Kyoto




We headed down out of the Tokyo area for part of our trip. Our first stop was to Kyoto. I really wanted to go there to see the golden pavilion.

We purchased JR rail passes for a week of our travels in Japan which allowed us to use the shinkansen (bullet trains). I highly recommend getting a JR rail pass if you are going to Japan.
Cosette did really well on the shinkansen. It was a hour and a half train ride down to Kyoto from shin Yokohama.



Once in Kyoto we took a bus up to Kinkakuji (the golden pavilion).
It was stunning. I am so glad we went. Once again it was really really hot. But the Japan is the land of awesome vending machines. We walked by a icecream vending machine and enjoyed something nice and cold.






In my home town Oak Ridge, TN we have a smiliar bell to this one at Kinkakuji.




If you throw your coin into the basin by the shrine then you have good luck. It was hard. We did not see anyone make it.

Close by Kinkakuji is the Ryoanji Temple. Most temples in Japan are buddist but Ryoanji is a Zen temple. 






Ryoanji is home to the most famous rock garden in the world. This is the rock that is supposed to be the mother tiger helping her baby over a river. It was very peaceful and relaxing. Coco was a big hit with all the other visitors.



We only spent the afternoon in Kyoto which is not enough time at all. Kinkakuji and Ryoanji are two of the major sights to see and they are just down the road from each other so we thought it was a good trip.


Comments

  1. Paola8 August 2012 at 04:34

    Coco looks so cute in her kimono and shorts:) Looks like a fun place to visit. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete

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