Day 59 Kyoto: Tea, Temples and Seven Miles!

Happy Halloween!

Today was supposed to be a relatively easy day, especially since we’re both fighting off colds. Somehow, our leisurely sightseeing turned into another seven-mile walk!

We began with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in a beautiful little tatami room near Ginkaku-ji. Our hostess, dressed in a lovely kimono, demonstrated the precise and graceful movements involved in preparing matcha. We were particularly impressed by how effortlessly she moved between kneeling and standing while holding the tea utensils. Not nearly as easy as she made it look! Cindy complimented her on this, which she seemed to appreciate.

We also met a delightful young woman from Greece who was traveling alone. Cindy offered to take photographs of her during the ceremony, and we ended up exchanging pictures and chatting. Of course, Greece has a special place in our hearts—it’s where we first met, while traveling on Santorini all those years ago. Another lovely chance encounter!

Afterward, we visited Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, with its extraordinary raked sand garden and beautifully maintained grounds. Despite its name, the pavilion isn’t actually silver!

We continued along the Philosopher’s Path, following a peaceful canal through residential neighborhoods, with detours to Hōnen-in and Eikan-dō. There were moss-covered stone walls, quiet gardens, little shrines, and the first brilliant reds and oranges of autumn.

Our final major stop was Nanzen-ji, where an enormous 19th-century brick aqueduct crosses the temple grounds. It looks almost Roman and seems wonderfully out of place among the traditional Japanese buildings and trees.

Along the way, we also encountered an astonishing display of strawberries on skewers and strawberry-filled mochi sweets. They looked almost too perfect to be real! We admired them but resisted temptation.

By the end of the day, we’d covered seven miles and spent more than six hours exploring northern Kyoto. Not quite the rest day we’d intended, but thoroughly enjoyable.

We finished back at our Airbnb with a home-cooked salmon dinner, courtesy of yesterday’s Costco expedition. After weeks of Japanese restaurant meals, having our own kitchen and some familiar food is a real treat.

We’re both feeling the effects of our colds, so perhaps tomorrow we’ll finally manage that easy day! I doubt it! :)

Another wonderful day in Japan—beautiful places, fascinating traditions, and unexpected friendships.Read more