12/2/2023 Tenryuji Garden                                      Arashiyama Bamboo Grove,Nijo Castle Complex

Tenryuji Garden, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, incorporates a fusion of several elements to achieve its zen atmosphere - white sand resembling a wave-like pattern, rocks and stones intentionally arranged around an iconic pond, and unparalleled views of Mount Arashiyama and Mount Kameyama.

Need a beer? Grab a Kirin just inside the entrance gate.

Cemeteries.

 

Beautifully landscaped grounds.

Bamboo Groves.

The 70-acre Nijo Castle Complex encompasses multiple palaces, gardens, and water features that cannot compete with Tenryuji Garden and its myriad fall colors. But it did offer hilarious signage and Ninomaru Palace with its "nightingale floors," wooden floorboards designed to chirp a birdlike noise when stepped on.

Located just inside the main outer entrance.

On the inside of each cubicle door in the bathroom.

We had an enjoyable farewell dinner with the well-traveled and knowledgeable manager, who focused on meeting us individually during the meal. Our ruckus bothered the rest of the customers within earshot.

Some people did last-minute shopping after dinner. I wanted to get some night views of Kyoto Station and downtown before joining Rochelle for a walk back to our hotel to finish packing for our departure the next day.

The drive to Osaka Airport was almost 90 minutes, unfortunately, most of it being buffeted by wind gusts along the highway, which blew undeterred by the screening installed along the edges in each direction. Paula and I felt sorry for our driver since she had to navigate that roundtrip all day, every day.

The airport was a zoo. We had to wait to check in 3 hours before our flights, and then you wasted almost two hours in a line stretching the length of the entire airport to squeeze into the smallest TSA area I've ever witnessed.

Thankfully, my half-empty flight to Los Angeles departed quickly, and an extraordinary woman working customs and passport control helped me set up my Mobile Passport Control app. on my phone, allowing me to breeze through customs without waiting in a long line. On top of that, it's free!

 

 12/1/2023

Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha),  Kinkakuji Temple

Mica has her whispers tuned in for the Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha), a World Heritage Site in southeast Kyoto, one of Japan's best-known Shinto shrines. It is famous for its tunnels of more than 10,000 closely-spaced orange torii gates that wind over the hills of Mt. Inari beyond the entrance to the shrine.

Fushimi-Inari-Taisha enshrines the god Inari, which is the god of the rice harvest, commerce, and business. The messenger of the god Inari is the fox.  The key in their mouth represents the key to the rice storehouse in ancient times.

Since it was university entrance exam season, the long line of students who studied and those who should have were wrapped around the building.

Two stone lanterns are holding round rocks behind and to the right of the main hall of the inner shrine. These rocks are the Omokaru Ishi, and they are an unusual way of making a wish. After a person makes a wish, they try to lift one of the rocks. Supposedly, your wish will come true if you can pick up the chosen rock. If not, you're out of luck.  

I have a strange feeling this group should have studied longer.

We explored the Nishiki Market, AKA "Kyoto's Kitchen," a five-block-long row of shops and restaurants showcasing fresh produce, seafood, cookware, wine, baked goods, and almost everything imaginable. 

Miki gave us 500 Japanese Yen ($3.50) and then challenged us to find, buy, photograph, and taste something unique. She gave us about 45 minutes, including time for our own lunch. Being the competitive person I am, I took off to get away from the group in search of the weirdest food I could find...

How about a candied-grilled octopus inside a quail egg? 

I was sure this had to be a winner, but Stan and Paula also chose it, and I forfeited because I refused to take a bite out of it. In the end, Mica broke their tie with a win.

I recovered by having a delicious 4-cheese pizza and two beers for lunch, so the day was not a total loss.

Kinkakuji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, an architectural gem dating back to 1387 when it was built by the third shogun (military commander) of the Ashikaga Shogunate.

Main Entrance to the Kinkakuji Temple.

Three views of the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. 

11/30/2023 Train from Toba to Nara to Kyoto 

After a lunch stop in Nara, once the capital of Japan, we visited Nara's famous Todaiji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest wooden building in the world.

There is so much rice with almost every meal I never try to eat it. It's just not worth the calories.

From the moment we approached the Temple's Daibutsu-den Hall, it was a Kodak lover's dream - a major historic temple filled with valuable artifacts, a 52-foot Buddha, and a park filled with tame, free-roaming deer in search of shika senbei (special biscuits) from unsuspecting tourists.

Better get off your phone, Stan.  

  A deer is stalking you for a biscuit!

Bright yellow hats made it easy to keep tabs on students. 

Kokuuzo-bosatsu

Wooden model of Todaiji Temple.

Schoolkids loved exploring the wooden passageway.

 

Metal sculpture of Lotus Flowers and Butterflies

The Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae was interesting and unique in many ways.  The free ice cream in the chest freezer near the 9th-floor elevator door was most notable. Guests were encouraged to help themselves.  

Most of us voted the bathroom also provided the best shower overall.

Warm, toasty pajamas, which Paula and I were hoping to purchase, hung in the closet, with quite a few guests taking the liberty of wearing them down to breakfast (which I thought was a great idea).

And, a 24-hour Lawson's store with connecting access to the Dormy Inn had the most reasonably-priced red wine and junk food during the entire trip (and that's saying something since their competition included 7-Eleven stores.)

Paula and I posed in the pajama tops. 

I was also wearing the pants as well.

After checking into our hotel, we had dinner at the Kyoto Handicraft Center while viewing a traditional dance demonstration by a maiko (apprentice geisha). Maiko begin their training between the ages of 15 and 20. They wear traditional kimonos and learn to dance, sing, or play an instrument.