Sean, Ted and Lee had a hearty buffet breakfast in Hineno early this morning, then headed out by train for a two hour ride to Kyoto via downtown Osaka, arriving in time to spend a couple of hours wandering around Kyoto Station, The Cube and Isetan Department Store before settling in for an okonomiyaki (grilled noodles with all kinds of extras mixed in, served on an iron skillet) lunch.
Having ditched our luggage at the baggage storage center in the train station, we hopped a city bus for the short ride to Sanjusangendo, the famed Kyoto temple containing a thousand and one golden statues of Amida, the Buddha of Compassion.
Our second visit of the afternoon took us by taxi to Kiyomizudera, the "Pure Water Temple", where we were able (despite the ongoing reconstruction project which has placed significant parts of the complex "off limits" until well into the middle of the current decade) the significant structures in the complex and a lovely (if chilly) view of the entire heavily urbanized valley below.
Our touring day ended with a leisurely walk along the base of the Eastern Hills, where we trod pedestrian-only streets long considered by Lee to represent traditional Kyoto at its best. The day by then had turned quite cold, so we retreated to the train station to retrieve our bags before taxing over to Rakutoso, the Three Sisters' Inn, where we will be staying for the coming four nights.
Although Lee swore he just wouldn't take any more photographs of scenes in and around this ancient capital, once he had his camera in hand, shot after shot just appeared, snatched out of the clear air onto his camera's memory card. The city is simply too picturesque to ignore!
Ted has become our official photographer, having discovered the particular pleasure of the panoramic shots his new camera allows. One consequence: more images of Lee (usually with Sean) in Japan than have existed prior to this particular moment:
There are even (a very few) cherry trees in blossom, giving Kyoto even a more charming and romantic atmosphere than usual.
Now if the weather would only warm up a bit ...
Having ditched our luggage at the baggage storage center in the train station, we hopped a city bus for the short ride to Sanjusangendo, the famed Kyoto temple containing a thousand and one golden statues of Amida, the Buddha of Compassion.
Our touring day ended with a leisurely walk along the base of the Eastern Hills, where we trod pedestrian-only streets long considered by Lee to represent traditional Kyoto at its best. The day by then had turned quite cold, so we retreated to the train station to retrieve our bags before taxing over to Rakutoso, the Three Sisters' Inn, where we will be staying for the coming four nights.
Although Lee swore he just wouldn't take any more photographs of scenes in and around this ancient capital, once he had his camera in hand, shot after shot just appeared, snatched out of the clear air onto his camera's memory card. The city is simply too picturesque to ignore!
Now if the weather would only warm up a bit ...
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