Kennin-ji temple

This was our last day in Kyoto. In the afternoon, we were going to Hiroshima by train. So far, we’d seen a “wet” Zen garden at Nanzen-ji but not the dry variety with raked stones. After some research, we found one and decided we could squeeze in a visit and catch our train. The previous … Continue reading / view photos Kennin-ji temple

Manga and Kanji Museums

We didn’t go to many museums, but we did go to two small ones. Manga and all things related are in the Manga Museum. There are single examples and books. The collected books go right back to the beginning of Manga. Visitors are welcome to sit and read the books and magazines in the library. … Continue reading / view photos Manga and Kanji Museums

Nanzen-ji temple

Breakfast at our ryokan was good. There was a choice of Japanese or Western. Here’s an example of both: We walked to Nanzen-ji temple via Maruyama Park. I never tire of having another look at the cherry blossom trees there. Nanzen-ji temple, built in the 13th century, is another temple that was burnt. Unlike Chion-ji, … Continue reading / view photos Nanzen-ji temple

Shopping in Nakagyo Ward

Whilst in Kyoto, we went to a traditional Japanese clothes shop, Mimuro, to look for yukata. These robes are like kimonos but are usually made of cotton or linen instead of silk. They are lighter for wearing in summer. In the shop, we found out there was a hierarchy of buyers. The ground floor had the … Continue reading / view photos Shopping in Nakagyo Ward

Chion-ji temple

Although rain was forecast for much of our time in Kyoto, we had two spells — the first was a downpour, which we escaped in the lovely coffee shop and the second was drizzly, when we went to Chion-ji Buddhist temple. The cherry blossom was still in full swing. Even the intermittent drizzle couldn’t take … Continue reading / view photos Chion-ji temple

The streets of Kyoto

Kyoto is filled with traditional houses all within walkable distance. Many of them are in the Gion quarter, famous for the geishas who one inhabited the area. These are some typical buildings from Gion and the surrounding area: In Kyoto, we stayed in a ryokan. These are hotels with traditional Japanese rooms. They have tatami … Continue reading / view photos The streets of Kyoto

Sakura, sakura!

For our first full day in Kyoto, we headed first for the Gion district, historically famous for its geishas. Now it’s largely dominated by tourist shops, none of which existed fifteen years ago when I last came. There’s even a Hyatt Hotel in the middle of the district — although it has the merit of … Continue reading / view photos Sakura, sakura!

Hello Kyoto

It was time, for now, to say goodbye to Tokyo and head for Kyoto. With our JR Pass. We’d reserved seats on the Shinkansen. Earlier, we’d checked out which platform the train would leave from because the station is huge, serving about half-a-million people every day. When the Shinkansen arrived, it seemed to come from … Continue reading / view photos Hello Kyoto