Japan & South Korea

Today we got up at the crack of dawn to attend and participate in a Buddhist ceremony in a nearby temple. It involved a lot of chanting and different drums which made christian sermons seem pretty dull by comparison. Afterwards we had a closer look at the temple and its treasures before making our way to the Arashiyama bamboo forest to beat the crowds – which worked a little bit. ;-)

After walking along Katsura-River we went to the so-called Kimono Forest, a little outside exhibition of unsual Kimono-designs (and had some more snacks obviously).

In the afternoon we got an introduction into the art of matcha tea ceremonies. We liked the precision and purpose of every movement and started to understand how some Japanese people spend a lot of time studying this from tea masters.

Still feeling very Zen from the tea ceremony, we visited the impressive Higashi Hongan-ji Temple (one of the largest wooden buildings in the world apparently).

In the evening we went to the famous Inari Shrine with its thousand red Tori Gates. Another place full of people but coming in the evening meant there was less of a crowd which made the experience much more serene.

Ending the day with a Katsu-Dinner where you grill your own steak slices and dip them in various sauces - delicious!! 🤤Read more