Day 52 - Rainy Kyoto

Art, History, and Unexpected Discoveries

With rain in the forecast, we decided to spend another day exploring Kyoto’s art museums. We visited two museums, enjoying both traditional and modern Japanese art.

One unexpected discovery was a community disaster-preparedness event near the museums, complete with a machine that simulated an earthquake. A reminder of how seriously Japan takes preparing for natural disasters.

We walked back through Kyoto, exploring streets and neighborhoods along the way. Near a canal, we came across a small Inari shrine and historical signs telling the stories of an old flour mill, icehouse, and bridge. These little discoveries are often as interesting as the major tourist attractions.

Another surprise along the canal was a nutria, a large, semiaquatic rodent originally from South America. Introduced to Japan for its fur, it eventually established wild populations and is now considered an invasive species. This sparked a conversation about the fur trade, the possums introduced to New Zealand, and the unintended consequences of transporting animals around the world. It also reminded Cindy of the book Fur, Fortune, and Empire, which we’ve been listening to on our travels.

We also tried takoyaki, Japanese street-food balls filled with octopus, before finishing the evening with a familiar dinner at Tony Roma’s.

By the end of the day, we’d walked another 10 miles!

We also finalized our plans for the next few days, including our Kumano Kodo pilgrimage. Now we’re watching the approaching typhoon closely and hoping the weather cooperates.Read more