Our second day in Kyoto and we boarded a local train and went to see the Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine in southern Kyoto. The head shrine of some 40,000 Inari shrines located throughout the land, it was founded in 711 and dedicated to five Shinto deities. The more than 10,000 red painted Torii gates stradling the four km path up the hill behind it...

We boarded the Shinkansen at 8.15am bound for Kyoto and arrived about 10.30am, caught a taxi to the Kyoto Royal Hotel. Because check in was 2pm we left our luggage and journeyed off to the Gion district which was a 15 minute walk from the Hotel, we stayed in this Hotel when we were here in 2003 so we knew our way around. Had some lunch and took ...

Entry containing 30 photos titled: Bamboo forest Arashiyama, Cherry blossoms, Hida Folk Village Takayama, Himeji Castle, Nikko, Nikko, Bamboo forest Arashiyama, Himeji Castle, Nikko, Arashiyama, Azalea at Arashiyama, Bamboo forest Arashiyama, Cherry Blossom tree, Cherry blossoms at night in Gion, Cherry blossoms, Deer at Nara Park, Golden Pavilion, Hida Folk Village Takayama, Hida Kokubunji Temple, Takayama, Himeji Castle, Japanese Garden Nikko, Japanese ladies at Arashiyama, Japanese lunch at Koyasan, Maiko in Kyoto, Nijo Castle, Nikko, Osaka Castle, Statue of Liberty Tokyo, Todaiji Temple Nara, Tokyo bridge

What a busy day today! I was lucky enough to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites in and around Kyoto today as well as catch some of the Kyoto nightlife at the beginning of a Japanese bank holiday weekend. Michi had warned me that a lot of walking would be involved and she wasn't joking! The Golden Pavilion Temple The day was fairly overcast and we...

We had to check out of the Ryokan but I wasn't going to go without one last soak in the Onsen before breakfast. Once again, the Onsen was deserted but it was a peaceful start to the morning. There is something special about being able to start a busy day with a quiet morning, free from distractions and played at ones leisure. We were served a tr...