Japan Story 28th March

 Early start? No problem.

Onto the platform JR National Railpass works a treat. We are using it all the time. We took the fast train to Kyoto. Changed to the subway system to kentoji. Whoops the train we caught was going the wrong way. Three treasures await us 

Firstly, Kinkaku-Ji Zen Temple, the golden pavlion and I do mean golden. Set amongst the most beautiful temperate Japanese gardens. We enjoyed a bowl of green tea and a tiny sugar cake in the tea house gardens. We were well-advised to come early, and it paid off. Thanks Lyle, because we had many vantage points from which take photographs of the shrine. It is set in a small lake which has minute islands with trees. So its like a fairytale. All the gardens are manicured by fellows with small millet? brooms. They were even brushing the gravel out from under the rock wall edges. Lyle looked up the pretty flowering shrub we had seen everywhere. Pieris Japonica, a Thunbergia, I think.

Then we travelled to the next treasure - Ryoanji Temple - A lovely warm walk for some. I took a cab. While I waited for the walkers I noted all the different accents and languages - visitors from all over the world. The beautiful gardens lead up to the temple proper and for the first time "off with our shoes". Of course, this procedure was logical and well run. I am fascinated by how things work, the trains, the shops etc:- How it would be possible to persuade people of all abilities to take off shoes? They provide walls of shelving for our shoes with a wooden platform in front of it. Just had to remember where I put my own. Meanwhile, a rock garden a real one. This one is so old, others copied it. So it's the one.  

It is truly a quiet contemplative place. There's a vibe.

The building has deep verandahs where we were permitted to walk. We could see each room.. peaceful and seriously minimalistic.

Then we took a turn around the garden. The path took us past the prettiest restaurant. It was on the edge of the lake surrounded by bamboo. However, he and I shared our bento box lunch on a beautiful park bench. Whoops again. Don spotted the "no food or drink" sign, all too late.  

Next everyone piled into cabs this time. To the jewel-in-the-crown castle. Nijo-Jo So old and incredibly well preserved. The whole package - mote, walls, grounds and buildings. We hightailed up to the south east watch tower, Tonan Sumi-yaguea- at the far corner of the grounds - once we had a sustaining snack and coffee first. Whoopsie, the bean soup we ordered is sweet.

Sure enough the views from the tower were far and wide, good for defence - a coolish job in winter for the guards, I'll bet.

Next a weeping cherry in full gorious bloom.

There was a bit maintenance work going on. So we were not able to fully see the magnificent gateways. These indicate status.

Nimom-goten Palace

The palace itself is really six connected buildings. The biggest is the reception room where the Shogun holds court. People are sat according to their rank all well-spaced and magnificently dressed and that's just the men. I happen to know this because there were statues of these people in costume and seated accordingly. All the rooms have gorgeous, golden screens with images of either tigers, trees or bamboo. The walls seem to glow, a golden glow. It is fabric, but I bet there's real gold in the mix.

The corridors of this palace are all connected, too and this is a long, magic walk. The construction of the floor has resulted in the strangest thing. The Nightingale corridor sings like a bird when you take a step upon it. It is a sprung floor and the nails underneath squeak against the metal struts and it sounds, for all the world, like birds whistling. I'll put that forward at home as a building project for Don to tackle.

Dinner in the fabulous Kyoto station. A sky garden with 360 degree views of the city and surrounds. We went up many escalators to reach the top and quite a few young fellows were running up. It must be a thing - Shades of "Rocky". As well, there is a gigantic staircase which tells a story in lights.  It has to be seen, to be believed. The weather had turned very cold and the wind had whipped up. So we went down to B1. We found a cute little sit-down place to eat. We shared a tasting plate and then Taa Daa a shaved ice "mountain".