Torii Gates

If you've watched Memoirs of a Geisha, there is a scene where Zhang Zhi Yi is running through a series of gates after stealing the green destiny sword or something like that. These gates are located n Kyoto. I suspect that the colors of the gates were heightened because walking through them they appeared worn over time.


On the way to the gates there are a series of shrines which you can make prayers at and place donations.

My nephew and niece washing their hands before entering the temple

One of the walls where people can leave their prayers

The path through the gates is approximately 4km long and will take you about 2 hours to move through since it is all uphill. The heat was brutal that day so my family and I opted for ice cream instead.





At one point the path diverges into two but they don't go very far before they reunite.




This is the reverse view. I believe the etchings are records of groups that have passed through the gates. It was a pretty interesting place to visit and I'm disappointed I didn't get to see the whole thing. I would definitely like to come back during the winter, spring, or fall and go through the entire path.

The Golden Pavillion

There isn't much to say other than it's a temple out on a pond. Oh, it's plated in gold, too. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the day I went was slightly overcast so I couldn't capture the full effect of the temple when it's in the sun. On a better note, I didn't pass out from the sauna known as Japan.



I'll have to return someday with a hammer and chisel.

Nijo Castle

This is the front gate to Nijo castle. Nijo castle is located pretty much in the center of Kyoto. It's really hard to capture just how massive the castle is but from the pictures you can see how tall the average asian person is in comparison.

Left side of the castle

The castle is a series of gates which eventually lead to an inner keep.

Floor plans I stole from wiki

What is really interesting about this castle is the amount of detail and planning it took to construct. In building 4, the floors are intentionally designed to squeak as a method to alert anyone of intruders. Any assassin attempting to navigate the floor would be heard long before they reached their target. The really neat thing about this is that the floors are designed to squeak within a certain pitch, making the floor boards sound like nightingales. In an attempt to prove my untapped ninja skills I tried my best to move without making any noises but failed miserably.

Building 4, one the of central keeps

Unfortunately, I was not able to get a video of this because photography is prohibited inside to protect the art which adorns the walls and ceilings of the keep. With so many people inside pressing upon the floor boards, the hallways sound as if you are walking through an aviary. Medieval Japanese art can be found on any of the paper walls and all of it is rather impressive. You can buy smaller prints of the art at the souvenir shop at the end of the tour. If you are into history, this is definitely one of the places you should see if you are in Kyoto as you will not be dissappointed.

Walls of the inner keep

View from the tower

Kyoto

Catching the bullet train from Tokyo was a new experience for me. I was actually quite impressed as it was more like catching a flight than riding a train. Unlike trains in the US, the ride on the bullet train was silky smooth. The fare for a round trip from Tokyo ran about 200 Yen.

Kyoto from the Station

Arriving in Kyoto was akin to stepping into a furnace. The humidity coupled with the lack of trade winds is a great way to shed those extra pounds. What is really surprising is how none of the Japanese people I saw were perspiring at all, as if they lacked sweat glands.

If you were not aware, Kyoto was the formal capital of Japan prior to Tokyo. Kyoto is an interesting city in that it has elements of feudal Japan scattered amongst a modern day city.



It isn't hard to find temples or other historical sights as they are literally blocks from each other. Finding gifts wasn't too difficult and the shopping here was fairly priced.

One of the shopping areas in Kyoto

This open shopping area had lots of nice trinkets for tourists. One of the more interesting shops specialized in fans.



The price ranged between 1000 Yen to over 45000 Yen, or 10 to 450 dollars. Some of these prints were quite exquisite. I should note that the 2500 Yen and lower fans can easily be found elsewhere in Japan and I've seen a fan that ran 2000 in one store and 1200 in another store just a block away.



Other stores varied in their wares from Aloha shirts, that looked like parrots exploded onto the fabric to porcelain Corgi's.