Day 2-3 Kyoto

We left Osaka for the relatively short drive to Kyoto where we visited the Fushimi Inari Shine dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and saki. It consists of over 5000 red torii gates winding its way through the hills behind the shrine. Quite a dramatic setting.

That evening we had an optional tour of Kyoto by night where we wandered through the narrow alleyways of the geisha district followed by snacks and saki at a local bar. The snacks and drinks turned out to be an hour and a half of unlimited drinks (saki, whisky, sour, plum wine, beer, and soft drinks) with many dishes of traditional Japanese dishes (sushi, sashimi, pork balls, smoked fish etc.) Turned out to be an excellent night after a tiring day walking over 17km.

The next morning we spent visiting various temples, gardens, and shrines. The trees are just starting to change colour and will be spectacular in another 2 or 3 weeks but the areas are very attractive nevertheless.
Tofukuji Temple - grand sanmon entrance gate, includes 24 sub-temples and four distinctly different zen gardens, each facing in a different direction.
Heian Jingu Shrine – Shinto shrine is very impressive, with its enormous torii (sacred gate) standing almost 25 metres high.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) - This is a Zen temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site, with two floors covered entirely in thin layers of pure gold, set within a beautiful
classical Zen garden.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove - massive stands of bamboo with pathways winding through it. Not as spectacular as the tourist photos would have you believe, but pleasant enough.

Around Kyoto, many young girls (and boys) dress in traditional geisha dress (kimonos etc) not sure if it is just for fun or has a more cultural significance. An interesting day capped of with great weather. Walked another 12km so my feet thanked me when I took my shoes off.Read more