩鳥家人見), Kyoto (京都), Japan

Recommended by a number of blogs and international media such as the New York Times, Yakitori Hitomi (炭焼創彩鳥家人見) has been named as the best restaurant in Kyoto for Yakitori (焼き鳥) or Japanese skewered chicken. We made a reservation through the phone about a week prior to our departure. Fortunately, we managed to communicate with the staff over the phone with simple English and managed to secure a table for 20:30 on our second day of the trip. Many said that bookings should be made weeks well in advance for this highly popular and intimate restaurant on Nijo Dori at a quiet residential neighborhood in Higashiyama. It was a 15 minute walk to Yakitori Hitomi from our hotel. We borrowed an umbrella from the hotel as it was still raining.

Nijo Dori was quiet and there were hardly anyone on the street. We arrived at Yakitori Hitomi right on time, and were received with a warm welcome by the staff. The master chef/owner recognized us right away as he was the one whom we spoke to on the phone. He talked with us for a bit and told us that he had been to Hong Kong more than two decades ago. We sat by the counter facing the semi-open kitchen. We were given English menu, and a diagram of a chicken indicating different parts available, from neck to heart to bottom. We ordered sake, plum wine, and a variety of chicken skewers, local duck fillets, chicken soup, vegetable sticks, etc. The master chef/owner was the only person who worked at the binchotan (備長炭) or traditional Japanese white charcoal grill. We sat patiently to wait for each delicious skewer to be served one by one. The two-hour meal was definitely the best Japanese yakitori we ever had, and on top of that, the wonderful staff service and cozy atmosphere all made it a remarkable experience for our Kyoto stay.

The secluded front door and street facade of Yakitori Hitomi.

We sat at the timber counter facing the semi-open kitchen.

The restaurant interior was cozy and simple.

Japanese menu of Yakitori Hitomi.

Diagram showed the various parts of chicken available.

Sake and salt.

Chicken knee cartilage.

Tsukune or Japanese chicken meatball.

Sasami or chicken breast tender.

Seseri, or chicken neck.

Local chicken wings.

Japanese pickles, and momo or thigh meat.

Chicken soup.

A type of Japanese yam.

Vegetable sticks with master chef/owner in the background.

Complimentary dish and plum wine.

Thigh meat.

Kyoto duck fillets.

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January 29, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: Binchotan, charcoal, chicken, 炭焼創彩鳥家, 焼き鳥, food, grill, Higashiyama, Hitomi, Japan, Kyoto, Nijo Dori, restaurant, skewer, yakitori, 備長炭, 京都, 人見 | Leave a comment

DAY 2: KIYOMIZU DERA to KENNINJI, Kyoto (京都), Japan

Leaving Kiyomizu-dera behind, we walked down Matsubara Dori (松原通) to the intersection of Gojo-zaka (五条坂), where we were drawn by a small shop selling different senbei (煎餅), or Japanese rice crackers snacks. The shop Terakoya Honpo (寺子屋本舗) is a well known chain store of senbei in Japan. We couldn’t resist but picked up a piece of delicious senbei with seaweed spices. Turning into Sannen-zaka (三年坂), we found our way back to Yasaka Dori (八坂通), the historical alleyway dominated by the iconic Yasaka-no-to Pagoda of Hokanji Temple (法観寺八坂の塔). A number of locals and tourists dressed in traditional kimonos were posing for photos in front of the pagoda. A strong coffee aroma led us to a few shops down from the pagoda. The sleek design of curved glazing and minimal decor of %Arabica Coffee provided a pleasant contrast to the historical atmosphere of Higashiyama. We went in, ordered two cups of hand drip coffee, and sat down at the communal table. A female staff took our order and prepared the coffee at the counter. After about ten minutes, our magnificent morning coffee were ready, and that was probably one of the best coffees we ever had.

Just round the street corner from %Arabica along Higashioji Dori (東大路通), we arrived at a alleyway leading to the Shinto shrine Yasui Konpiragu (安井金比羅宮). Nothing monumental or extravagant, the low profile shrine in a residential neighborhood was surprisingly popular with local worshipers due to the specialized wishes of “sever bad relationships and established good relationships (悪縁を切り良縁を結ぶ). In the shrine complex, the centre piece “Power Stone Monument” is a 3m x 1.5m tall rock with an oval hole in the middle. The monument is fully covered with white paper charms. When we were there, there was a long queue of visitors (mostly young women) waiting for their turns to crawl through the oval hole in a ritual of making wishes related to relationships. The main shrine building stood adjacent to the “Power Stone Monument”. In front of the main shrine, racks fully loaded with ema (絵馬) wooden plaques and paper charms written with wishes captured our attention. Judging from the amount of ema, Yasui Konpiragu should be considered a very popular Shinto shrine. We exited the shrine complex through a side torii gateway into a residential lane, and soon found ourselves just steps away from the perimeter wall of Kenninji Temple (建仁寺). Before entering this oldest Zen temple in Kyoto, we stopped by a soba restaurant next to the temple entrance for a quick lunch.

Outside of Kiyomizu-dera, visitors including us began to walk down Matsubara Dori (松原通) towards the city.

Senbei, Japanese rice crackers, with seaweed spices ordered from Terakoya Honpo (寺子屋本舗), a chain snack shop.

On Yasaka Dori (八坂通), there were quite people dressed in traditional kimono and posed for photos.

A grapefruit tree below the Yasaka-no-to Pagoda of Hokanji Temple (法観寺八坂の塔).

Near Yasaka-no-to Pagoda, we passed by Yasaka Koshindo (八坂庚申堂), a small Koshin (庚申) temple.

Walking down Yasaka Dori looking for %Arabica Coffee. Whenever we turned around the Yasaka-no-to Pagoda just dominated the vista.

Three customers sat on a bench in front of %Arabica Coffee Shop.

Front counter of %Arabica Coffee Shop in Higashiyama.

Coffee beans stored behind glass cabinets against the long wall in the coffee shop.

Coffee roasting machine at the back of the shop.

Two cups of Hand drip coffee!

A long queue for the opportunity to crawl through the hole of “Power Stone Monument” at Yasui Konpiragu (安井金比羅宮).

A young woman crawling through the “Power Stone Monument”.

A young woman worshiping at the main shrine.

A rack fully filled with ema (絵馬) wooden plaques

The Side Entrance and torii gate of Yasui Konpiragu (安井金比羅宮).

soba restaurant.

Interior of the soba restaurant.

Soba with tempura

Soba with fresh tofu skin in thick broth

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January 18, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: Arabica, cafe, coffee, 絵馬, ema, food, Higashiyama, Hokanji, Japan, Kenninji, Kiyomizu dera, Kyoto, noodles, soba, Terakoya, torii, Yasaka, Yasaka Dori, Yasui Konpiragu, zen, 八坂の塔, 八坂通, 安井金比羅宮, 寺子屋本舗, 建仁寺, 東山, 法観寺, 京都 | Leave a comment

DAY 1: NIGHT AT KIYOMIZU-DERA (清水寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan

As first time visitors to Kyoto, we were eager to see the autumn colours at the world famous Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺), especially when we knew that the iconic Kiyomizu Stage (清水の舞台) would undergo a major renovation starting from January 2017. It was the second last day of the season that Kiyomizu-dera opened for autumn special night viewing, and according to local weather forecast, Kyoto’s weather would turn bad in a day’s time. Without hesitation we hopped on a bus near Kitano Tenmangu and headed back to Higashiyama. We had some rest on the 45-minute bus ride. After getting off, we picked one alleyway to walk uphill. Soon we arrived at the magnificent Hokanji Yasaka Pagoda (法観寺八坂の塔). As we walked uphill, we felt like we were pilgrims going back in time, entering into a world of narrow stone alleyways, centuries-old timber houses and Buddhist buildings. Along the way, most shops were already closed, but a few souvenir and snack shops still opened to serve the night visitors of Kiyomizu-dera. Over our heads, we soon discovered a strong beam of blue light in the sky, pointing from Mount Otowa (音羽山) where the temple was situated, outwards to the infinite sky above the city. According to the official website, the light embodies the Kannon (観音)’s compassion, brightening the streets of the ancient city. For us, it was like a guidance leading us uphill. It get more crowded as we walked closer to the temple. Minutes later we arrived at the stepped plaza of Niomon Gate (仁王門). In front of the famous Saimon Gate (西門), we lined up to get our admission tickets from a temporary shelter and delightfully walked up the stair to enter the temple complex.

The autumn foliage at Kiyomizu-dera had past its peak a few days ago. Nonetheless, all visitors including us were excited to tour around the celebrated complex under the illuminations of floodlights and embellishment of the remaining autumn maples. At the main hall, we took off our shoes, paid our respect in front of the sanctuary, and admired the illuminated autumn colours down in the valley below Kiyomizu Stage. Standing 13m above the valley, the Kiyomizu Stage (清水の舞台) had been the centerpiece of the temple for centuries. Without using a single nail, the Kiyomizu Stage is made of 410 Hinoki wooden boards supported by 18 Zelkova pillars using the hole and grooves technique known as the Kakezukuri Method. From the stage, a stone path led us to the opposite side of the valley, where a large crowd gathered in front of Okunoin Hall (奥の院) looking back to admire the main hall and Kiyomizu Stage. Perched above the fire red maples, the huge roof of the main hall made of Hinoki bark and the lattice structure of Kiyomizu Stage looked gorgeously timeless, while the comet-like beam of blue light connected the temple with the glittering urban skyline beyond. The path overlooking the valley of colourful leaves then led us further away from the main hall until reaching the base of the small pagoda where we headed down to the valley. In the valley, a tree-lined path brought us all the way back to the bottom of the Kiyomizu Stage, where the adjacent Otowa waterfall (音羽の瀧) came down in three separated streams. Another crowd of visitors formed a long queue at the waterfall, waiting for their turn to drink the water with the special cup provided. As we headed to the temple exit, we passed by a mirror-like pond with magnificent reflections of autumn leaves and the orange Three-storey Pagoda above the cliff.

We were overjoyed for having such a fruitful day of sightseeing. To give this beautiful day a satisfying closure we opted for a late dinner. We walked downhill from Kiyomizu-dera, passed through Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社), and entered the lively district of Gion (祇園), the active area of traditional geisha. We picked Okaru (おかる), a small udon restaurant popular with geiko since established in 1923. We ordered two of their signature noodle bowls and felt truly grateful of finishing our wonderful first day of Kyoto.

Passing by the Hokanji Yasaka Pagoda (法観寺八坂の塔) as we headed up to Kiyomizu-dera.

Minutes later we arrived at the stepped plaza of Niomon Gate (仁王門).

In front of the famous Saimon Gate (西門), we lined up to get our admission tickets from a temporary shelter, while the beam of blue light shot up the sky behind the temple.

Stone statue in front of the Three-storey Pagoda.

Looking back out to the Three-storey Pagoda behind entering the main hall.

Visitors stepping into the timber structure of the main hall.

Inside the main hall, the sanctuary is consisted of three sections: outer, inner, and innermost. Only the outer sanctuary is open to the public.

Visitors gathered on the Kiyomizu Stage photographing the skyline of Kyoto.

The strong beam of blue light shot out from Mount Otowa behind the temple.

Behind the Kiyomizu Stage, a prominent stair led down to the Otowa waterfall.

Iconic overview of Kiyomizu Stage, main hall, autumn maples, blue light and Kyoto skyline.

The beam of blue light pointed towards Kyoto Tower in a distance.

The stair adjacent to the timber structure of the Kiyomizu Stage.

The amazing structure of Kiyomizu Stage lit up with floodlight.

Lanterns indicating special night viewing, which happens three times a year: cherry season in spring, three days of Thousand-day Pilgrimage/Special Viewing of nainaijin in the Main Hall in the summer, and the maple colours in autumn.