Category: Kyoto

• Location:  Kyoto – Day 1
• Walk:  Kyoto
• Weather:  50-60°/ sunny clear sky, light afternoon rain, winds  10-20 mph 

Kinkaku-ji is Temple of the Golden and a Zen Buddhist temple.  The top two floors are covered with gold leaf. It was believed that gold purified any negativity towards death. How Zen.

• Location:  Kyoto – Day 1
• Walk:  Kyoto
• Weather:  50-60°/ sunny sky with light evening rain, winds  10-20 mph 

OVERVIEW

WALK: 5m from Natural Hot Spring Dormy Inn Himeji to JR Himeji Train Station

TRAIN: 1h @ 9:11on JR Shinkansen Hikiri 502 car #14 seat 2-E to Kyoto Station @ 10:02

BOARDED WRONG TRAIN: 8:20 disembarked at Kobe Statin and 8:35 embarked correct train at Kobe Station

TRAIN: 10:03 Kyoto Station

RENDEZVOUS: 10:03 @ Kyoto Station South Exit to Hachijo Exit West > general car area

An unexpected rendezvous with Namiyo and Saburo brought joy. They were sightseeing in Kyoto with three Spanish friends and Namiyo’s sister. 

• Location:  Nara City  > Kyoto > Nara City
• Tour:  Higashiyma Jisho-ji (Silver Temple) & Nanzen-ji Temple
• Walk: Philosopher’s Path Kyoto
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

Street scenes…

• Location:  Nara City  > Kyoto > Nara City
• Tour:  Higashiyma Jisho-ji (Silver Temple) & Nanzen-ji Temple
• Walk: Philosopher’s Path Kyoto
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

Nanzen-ji Temple‘s brick aqueduct constructed between 1868-1912 still carries water today. 

• Location:  Nara City  > Kyoto > Nara City
• Tour:  Higashiyma Jisho-ji (Silver Temple) & Nanzen-ji Temple
• Walk: Philosopher’s Path Kyoto
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

When was the last time you got paid to play in the sand? After a year of training, this gardener is spending his first day making his own creation. The tension was palpable when his master approached.

• Location:  Nara City  > Kyoto > Nara City
• Tour:  Higashiyma Jisho-ji (Silver Temple) & Nanzen-ji Temple
• Philosopher’s Walk
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Temple) is perhaps the Japanese’s favorite temple because of its simple elegance. The temple is in perfect balance and harmony with its serine gardens.  Silver Temple has mastered the art of less is best. 

• Location:  Kasihara City  > Uji > Kyoto 
• Tour:  Fushimi Inairi Shrine
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

The seemingly endless path of vibrant orange torii gates takes the average person 2 hours (774’ above sea level) to climb. It’s an iconic image of Kyoto. 

• Location:  Kasihara City  > Uji > Kyoto 
• Tour:  Fushimi Inairi Shrine
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

Fushimi Inairi Shrine is dedicated to Inairi the god of rice. Foxes are thought to be messengers of Inairi. The pairing of Agyō (open mouth gate statue) and Ungyō (closed mouth gate statue) governs the beginning and ending of all things.

• Location:  Kasihara City  > Uji > Kyoto > Nara City
• Tour:  Byodoin Temple & Phoenix Hall
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

Phoenix Hall named for the two rooftop phoenixes. It was built in 1053 and is one of a few wooden structures of that period never to have burned. 

• Location:  Kasihara City  > Uji > Kyoto > Nara City
• Tour:  Byodoin Temple & Phoenix Hall
• Weather:  55-75° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph 

OVERVIEW 

DRIVE: 2h (business rush hour traffic) from Kasihara City to Uji 

TOUR: Byodoin Temple & Phoenix Hall

DRIVE: 45m from Uji to Fushimi Inairi Shrine, Kyoto

TOUR: Fushimi Inairi Shrine

DRIVE: 2h 15m (business rush hour traffic) from Fushimi Inairi Shrine to Natsuko’s house in Nara City 

SLEEP: Natsuko’s house in Nara City 

Byodoin Temple is a striking example of Jodo Architecture. The temple and gardens represent pure land paradise…heaven on earth.