Tokyo’s Imperial Palace

The only way to visit this site was on an organized tour. Photo identification was required and bags were searched as if we were possible terrorists before we headed out with a guide who read off a set script. I’m not sure why the search was necessary because we were only ushered through about an eighth of the grounds and weren’t allowed inside the palace.

A Japanese food feast

I recently saw someone wearing a t-shirt that read, “I travel to eat.” And that is definitely me too.

Return to Kyoto’s Nishiki Markets

I had to return to these markets. I was on an errand — a request for a ginger grater in a kitchen shop. I had ignored such places up until then, but now that I was forced to enter the store, I discovered what a fascinating lot of merchandise the shop carried.

A lesson in calligraphy

I imagined calligraphers at a wooden desk or easel with a thick brush carefully creating black inked strokes into a Haiku poem. But . . .

Downtown Kyoto

Spellbound by the beauty of the use of roof tiles and wood panels on Kyoto’s traditional Japanese buildings, I was disappointed this unique architecture did not transpose on to its modern structures. In fact, some of Kyoto’s modern buildings were down right ugly.

Kifune Shrine of tears

About two kilometres from Kibune-guchi train station I approached the first shrine where I climbed  stone steps lined with lanterns. Strangely, there was a statue of a black horse that appeared to be crying.

Kibune Forest

By the road that led from Kibune-guchi train station, north of Kyoto I found that if I wasn’t admiring the Kibune River, I took in the beauty of the forest along the hike leading to the shrines three kilometres ahead.

Hike of one hundred waterfalls

From Kibune-guchi train station north of Kyoto, a bus took visitors up the hill to the mountain temples, but that would have meant missing the countless waterfalls on the three kilometre trek. So I ploughed up the roadside where streams of cars passed. It was shady and although a warm summer day, it grew cooler as I climbed.

Ginkaku-ji

Close by the Path of Philosophy was Ginkaku-ji (or the Silver Pavilion) constructed as a villa in 1482 for a shogun. After the shogun’s death the grounds at the base of Higashiyama Mountain Range were converted into a temple.

Path of Philosophy

At the foot of Higashiyama Mountain Range, this walkway was peaceful with the sound of water rippling under lush trees and a handful of hikers here and there. But if I thought I’d escaped the tourist shops, I was wrong. They kept appearing along the route.