Kyoto

RattyMouse · Mar 20, 2018

What a great city Kyoto is for photography. I envy the Moose who gets to live here full time. I'd love to see this place in the winter time with the snow, as well as when the sakura blossom. Hotel and flight prices go through the roof during that time.

5 days here in Kyoto and here is the damage done:

This was my 5th time to Kyoto and I look forward to coming back again.

On another note, do I dare ask for 28 rolls of film to be hand inspected at the airport? If not, they will have gone through 5 scans in total, assuming two for the flight home (domestic flight to Tokyo and then international flight to the US).

I rarely ever ask for film to be inspected, but the Japanese are so kind that I'm wondering if they would hand inspect so many rolls?

dreamingartemis · Mar 20, 2018

Hi!
Great haul by the way! And yes, any normal person would never get tired of Japan in general. As for hand inspection, it's safe. Just let is scan, those machines are very safe! (I've let them scan the same number of times as well with no issue). Heck I've even had my film scanned many times in Africa with no issue.

RattyMouse · Mar 20, 2018

dreamingartemis said:
Hi!
Great haul by the way! And yes, any normal person would never get tired of Japan in general. As for hand inspection, it's safe. Just let is scan, those machines are very safe! (I've let them scan the same number of times as well with no issue). Heck I've even had my film scanned many times in Africa with no issue.

You are right. With a connecting flight in Tokyo, I won't have much time to waste to get there on time. I've had film scanned a good dozen times on other trips without issue. I didn't shoot any Delta 3200 during this trip so 400 is my highest speed film.

darkosaric · Mar 20, 2018

On my fisrt visit to Japan I had time only for Tokyo, but for my second visit I have planned Kyoto as well .

lantau · Mar 20, 2018

What a gorgeous sight! I wish I was as productive when traveling. But I'm too inhibited and also too inexperienced in (or genetically incapable) finding and framing good motives.

RattyMouse · Mar 20, 2018

lantau said:
What a gorgeous sight! I wish I was as productive when traveling. But I'm too inhibited and also too inexperienced in (or genetically incapable) finding and framing good motives.

I'm not as productive as it looks. I brought my Fuji TX-1 panorama camera to Japan. I get 21 shots/ 36 exposure roll or 14 shots/24 exposure roll. All those AgfaPhoto rolls of film in the photo above are 24 exposure rolls.

RattyMouse · Mar 20, 2018

darkosaric said:
On my fisrt visit to Japan I had time only for Tokyo, but for my second visit I have planned Kyoto as well .

I hope you hit Kamakura while you were in Tokyo. It's only 1 hour away and is THE best temple city in the country. Much better than Kyoto IMO.

mooseontheloose · Mar 20, 2018

RattyMouse said:
What a great city Kyoto is for photography. I envy the Moose who gets to live here full time. I'd love to see this place in the winter time with the snow, as well as when the sakura blossom. Hotel and flight prices go through the roof during that time.

On another note, do I dare ask for 28 rolls of film to be hand inspected at the airport? If not, they will have gone through 5 scans in total, assuming two for the flight home (domestic flight to Tokyo and then international flight to the US).

I rarely ever ask for film to be inspected, but the Japanese are so kind that I'm wondering if they would hand inspect so many rolls?

Ratty, next time you come, let me know, maybe we can meet up. So many APUG photographers come here but I have yet to meet any of them!

I would have no problem asking at the airport for them to check the rolls - they do it all the time for me. Just have them in a bag ready to go. Unless the line is crazy busy and you really need to get to your flight I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't worry about the xray full stop, but it's still nice to reduce the number of scans if you can.

I just got back from my 3 week trip to Portugal and Spain and I think my film went through at least 12 scans with all the flights, trains, and places I went to (Spain was the worst - scans at museums like the Prado and Reina Sophia in Madrid, and at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - luckily I knew that would happen so brought the minimum number of rolls to minimize the problem). I think I'll try to tackle some of the film developing tomorrow.

As for living in Kyoto, it's funny, I was just talking about that with a friend of mine from work, and we both have come to realize that we don't like travelling to other big tourist cities, especially in high season, since we are so constantly surrounded by tourists here (mostly from mid-March to late November). It's worse for her since she lives downtown, whereas I am far from any tourists, despite living near a World Heritage temple (it's too far south on the tourist map of Kyoto for anyone to go there, and most guidebooks don't mention it). But, as I've mentioned previously, that forces me to explore other areas of the city, which is good, or even in the high volume places, to check them out at different times of day (or weather), which often yields more interesting photographs.

RattyMouse · Mar 20, 2018

mooseontheloose said:
Ratty, next time you come, let me know, maybe we can meet up. So many APUG photographers come here but I have yet to meet any of them!

I would have no problem asking at the airport for them to check the rolls - they do it all the time for me. Just have them in a bag ready to go. Unless the line is crazy busy and you really need to get to your flight I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't worry about the xray full stop, but it's still nice to reduce the number of scans if you can.

I just got back from my 3 week trip to Portugal and Spain and I think my film went through at least 12 scans with all the flights, trains, and places I went to (Spain was the worst - scans at museums like the Prado and Reina Sophia in Madrid, and at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - luckily I knew that would happen so brought the minimum number of rolls to minimize the problem). I think I'll try to tackle some of the film developing tomorrow.

As for living in Kyoto, it's funny, I was just talking about that with a friend of mine from work, and we both have come to realize that we don't like travelling to other big tourist cities, especially in high season, since we are so constantly surrounded by tourists here (mostly from mid-March to late November). It's worse for her since she lives downtown, whereas I am far from any tourists, despite living near a World Heritage temple (it's too far south on the tourist map of Kyoto for anyone to go there, and most guidebooks don't mention it). But, as I've mentioned previously, that forces me to explore other areas of the city, which is good, or even in the high volume places, to check them out at different times of day (or weather), which often yields more interesting photographs.

Hey Moose,

I think you were out of town the last time I was here. A friend wants me to take him through Kyoto one day so I should be back at some point, maybe next year.

Which temple do you live near? Manpuku-ji? I've been to that one and it's pretty far south, as well as Daigo-ji, which is in the south if I remember right. I didnt visit either of these temples this trip.

I hope your photographs from Europe come out well!

BrianShaw · Mar 20, 2018

That's a lot of film and a lot of pictures. Nice! Regarding inspection of film you might want to minimize the hassle and segregate the higher speed film for a hand inspection request and put the rest through the carryon scanner.

Colin Corneau · Mar 20, 2018

I'm envious, in a positive way! I'd love to see (live in!) Kyoto! How I wish we could have met up and done some shooting there.

I've taken 400 speed (and higher) film through multiple airport X-rays in Asia and Japan. No damage, so long as it's carry-on. Never ever fly your film in checked baggage!

Vaughn · Mar 20, 2018

The two weeks I spent in Kyoto this last December was great. Fall colors were basically gone and they took most of the toursits with them. Still some stunning ginkos downtown and a few maples doing their thing at the temples and shrines. My son had an apartment near Kyoto University (but was attending a different univesity) and was a good place to explore from. Alex took me to a lot of nice little places to eat, we stopped by a jazz club one evening --it had the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers painted on the outside, so I knew it would be cool! I think I only exposed 5 or 6 rolls of 120 in Kyoto (Acros) and probably the same on the second half of the trip to Yakushima.

If Alex ends up in Japan for grad school (95% possibility, but he still has a year left as an undergrad), I'll be visiting!

mooseontheloose · Mar 21, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Hey Moose,
I think you were out of town the last time I was here. A friend wants me to take him through Kyoto one day so I should be back at some point, maybe next year.
Which temple do you live near? Manpuku-ji? I've been to that one and it's pretty far south, as well as Daigo-ji, which is in the south if I remember right. I didnt visit either of these temples this trip.
I hope your photographs from Europe come out well!

Yeah, let me know! I live just north of Daigo-ji, although I have to admit I haven't been there in a while. I like going there to do film tests (same with Nanzenji) since it's an atmospheric place with lots of different things and light to photograph, and I'm allowed to set up a tripod there (or at least not have to worry about tourists tripping over it!). Now that my work schedule is a bit lighter this year I hope to get out and explore more off-the-beaten track places here in the city.

Colin Corneau said:
I'm envious, in a positive way! I'd love to see (live in!) Kyoto! How I wish we could have met up and done some shooting there.
I've taken 400 speed (and higher) film through multiple airport X-rays in Asia and Japan. No damage, so long as it's carry-on. Never ever fly your film in checked baggage!

Colin, you should definitely come to Kyoto - I think you would love it here!

Vaughn said:
The two weeks I spent in Kyoto this last December was great. Fall colors were basically gone and they took most of the toursits with them. Still some stunning ginkos downtown and a few maples doing their thing at the temples and shrines. My son had an apartment near Kyoto University (but was attending a different univesity) and was a good place to explore from. Alex took me to a lot of nice little places to eat, we stopped by a jazz club one evening --it had the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers painted on the outside, so I knew it would be cool! I think I only exposed 5 or 6 rolls of 120 in Kyoto (Acros) and probably the same on the second half of the trip to Yakushima.

If Alex ends up in Japan for grad school (95% possibility, but he still has a year left as an undergrad), I'll be visiting!

Let me know if you do, it would be great to meet! Actually, I was thinking that with all the people that like (or want) to come here, we should have a future Photrio Symposium here.

howardpan · Mar 21, 2018

If we hold a Photorio Sumposium in Kyoto, I’m there

darkosaric · Mar 21, 2018

RattyMouse said:
I hope you hit Kamakura while you were in Tokyo. It's only 1 hour away and is THE best temple city in the country. Much better than Kyoto IMO.

Thanks for the tip. Then it will be this way by the train: Yokohama, Kamakura, Kyoto.

MFstooges · Aug 26, 2023

Other than temples or tourist spots that millions have snapped with their iphones what are other interests in Kyoto? I will probably have half day in end of October.

mrosenlof · Aug 26, 2023

millions have snapped ALL of Kyoto before you. If you truly have only a half day, go to the Kiyomizu Temple area. It's popular, but is for a reason. Visit the temple, shops on the road leading to the temple. If you still have time, turn north and walk through the neighborhoods toward Shoren In and farther to Heian Shrine. Stop for lunch or at least tea somewhere along the way. You won't be alone, but it's nice, and you'll have plenty of photo opportunities.

MFstooges · Aug 27, 2023

mrosenlof said:
millions have snapped ALL of Kyoto before you. If you truly have only a half day, go to the Kiyomizu Temple area. It's popular, but is for a reason. Visit the temple, shops on the road leading to the temple. If you still have time, turn north and walk through the neighborhoods toward Shoren In and farther to Heian Shrine. Stop for lunch or at least tea somewhere along the way. You won't be alone, but it's nice, and you'll have plenty of photo opportunities.

Street photo! I like that.

mooseontheloose · Aug 28, 2023

MFstooges said:
Other than temples or tourist spots that millions have snapped with their iphones what are other interests in Kyoto? I will probably have half day in end of October.

It depends on your photographic interests. Most people just visit the most iconic temples and shrines and don't bother with the secondary ones, which can be just as rewarding to visit, since you'll mostly have the grounds to yourself. The local markets have mostly been converted to cater to tourists (like Nishiki Market), so you don't really get the authentic feel of those places anymore, even though tourists love them. You can embrace the touristy nature of many of these places by photographing the tourists themselves, and the merchants dealing with them, or you could pick a random street (Kyoto is mostly a grid so it's not so easy to get lost) and just walk it and photograph it - I did that as part of street photography project where all the photographers were give 2-3 streets to photograph for a year. It was an interesting exercise in creativity. Down in Fushimi-ku you could do a sake brewery tour.

Normally I would suggest getting out of the city and exploring what the rest of Kyoto prefecture has to offer (most people skip it), but with only half a day you won't have time to do it. Remember, most things close early (4-5 p.m.) so you'll be finished early, whatever you choose to do. That said, some temple and shrine grounds are open 24 hours (even if the buildings aren't) and are well worth visiting in the evening/night, when all the tourists have disappeared - the Keage Incline/Nanzenji Temple/Philosopher's Walk is a good place to explore at night (I do it often), as is Fushimi Inari (it's lit up so you can still hike up the mountain and get a nice view of the city without all the tourists).

Dustin McAmera · Aug 28, 2023

I spent a few days in Kyoto (years ago; maybe 2002? Before phone cameras anyhow). Photography wasn't my main concern; I was in Japan for a conference, so already lugging a suit etc that I didn't need any more. I only took a little 35mm Canon zoom compact, plus one of my FEDs.

Knowing nothing, I got a Lonely Planet book, and followed one of its suggested day-walks, 'southern Higashiyama', in hilly streets and parks on the east side of the river. I skipped a couple of the temples - if you don't know what you're looking at, you can soon get enough of them. Some of the route was busy with tourists, and some of it was deserted and peaceful. I loved it.
I stayed in the youth hostel in Utano, on the western edge of the city. I took another walk from the hostel itself; they had a hand-drawn sketch map, which I was nervous of, but it worked ok. It's no distance from there to Hirosawa Pond, which is picturesque, and surrounded by rice fields and bamboo plantations. From there you can get easily to a couple of temples - I went to Adeshino Nembutsuji - then up into the hills and off the road, through some forestry plantations and back toward town following a little river, which brings you past Jingo-ji and (I think) Saimyo-ji, where they have the 'frolicking animals' scrolls. I took a good half-day over the walk, and finished after dark.

MFstooges · Aug 29, 2023

mooseontheloose said:
It depends on your photographic interests. Most people just visit the most iconic temples and shrines and don't bother with the secondary ones, which can be just as rewarding to visit, since you'll mostly have the grounds to yourself. The local markets have mostly been converted to cater to tourists (like Nishiki Market), so you don't really get the authentic feel of those places anymore, even though tourists love them. You can embrace the touristy nature of many of these places by photographing the tourists themselves, and the merchants dealing with them, or you could pick a random street (Kyoto is mostly a grid so it's not so easy to get lost) and just walk it and photograph it - I did that as part of street photography project where all the photographers were give 2-3 streets to photograph for a year. It was an interesting exercise in creativity. Down in Fushimi-ku you could do a sake brewery tour.

Normally I would suggest getting out of the city and exploring what the rest of Kyoto prefecture has to offer (most people skip it), but with only half a day you won't have time to do it. Remember, most things close early (4-5 p.m.) so you'll be finished early, whatever you choose to do. That said, some temple and shrine grounds are open 24 hours (even if the buildings aren't) and are well worth visiting in the evening/night, when all the tourists have disappeared - the Keage Incline/Nanzenji Temple/Philosopher's Walk is a good place to explore at night (I do it often), as is Fushimi Inari (it's lit up so you can still hike up the mountain and get a nice view of the city without all the tourists).

I am changing my schedule so I will have full day. I see most of the landmarks have been overphotographed so I plan not to spend to much times on them. Do the people have camera phobia as in western world?

Andrew O'Neill · Sep 4, 2023

I was just in Kyoto in July. First time since 1992! I've never seen so many foreign tourists! Do not go in the Summer to avoid the swarms... and especially the HEAT and HUMIDITY! I also jumped on the train to Nara (about 20 minutes away), where there was not a soul around. The tourists don't bother going here, which is fine by me! One word to describe it. Awesome.

Dustin McAmera · Sep 4, 2023

The day I went to Nara, it was pretty busy, but with school trips not foreign tourists.

Sirius Glass · Sep 4, 2023

Andrew O'Neill said:
I was just in Kyoto in July. First time since 1992! I've never seen so many foreign tourists! Do not go in the Summer to avoid the swarms... and especially the HEAT and HUMIDITY! I also jumped on the train to Nara (about 20 minutes away), where there was not a soul around. The tourists don't bother going here, which is fine by me! One word to describe it. Awesome.

View attachment 348286

Our preferred travel times are the Spring, Winter [off season] and Fall.

Andrew O'Neill · Sep 4, 2023

Dustin McAmera said:
The day I went to Nara, it was pretty busy, but with school trips not foreign tourists.

I was there once during late September. Kyoto and Nara were packed with school trips. The only time I saw foreign tourists was back at the ryokan I was staying at. Foreigners are discovering Japan as a great place to visit. Cheap. Good food. Unbeatable service. But most important of all... very safe. I plan on moving back after I retire.

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