Trip Report *COMPLETED* I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river, and I'm almost there!

Introduction

We've only been back from Japan since Saturday night but I am just itching to get started on this report! We had an absolutely AMAZING trip and I'm not ready to let it go, and writing my TR is one way for me to delay the inevitable return back to "the real world." This was the longest vacation I've ever taken, and like any long trip-or any new experience, for that matter-there were ups and downs, good moments and not-so-good moments. There were mistakes, mishaps, mountains, and monkeys. Yes, monkeys! There were surprises and there was DRAMMA!* There were things we will do differently next time we visit Japan, and believe me, we knew less than halfway through the trip that there WILL be a next time someday!

In case you missed the PTR, here it is: Bee's Big Birthday! There you can read about the cast, the general plans, and the reasons for planning this particular trip.

Now about the title: It's a reference to this song from The Princess and the Frog:

​

I have been kind of obsessed with this song lately and I found myself singing it in my head repeatedly during the trip. You'll see why soon!

So, if you're ready for a journey halfway around the world, thousands of photos, and Double Disney bookends, keep reading!

EDIT: The Tokyo Disney stuff starts here.

*I've mentioned it in previous TRs, but I like to spell "dramma" the Italian way because I'm an opera singer and what's more DRAMMAtic than Italian opera?? So please don't think I'm an idiot (for that reason anyway )!

 

[bee]

Day 7: Sunday, December 23

Japan is 14 hours ahead of the US East Coast. That means that when we woke up at 6am on Sunday, it was only 4pm on Saturday back home. In other words, it was still my birthday I was still celebrating!

Today began with more instant coffee and 7-Eleven breakfast.

These are pancakes that M had and I tried. They were (again) surprisingly good!

We made our way to Kyoto Station and tried really hard to remember exactly how we had gotten in so we could remember how to get out!

We took the Nara line and got off at Inari Station. Today's plan: see the Fushimi Inari shrine (home of 10000 torii gates) and climb Mt. Inari. Here is a little article about the shrine: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html

And we encountered our first torii gate of many:

Up next: More gates!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

Looking down

If you don't see many people in these photos, it's partly because it was early and there weren't many, and partly because I waited until people were out of the way before taking many of these.

Up next: The climb begins!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

Soon after arriving we began the climb up Mt. Inari.

Up next: The climb continues!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

The climb started pretty easily and alternated between steps and ramps.

At first I thought this was a real animal but it's not!

KITTYYYYY

Up next: We make more friends!

 

[amjt660]

Boo!!

Max

 

[dizfan917]

I think I would have tried to count the arches... did you?!

 

[bee]

Boo!!
View attachment 347970

Max

Lol

I think I would have tried to count the arches... did you?!

No but there are over 10000! And there will be MANY more to come!!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

We continued climbing...

OH HELLO!!!

This little tortie girl was SO SWEET! That's me petting her.

And that's M. Her beloved Frisky was a fluffy tortie, so M has a special love for all torties.

We stopped at a vending machine.

More kitties!

Yin and yang!

Watch out for boars!

We arrived at the point with the best views of the city!

We sat and rested for awhile here. J had to take a work call and the rest of us were pretty tired so we didn't mind stopping for a bit.

Up next: Are we there yet???

 

[DisSplash]

Once again, I am loving these photos and a chance to tag along! Japan has always been on my husbands bucket list (he’s a Godzilla geek - a card carrying G-fan) and It is now officially on mine!

I am also seeing a trend here, and propose a backup trip title: “Climb Every Mountain, on your way to Disney Sea.” (I crack myself up)

Did you even know that there were so many mountains to climb?

 

[Rista1313]

I spy a Hunny Pot!

Every time you show a kitty... I melt a little more!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

We kept on...you guessed it...CLIMBING!

WE MADE IT TO THE TOP!!

For whatever reason I didn't get a photo of the sign that said we were at the top...but we made it!

There was a big shrine (or maybe several shrines?) at the top. We spent some time enjoying our accomplishment.

This wasn't the way back down...it was a path to see some more torii gates that lead to a dead end. We opted NOT to go this way as we didn't want to go down only to have to come back up!!

Wait...that's not Japanese!

Up next: The climb DOWN continues...

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

We climbed down and down...

Along the way there were small shops and, of course, vending machines. We stopped at a shop so M could buy a prayer for one of her colleagues who has had some health problems over the past year. You were supposed to buy the mini torii gate, then write the person's name phonetically using katakana, and leave it at the shrine.

As we continued, we had to go UP to go DOWN...

Get ready @Rista1313!

There was a store near the bottom where you could buy pictures of the cats who leave here. The proceeds go to feeding and taking care of the cats.

Up next: ALMOST THERE, and ATTACK OF THE HANGER!!!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

Though the ascent up the mountain was long, the descent somehow felt LONGER.

As we neared the bottom, I started feeling super hungry and weak. I said I was fine but M insisted I eat a protein bar. Spoiler alert: she was right. I instantly felt 1000% better after.

This shrine had sculptures of the twelve Chinese/Eastern horoscope animals. I had to find my dragon...

Hiding, but there she is!

We boarded a train and soon we were back at Kyoto Station. Once again I had found a vegetarian restaurant on Google and everyone agreed to try it. We managed to emerge from the station on the correct side and had a great view of Kyoto Tower:

We followed Google Maps directions in search of the restaurant...but the map only lead us to a residential area with no restaurant in sight!!!

Feeling hangry and tired and frustrated, I suggested we just give up and go back to the station to find lunch.

Up next: EVERYONE IS HANGRY!

 

[bee]

Once again, I am loving these photos and a chance to tag along! Japan has always been on my husbands bucket list (he’s a Godzilla geek - a card carrying G-fan) and It is now officially on mine!

I am also seeing a trend here, and propose a backup trip title: “Climb Every Mountain, on your way to Disney Sea.” (I crack myself up)

Did you even know that there were so many mountains to climb?

Love the alternate title! No, I had no idea!

I spy a Hunny Pot!

Every time you show a kitty... I melt a little more!

There will be more!

 

[Rista1313]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

That black one looks like my outdoor cat buddy. Same clipped ear, which means they have been fixed.

 

[dizfan917]

Do you know the significance of the fabric around all the statuary animals' necks? Holiday decor? I think it's interesting.

Whoops looks like one arch down, so I guess it's only 9,999? I swear I'd still be counting them!! I wonder if I have a problem?

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

So, once again, we found ourselves lost and confused and unable to find the veggie restaurant we were looking for! I was feeling ready to give up...on lunch, on Japan, on life, maybe...

But M spotted this (NOT in the place Google said it would be!):

COULD IT BE?? And they were OPEN!!!

So, we FINALLY found the restaurant, and got inside, and all the tables were full!

BUT WAIT...in the back there were low tables for sitting on the floor and eating! I was so happy to just be inside and sitting down that I didn't mind sitting on the floor! (I did hear salty remarks from S about both sitting on the floor and how she would need to buy some bacon later to make up for this vegan meal...but I can forgive and forget since we were all hangry by this point.)

Today's menu:

We were supposed to order at the cash register and not at the table. M confirmed that everything was indeed vegan and we placed our orders.

It was fairly dark inside so the lighting in these pictures isn't very appetizing, but everything was SO. GOOD. Even the meat eaters agreed!

M's curry plate

My hamburg steak set

This was one of our favorite meals of the trip, despite the circumstances leading up to it. J got the Christmas plate and even he said it was one of the best meals he had in Kyoto.

We left and headed back toward the hostel.

We decided to try going under and through the station again, via an underground mall.

But first, we needed to stop for ice cream, OBVIOUSLY.

Matcha ice cream!

This time, we managed to escape from the mall and the station without too many extra twists and turns!

This building was on our way back. I don't think the sign says exaaaaactly what you want it to say...

Hello again!!

Up next: More Christmas!

 

[bee]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

That black one looks like my outdoor cat buddy. Same clipped ear, which means they have been fixed.

View attachment 348095

AWWWW he is precious!!!

Do you know the significance of the fabric around all the statuary animals' necks? Holiday decor? I think it's interesting.

Whoops looks like one arch down, so I guess it's only 9,999? I swear I'd still be counting them!! I wonder if I have a problem?

I had to look this up! Red is associated with fertility and sustaining life, and Inari is the goddess of rice. The foxes guard the shrines, so if they are wearing red it will help to have a bountiful rice harvest (that is my over-simplified version anyway).

I hope you climb Mt. Inari one day and count the torii gates!!

 

[bee]

Day 7, cont.

After some rest time in the room we took a train from the subway station closest to us (not Kyoto Station) with the goal of visiting the Nishiki Market, an open air shopping district. We got off the train and walked along a busy street before arriving.

Here we are!

Once we got in it was SUPER cramped and smelled like fish because it mostly WAS fish.

We all agreed that a few minutes were plenty and moved on!

Our next destination was Gion, Kyoto's geisha district.

We crossed another river to get there...

This is a Kabuki theater!

On our way to Gion...

At this point I was not feeling well again. I don't know if it was all the mountain climbing, or something leftover from my first day sickness, or what. My tummy was not happy and even though I continued on with the group I felt like I might have a big problem at any moment.

Up next: Will we make it to the geisha district? Will I throw up in the street???

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Day 7, cont.

After some rest time in the room we took a train from the subway station closest to us (not Kyoto Station) with the goal of visiting the Nishiki Market, an open air shopping district. We got off the train and walked along a busy street before arriving.

Here we are!

Once we got in it was SUPER cramped and smelled like fish because it mostly WAS fish.

We all agreed that a few minutes were plenty and moved on!

Our next destination was Gion, Kyoto's geisha district.

We crossed another river to get there...

This is a Kabuki theater!

On our way to Gion...

At this point I was not feeling well again. I don't know if it was all the mountain climbing, or something leftover from my first day sickness, or what. My tummy was not happy and even though I continued on with the group I felt like I might have a big problem at any moment.

Up next: Will we make it to the geisha district? Will I throw up in the street???

Loving all the pictures, especially the cats.

What was the vegan burger made of?
Hoping you didn't get ill.