Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Afternoon
Train to Kyoto. Our hotel is a short walk to train station. Very small room. A walkway from the door to the window with a dresser and TV. A small chest tucked next to bed by window. For dinner, we walked through train station and had a view of Kyoto tower.
We ate sushi in the terminal. Fun. Very Japanese.
We walked to a busy intersection with Pachinko parlor on corner. We did not play Pachinko. Our restaurant was down the street on the second floor. We ate across from Shelby and Matt.
Wednesday, September 24, 2025Walked through Tenryu-ji Temple on the way to Arashiyama bamboo forest.
The way had some stone figurines.
The bamboo forest reminded my of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
At a bend in the path, we glimpsed a cemetery, with a statue to Kannon, a bodhisattva
of compassion.
A busker was playing a bamboo flute on the path.
We continued to an overlook of the river, with a buddhist temple in the distance. We went to the temple on the following day.
We went to the Zen garden part of the park. A wishing well near an attractive, administrative office. They had old style toilets and instructions for using them. Like in Chine, I want a job creating signs in English.
The garden had some quiet spots and some panoramic views.
Impressive temple with some gargoyles at ground level. A gargoyle can be seen on the roof.
Next stop was the gold leaf temple, Kinkajuji. It seemed very crowded, but Remi was surprised that it wasn't much more crowded.
We walked along a one-way path. A little waterfall, a location where water was drawn for tea and a location by a stream where the emperor used to wash his hands (or relieve himself?).
The path contained a side trail with a ladder, a pond and a site honoring the white snake, considered a messenger in Japanese mythology.
After lunch, we toured the Nijo Castle grounds. The gate has intricate gold leaf, with an plover embedded in it.
Inside the grounds, we saw even more elaborate gates and the castle.
We could not take pictures inside the castle. This is from the internet.
The surrounding gardens were lovely. It reminded us of Miami.
Impressive walls and a moat.
A tastefully placed teahouse and panoramic views.
We had dinner across the street in the mall with Remi, Frank and Donna. The decor was milk cartons (actually, Sapporo)
After dinner, a few of us went on a walk around the station. The station had grand areas and a skywalk high up in the station.
A set of stairs with a light show, large open areas and a scale model of the station in lego bricks.
Some art work.
The other end of the station and the small group with a view of kyoto tower.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
We visited Nara, where deer roam freely.
Nara has one of the largest wooden structures in the world and the largest bronze Buddha. Replicas of the hands of the Buddha are on display. They are about 8 feet long.
The gate to the temple complex has guardians on each side.
A fountain was in front of the temple. We were allowed to take pictures in the temple.
Lots of other statues in the hall. A replica of the gold horn on the roof. Bodhisattva of wisdom and guardian deities.
By the entrance is a statue of an original disciple of Buddha. Rub it in the place on you that needs healing.
Lunch was a cattle call. Several other tour groups in the same room, with space for many more. Bland food, but the soup was good.
We went to a samurai dance school for a demonstration and participation. Tsuki, not Suki (stab versus love).
Dinner was okonomiyaki. We sat in groups of four. The food was prepared and served to us.
After dinner we took cabs to the 1000 Torii gate temple. Not very crowded, but still lots of people.
Fox deities and horse messengers are in the complex.
Lots of gates that start here and go for along way. We did not walk the entire loop.
Friday, September 26, 2025
Bus ride to Togetsu Bridge.
We walked across and boarded boats for a paddle up the river to a buddhist monk, Daihikahu Senko-ji.
Someone on the shore had a model boat that looked like us. The paddler paddled.
Many steps to the temple. OAT has helped improve the walk, over the years.
This is the temple we saw a few days ago when we went to the bamboo forest. There was a gong on the way up.
The temple was small and airy, with a porch. The monk gave us a history and a Zen teaching. We thought about the effect of a stone dropped into a pond. When you have an arrow in your arm, you do not think about where or who, just remove it. Lasso Fuji and bring here. We are water and so is Fuji, so lasso self and hand to monk. We are wind. Zero was defined by Buddha. We had tea and dessert.
Lunch of grilled salmon, salad and carrot dressing was delicious at a small restaurant. We bought the cookbook.
The afternoon was for an optional trip to saki factory. Not enough were interested, so we dispersed to the four winds. We went to a handicraft store and bought earrings, chopsticks, a collapsable jewel case and some candy. Took a taxi home with Donna and Frank. Long ride through busy Kyoto downtown.
We ate dinner at the same sushi place across the street, but this time without Remi. It was much harder to communicate. We arrived at happy hour and could not find a seat. We left and came back. Bobbi was able to communicate what we wanted.
Did laundry back at the hotel and watched sumo.
Saturday, September 27, 2025
We returned to the 10000 Torii Temple in the day time.
Remi arranged a purification ritual for us. No pictures allowed, even by people watching from afar. A guard had the responsibility of placing a "no photos" sign in front of the porch for the ceremony. he removed the sign afterward. We sat on the side, under the small roof.
Here are the same gates, but in the daylight.
In addition to the fox, we also saw a dog.
We took the train back to Kyoto station. This was the first train ride as a group. We were give rail cards for the trip.
We went back to the busy corner on the other side of the station from us. We tried Pachinko. It is more like a slot machine now. Still some ball bearings, but not like the old machines. I asked Remi about it. She said you can still find the old machines, but they are not common.
Next, we went to karaoke. Lots of fun. The place has separate rooms for karaoke. Groups rent them. Food is available and musical props. We same Jumpin' Jack Flash (who knew it was about abuse), YMCA, Windy and more.
Sushi making for lunch.
We gave our farewells after lunch. We missed the farewell dinner because Tim booked the return flight incorrectly. We had to return to Tokyo for our flight the next day. Remi took us to the station and made sure we got to our track on time. We needed assistance passing through the ticket scanner.
We needed our QR code to exit the station in Tokyo. Who knew?
Cab to the hotel. The entrance to the hotel from the terminal had in interesting wall of suitcases.
We had confusion with registering at the hotel. We had to use first name, instead of last name, since Japanese to sir name first. Two Barbaras. Yikes.
We ate sushi in the terminal. Fun. Very Japanese.
