Friday in Kyoto - temples and shrines

Tallie has asked for a photo of our tiny room! I will have to show 2 - one standing at the window looking towards the door, and one the other way...you come in the door to a passage way. On the immediate right is a small space for hanging, then the bathroom door, then you arrive at the main area - the entire right side is filled with the king size bed, surrounded on 3 sides with walls, and the narrow space of the hallway continues beside the bed to the window wall. It is nice and airy, and the window opens, though only a view of the next door building. And there is a counter/desk part on the left wall! So not much space for bags or clothes! Luckily we both packed in zip bags for shirts, undies etc, so they are all out and piled up and all manageable...just so funny as we thought this would be the fancy room!!

Anyway, we had breakfast - included in our deal here - and it was good - Japanese and western choices buffet - and went to a coffee place that Amr had spotted...not as good as Blue Bottle, but the one in Kyoto is not in this area sadly. So off we went to shrines and temples. There are so many all over this city it seems. We walked, as we hadn’t done much walking yesterday, and it is pretty boring walking...round the parts we did yesterday and today anyway...there are many parts yet undiscovered. Of course once you find the temples or shrines they are amazing - little oases of beauty and serenity. The first temple was the very famous Sanjusangen-do which has the 1000 golden Buddhas- I even remember this from my visit in the dim past...still amazing, and no photos allowed in the Buddha part, but we did light a candle for Sue. On the way to the next great temple, we saw several shrines and visited the Kawai Kanjiro house. He as a poet and artist and his house is now a memorial to him (he died mid 20th century I think) and is like a museum of a traditional Japanese house. Then on to the Kennin-ji temple. Also a tourist must see - beautiful grounds and also you can go into the beautiful interior - courtyards, manicured garden, art and the actual temple itself is huge and impressive. It was started in 1202 and was the beginning of Zen Buddhism.

By then we were rather hot and tired...it was 12° when we started, and has risen to 25° so quite a contrast, though a beautiful day. We were contemplating buses, when we noticed a train station, so Amr cleverly worked out how to get back to Kyoto Station using 2 lines. Our trusts .suica cards from Tokyo work here as well - for trains and buses and sometimes buying things like a drink machine. Very handy. So I am relaxing back here in the room, and Amr, ever on the move, is out for a bit more checking the neighbourhood! We think we may try a little yakitori place we spotted last night for dinner....Read more