Kyoto

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When we visited Kyoto five years ago it was spring, cherry blossoms everywhere, warm sunny days. Now it's winter, freezing temperatures and snow. But wandering around the streets of Kyoto is still a delight. Temples everywhere, old wooden houses, kimono-clad women, cosy cafes. And again I'm having to resist the temptation to spend lots & lots of cash. There are so many fantastic little shops full of every accessory you never knew you needed, all in a beautiful array of colours, patterns and fabrics.

We've dined on sushi, yakitori and ramen washed down with hot sake and beer. There was the sushi chef with a set of bagpipes kept under the counter. The best pork ramen, served with pork cheeks, of which only 200 grams can be obtained from one pig - delicious!

We braved the snow and freezing temperatures to visit Nijo Castle and Sanjusangen-do temple. Nijo Castle is surrounded by a moat and beautiful zen gardens. The palace has beautiful painted walls and sliding doors, a 'nightingale' floor that squeaks as you walk on it to detect intruders, and hidden chambers where bodyguards kept watch. However, it does not come with heating of any kind. To warm up we headed for a ramen restaurant (local caf) and were both defeated by the biggest bowls of ramen ever. Next was Sanjusangen-do temple, at 120 metres the longest wooden temple in Japan, which dates back to 1266 (the 1164 original was burnt down). It houses 1001 magnificent buddha statues - one large buddha flanked by 500 smaller statues on each side. It's an amazing sight. But again nothing in the way of heating...

We went to Fushimi-Inari-Taisha shrine. Inari is the god of rice and this shrine, founded in the 8th century, is the most important and impressive inari shrine in Japan. Thousands of orange torii (shrine gates) line the 4km pathway up and around the wooded slopes. The shrine is guarded by foxes, said to be magical creatures capable of poccessing humans. We went in the late afternoon/early evening just as the sun was starting to set and the whole place took on a very eerie atmosphere. Think Blair Witch, Japanese-style.

Chion-in temple has the biggest gate and the biggest bell in Japan. It takes 17 monks to ring in the New Year. We spent an hour in the freezing rain watching Yakate Kagura, an ancient Shinto music and dance ceremony performed in front of a cauldron of boiling water, as prayers are said for good health. And...we went Geisha spotting down the old traditional lane called Pontocho.

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