Cultural Japan
Trip Start
Jul 27, 2010
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11
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Trip End
Aug 29, 2011
Kyoto, Kinki, Japan
Friday, August 20, 2010
Next day we bought breakfast at the Seven Eleven and off to the Imperial Palace, which was closed! till we sat under a tree and had breakfast, too hot to drag around palaces!
Walk over the river to the Kyoto Craft Centre, bought a Origami set, as we were inspired by our efforts in Hiroshima. Will be able to wile away the hours on the train in China.
We then visited the Heian Shrine, the gardens were amazing, typically Japanese. Then it rained! first time on our trip, luckily there was a nice cafe to shelter in.
We saw a newly wed couple posing for pictures, amazing outfits.
We then went into the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, which had an exhibition of european art, including Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh and many others. You could get really close to the pictures, which was great, they obviously trust the japanese!
We carried on walking down through the Gion area and visited Maruyana Park and ending up on Shinbashi Street which the guide book said was probably the pretty street in Asia - not so sure myself. It did have a great Tempura restaurant though! It was a typical japanese building, you had to take your shoes off and sit on the floor. The cooks were to little old ladies who cooked infront of you. We had raw fish to start (sushimi) with a dip, followed by freshly cooked tempura - fish, veggies, gingko nuts and shrimp, yummy!! This was then followed by rice with more veggies in batter and miso soup, we couldn't move!!
The next day was planning day, we had to decide were to go to next. After much searching and help from the hotel, we are booked in for 2 nights by Mount Fugi and 1 night in Tokyo, then back to Osaka for the last night (boo hoo!)
We went up to the Gion district again and joined a walking tour, which turned out to be a personal tour as we were the only ones! Kazu was our guide and he had been to the UK nearly 20 times with japanese groups, so his english was great. We wandered through some of the street now preserved by the Kyoto council. We even visited the Geisha district but was not lucky enough to see one. There are still many hundreds of Geishas in the area and a college for trainees, they learn to sign, dance, play an instrument, as well as entertaining. When qualified they can command a lot of money to attend parties.
We had a meal in the local department store, Italian (Paul fancied Parma ham and Melon!).
Today we visited the Arashiyama district. The theory was it might be cooller up near the mountains, boy were we wrong! It has been the hottest and sunniest day yet. Still we had a lovely walk through a giant bamboo path, which was cooler and peaceful! We then wander on to the Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, this contained eight thousand stones uncovered 100 years ago, there were originally gravestones. Today and tomorrow there are candles lit in offering to Buddha, amazing sight.
We finished the walk down by the river, it was very hot by then so ice creama and a sit in the shade was in order. After cooling off we visited the garden of the Tenryuji, which was lovely.
The last stop was a trip on the Scenic ('romantic') Railway, which was a bit like the ratty but bigger and hotter! great views of the valley, mountains and river and above all it was cooler!
Back to kyoto station for another great meal, sushi, tempura (including the best prawns we have tasted). To the hotel for shower, laundery and bed! Long day.
Off to Mt Fugi area tomorrow.
Comments
So is the Green Icecream like Kryptonite ? And I am guessing the "V" sign is Japaneese? Looks like a fantastic part of the world. Hope you are both really enjoying - the pictures show you are. I get as far as London next weekend !