Kobe/Kyoto, Japan

Arrived in Kobe this morning and we have an overnight stay here. Today, we took a ship excursion to Kyoto, about 90 minutes away, to visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Kinkaku-ji Temple and Nijo-Jo Castle.

The first site, Kinkaku-ji Temple, famous for its golden pavilion temple, was built by a shogun in 1397. The current temple has been rebuilt many times, most recently in 1955 after it was set on fire by a fanatic monk. The surrounding gardens were equally beautiful.

We had a bento box lunch and then visited Nijo-Jo Castle which was completed in 1603 by another shogun. We were able to visit one palace on the site. The other was closed for renovations. And the one we visited did not allow photos to be taken. The most interesting thing about the palace was the sound of the floor boards which sounded like birds chirping when you walked on them. We learned that these are called “nightingale floors” and are a result of clamps moving against nails. Fascinating.Read more