Part I - The Bamboo Forest: We arrived in Arashiyama fairly early, I believe somewhere around 7:45 a.m., after grabbing a quick bite to eat at Starbucks (they didn't open until 7 a.m.). With our walking maps in hand, we quickly navigated the winding streets that were filled with residential housing and just a few shops, to find our way into the Bamboo Forest. Along our path we did come across some interesting decor at a few houses, one of which a cute kitty ornament hanging in someones potted plant, just had to get a picture of it.
After a 15 minute or so walk from the train station, we were inside the Bamboo Forest. As promised from the online research done, it was an amazing 30 minute walk through a forest of bamboo (as the name might suggest?). It was still considered early morning for Japan, so the only people to "disturb" our quiet walk were workers that were either harvesting bamboo or tending to graves that were located off of the walking path. Like many area's in Japan, there were still vehicles driving down paths that would be deemed only for walking in the States. 
Getting used to vehicles in narrow places by this point, they didn't really bother us, much more captivating was the sound of the bamboo, as they clanged against each other in the morning wind. With the thick coverage of bamboo overhead, it sheltered us from most of the rain, so it actually turned out to be a much more pleasant walk then expected. Most of the bamboo grew to an amazing height, the width around was also much larger then bamboo I have seen in the States, two hands put together would still not fully wrap around one stalk. In middle of the forest, we also came across what turned out to be a famous shrine, mentioned and filmed in stories such as The Tale of Genji and The Romance of the Twelve Kingdoms, it was another nice surprise.
After exploring the Shrine and taking some very nice photo's of the area, we continued our walk. It wasn't long before we reached the end of the forest. Once out, we started coming across signs occasionally pointing us in the direction we wished to go, towards the Togetsukyo Bridge. With some exploring we end up walking down some steep and loose rock stairs in order to walk along the river path paralleling Arashiyama Mountain and up to the bridge. Passing by the fishing docks and tourist boats (they were just waiting for customers), if the weather had been nicer, I would have loved to take one. The casual stroll probably took another hour on top of the walk through the Bamboo Forest. The bridge was not nearly as cool looking as I had expected, kind of average actually, but the dam running under it and the scenery surrounding us was some of the best of the trip. As you can see in this picture, more of the cherry blossom trees were starting to bloom. Once across the bridge, we're nearing 10am and with all of the walking done the previous days, I was about spent and not planning on joining Donnie on the trek up the mountain in order to get to the Monkey Park.
Part II - Monkey Park: After stopping in a few shops briefly (mainly to warm up, there was a stiff breeze crossing the bridge) we follow the signs leading us a short ways up to the monkey park entrance. On the sign located at the base of three flight of stairs, it stated they were closed due to the bad weather. Disappointed, Donnie still wanted to go up the stairs and see as much as we could. Once up there (I figured I could do at least that much) there was yet another little shrine, a cool well with a dragon ornament and of course the admission gate to the monkey park. Donnie ended up asking the lady there about the monkey's, of which she replied feeding time was at 10:30 a.m., so it seemed they were actually open! Once again the excitement rushed over her face, quickly purchasing a ticket and attempting to drag us along. Before I knew it, we were all climbing the mountain to get to the Monkey Park...
You literally have to climb up a mountain to reach the observatory on the peak. It took about 20 minutes for us to make it along the mainly dirt paths leading upwards. Along the way you had warnings such as "don't stare them in the eye", "don't stop", "don't take pictures" and "don't bend over", the last one seemed much scarier to me then the other warnings. About half-way through the climb, we start seeing some monkey's. Just hanging out on the sides of the trail, they blended in well so you actually wouldn't notice them unless you were looking carefully, there were others in the trees off in the distance as well. After the difficult journey, again I was still tired from the previous days, we made it to the top. There were many more there, as you could imagine. We head inside the "cage" (also known as the observatory) in order to feed them a bit before the time when the keepers did the larger feeding. During this time we became aquainted with the one being called "Chibi-chan" since we was the smallest around, along with the other monkey's waiting for food to be handed to them. Distracting the other monkey's first, we were able to feed Chibi-chan. Out of the things we were able to buy to feed them, he would only take the apples. Just so cute... and I don't even like monkey's.
10:30 a.m. rolled around pretty quickly and it was feeding time. It was hilarious watching most of the monkey's around (they hand 100 or so) come in for food. The days weather wasn't the greatest as they were wet and cold instead of fluffy and energentic, but once again, this made for a much quieter time for us. There were only two other people in the observatory (besides the three workers) and they both seemed like the more serious observers and not your average tourist, so that was nice. After snapping a few more pictures and sort of taking a look at the view, it wasn't nearly as great as it should have been because of the weather, we start the climb back down. Overall the monkey park was a surprising experience. I don't like monkey's and thought I would hate it, but even after the hike, I look back and think it was one of the most fun times we had in Japan. Of course, this was also because Donnie was squealing like a 6 year-old the entire time, it was pretty entertaining.Part III - Kyoto Gosho: Being rushed out of Arashiyama all too soon, we were only able to get in a minor amount of shopping before heading back to Kyoto. We had an English tour through the Imperial Palace scheduled for 2 p.m. with everyone and by this time is was nearing 12 p.m., with the travel time included we were able to get through about three shops in 30 minutes before moving on to get back to Kyoto in time. The shops in Arashiyama were very interesting and had some of the most "typical" Japanese items that we would see on the trip, all for fair prices for the most part too. I wish we could have spent more time there.
Once back in Kyoto we were able to grab a quick bite while running through the station, thanks to the Onigiri and Bento being sold in little shops on the side that you can grab and go. We make it to the gate indicated on our tour print-out and proceed to try and locate Brandon and Jason. After some pacing around and waiting (turns out they went around the opposite way?) we join up and head inside to the designated start of the tour. After a short while, we're ushered into a small building with about 100 other tourists, most of them European, and are shown a video (in English) of what we were about to get a tour of. I still don't really know the reason for that, seemed kind of pointless. Still raining, us and 100 others follow the tour-guide outside. She was the polar opposite of what we had seen so far, a Japanese lady speaking through a microphone, which was muffled by the surgical mask on her face. It seemed as though the surgical mask was to keep away all of the foreign cooties we had circling the group. With the muffled English, we could understand less from her then the Japanese signs posted at most of the monuments in the tour, yes, it was that bad. You see, I originally scheduled the tour since it was advertised as the only way to get into the Imperial Palace, which sounded cool. However, you never get "inside" any building, instead you are walked around the inner palace grounds in a herd of very rude foreigners for an hour, not being able to understand what any of it is for because the tour guide is muffled while trying to keep cooties out. That is was I got from the tour. 
After wasting an hour and totally regretting leaving Arashiyama for it, we do manage a few cool pictures. It was an art form itself trying to get a camera lens around a huge group of some of the rudest people I've ever seen. To anyone thinking about going, I would not recommend it at all. I do recommend going to the public part of the gardens, we were there the day prior and it was gorgeous, not to mention quiet and foreigner free in the early morning hours. I have a better understanding of why a lot of Japanese people do not like foreigners if this is how most of them act there. After trying to sell us some more merchandise (tourist trap anyone?) we're let free. I would have left earlier, but the group "had to" stay together so there really wasn't an option. She would even stop every 5 minutes or so to yell at anyone wandering off, it was lovely.
Part IV - Kinkaju-ji: It was nearing 3:30 p.m. once we made it back to the train station. So, in favor of time we hop in a taxi and have it take us to the temple. This time we're determined to make it there before the normal closing time of 4:30 p.m. I think we made it through the admission gate around 4:10 p.m., so there was a little time left to spare. Once inside I was glad to see the grounds were not very large, starting to drag from the busy day, I was about done. Upon entering the gate you can see the Golden Temple across the lake, with some opportune pictures snapped, we begin the short walk around the grounds.
The temple itself was not open to tourists, so it's just for the long-range view basically. There was some cool scenery around it and the grounds were very well maintained with little shrines and places to obtain fortunes and good luck scattered about. In the back of the temple near the edge of the lake, we were able to spot some Koi fish, something very cool was the rare blue one peaking his head up looking for food. Armed with the luck of seeing a blue Koi fish and good fortunes (they were actually in English) from the vending machines near the exit, we decide to try and locate the kaiten-zushi, spotted the night before, for dinner. After some fun with a Ramen vending machine at the exit of the temple, all while being laughed at and called Gaijin by some local woman watching us (we were mainly doing it for their amusement), we hop in taxi's bound for Kyoto Station.Part V - Kyoto Station and kaiten-zushi: Without a train station near Kinkaju-ji, we head back to Kyoto Station by taxi. For the first time we get a taxi driver that can speak English! Or at least English well enough to carry on a conversation with us... He talked about the sumo tournament taking place (complete with TV broadcasting it in his taxi), the top tourist spots of Kyoto (#1 being Kinkaku-ji), number of foreign tourist (#1 Chinese, #2 Korean and #3 American) and even writes us out a postcard saying "we love America" in English. Pointing out some places of interest as we passed by them, I only wished we had a driver like that earlier, as one thing of major interest was a huge shopping street, one road over from where we were staying! Oh, if only we knew the day before. It turned out to be a great break from the quiet taxi drivers we had encountered so far, instead of loathing us (or so they seemed), he actually liked us! It was a fun ride to the station.
Once there, we head inside. By this time we had been there so much we should have been able to get around, right? No, not right. The previous day we simply followed signs from the subway that say xx mall this way, with an arrow, but there was no such sign from the main entrance of the station. We head in what we thought was the right direction, a mall called "The Cube". After 30 minutes of walking through "The Cube" we end right back up where we started! Tired and hungry we all start to lose our minds, lost in "The Cube" and not sure what to do. Maps were of no use since they were all completely in Japanese, we finally wander up a set of stairs near where we started. Wouldn't you know it? There is was... the mall we were looking for all along! It was one huge maze, but we eventually navigated to the kaiten-zushi. Once inside, there appeared to be a wait, but fortunately they were very efficient so it didn't take more then 10 minutes before we were sat and eating. After some deciphering, we're able to figure out most plates are ¥138, with a few choice plates being somewhat a bit higher, but still under ¥200 each. We eat to our hearts content and walk out with a ¥2,500 bill, even after ordering Cokes! I couldn't complain. Though the unagi was a lot thinner and not as tasty as it is here, all of the sushi was fresh and still tasted good, which was more then enough for me. I snap some video outside of the restuarant, it had a mini kaiten-zushi on display, I couldn't help it! Before walking to the other end of the mall to show Brandon and Jason the cool waterfall on display.
The night wrapped up after the long day without much of a fight. We were hoping to get to the Gion district or to stroll along the streets of Kyoto for the nightlife. Maybe even to see a Geisha or two walking around, but it just wasn't meant to be. With all of our energy spent and the thought of re-packing everything and heading out by 10 a.m. the next day, it was over. Don't worry though, there was still a little left of Kyoto before our 10 a.m. departure the following morning.
Prices:
- ¥1,000 - misc. subway fares (that were not JR).
- ¥1,600 - breakfast and coffee from Starbucks.
- ¥100 - fortune inside first shrine.
- ¥520 - admission to monkey park (per person).
- ¥100 - per bag of monkey food.
- ¥1,500 - misc. things at monkey park, like snacks and postcards.
- ¥1,500 - necklace bought at Arashiyama shop.
- ¥2,500 - a few misc. gifts from Arashiyama.
- ¥1,200 - Two bento boxes at station (lunch)
- ¥5,000 - Taxi's to and from Kinkaju-ji.
- ¥500 - admission to Kinkaju-ji (per person).
- ¥2,000 - misc. things from Kinkaju-ji, like throwing ¥5 coins at a bowl for good luck, fortunes (in English!) and a few charms from the shops.
- ¥2,500 - dinner for two from the kaiten-zushi.
- The Monkey Park is actually fun.
- Arashiyama has some really good shops.
- English tours (especially those booked in advance) will probably suck.
- A lot of the temples, you can't actually tour the inside of.
- How to use a ramen vending machine!
- Some taxi drivers actually like Americans.
- Ask a taxi driver (if you get a nice one) about things nearby, like shopping arcades.
- No matter how many times you're in one, malls are very confusing and hard to navigate.
- Kaiten-zushi really isn't expensive (like most food in Japan)
- The waterfall actually runs different programs depending on the day.
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