Kyoto

---

We arrived in Kyoto from Tokyo by "bullet" train on Friday. Our hotel is located just 10 minutes walk from the city centre and another 20-30 minutes walk to Gion. Perfect for getting to see the area. We could have hired free bikes but yesterday- Saturday the 10th May- the heavens opened and we didn't feel as brave as the Japanese to cycle and hold an umbrella at the same time. The women can cycle in high heels and text on their high tech phones at the same time. Now that is multi tasking. I would struggle just to cycle.

We managed to see a great deal considering the awful weather we faced. The shopping in Kyoto is equal to that of London. The main shopping street runs I would say for about a mile, if not longer. They have Armani, Louis Vuitton, Zara and even Clarks. The place is geared towards shoppers, the main street is a covered walk way, so we did not have to worry about the rain on our parade.

We came across countless numbers of shrines and temples in our hours of walking around. Many were located off the shopping arcade, hidden, as if secret places. The Japanese people are very spiritual.

After all the walking and site seeing we called it a day.

Then today we ventured over the Kamogawa river towards the Gion area of Kyoto. The area is steeped in history. We were stopped by a number of school children at the Yasaka Shrine. They asked us questions about Kyoto in English, we figured it was a way for them to learn English. They then took a photo with us in the middle and them surrounding us. They all did the peace sign. So we are in a Kyoto schools photos.

We visited Kiyomizy Temple. This temple is located up a steep hill, but the walk is well worth it. On the walk up you pass shops selling beautiful fans, and deserts. The view from the top is stunning. I can only imagine how it must look like when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. At the temple you can purchase lucky charms for everything from exams to fertility.

We were located right beside the Imperial Park and so the Imperial Palace. We were unable to see the Imperial palace due to the sheer number of visitors. We did get to see the Retired Emperor's Palace walking garden. It was surprisingly quiet considering we were still in the centre of a bustling city.

While looking for the Gion area we stumble across a betting shop first and then the Kennin-ji Zen Temple. The betting shop was a shock to find as Japan is not know for its gambeling. It was like any other betting shop,full of men.

The Kennin-ji Zen Temple was a gem to find. You have to remove your shoes before entering. We walked around the Zen gardens. It was a little crowed. We had to wait in a queue for plastic slippers we had to wear to see the main temple and the amazing dragons painted on the ceiling.

---