Our last day in Kyoto and we split up again. Heidi and I spent half the day at Fushimi-Inara Taisha, where thousands of orange/red torii (gates) line the paths up the mountain. It was crazy busy at the base, but like most tourist spots became more peaceful and pleasant the farther up the hill you [...]
Yesterday was Xmas and we bulleted to Hiroshima for the day. Did you know that 2014 is the 50th anniversary of Shinkansen service in Japan. Fiftieth! Puts all other rapid transit systems, or (for Toronto) dreams thereof, to shame Our time in Hiroshima was largely taken up visiting the memorials, there are many, for those [...]
We took a day trip from Kyōto to Nara on Christmas Eve. The main attraction was the very impressive gallery of national treasures with a 1000 armed deity (must have been poetic license as it looked to be no more than 50). Oh and a gigantic (15m high) Buddha statue from the 8th Century, housed [...]
What happens at the ryokan, stays at the ryokan. Today visiting temples in Kyoto
Kyōto is cold. Colder than Tōkyō. That's why December in Japan is known as shimotsuki, the frosty month. We started with breakfast in the ryokan; in our room on the low table again. Then we took in some of the sights in Arashiyama: Tenryū-ji (Zen temple and garden)... ...the bamboo forest... ...and Okōchi Sansō (gardens [...]
