It seems that everyone who knew I was going to visit Japan told me some version of “you have to go to Kyoto.” Our ship docked at Kobe City overnight on June 17 and 18th. I took a long excursion from Kobe to Kyoto on the 17th. It is about a two hour drive from Kobe to Kyoto.
Kyoto was the Imperial Capital of Japan for many years, and the cultural heart of Japan. It is known for temples and castles, and Geisha. Our tour did pretty well on the temples, castles, and gardens. They are ancient and very interesting. It seemed like we were touring them along with more Japanese tourists than I could imagine, so it was interesting, in a kind of tourist way.
We visited the Kinkaku-ji Temple was first built in 1397 and has now been reconstructed. It is a Buddhist temple. Tourists cannot go inside.
The beauty of the temple can be enjoyed from the gardens.
We also visited the former Imperial Villa, the Nijo-Jo Castle. This is a World Heritage Site, which saw many important transitions in Japanese history.
I was able to go inside the Niomaru Palace, which has beautiful painted walls. That was very impressive. No pictures can be taken there. This site gives an overview of the palace and shows some of the paintings I could not photograph.
There are also gardens to be enjoyed.
Our final visit of the day was the Sanjusangen-do temple. The outside is a plain long building.
One may not take pictures inside. Here is a site that shows some of the images inside the Sanjusangen-do temple. There long rows of golden Buddhas, Hindu Gods in front of them, and a large central Buddha. This is a functioning temple, with many people visiting to worship amidst the many tourists.
Well, that was my trip to Kyoto. Impressive and interesting, but not magical. If I go again, I’ll try to spend more time there and look for ways to explore more of the little places and culture. Perhaps there is also some time of year when there are fewer tourists.
It seems you had a chance to explore more of Japan than some other places. It has been on my bucket list but for now I am in your state of Massachusetts at the Jacobs Pillow, Dance Festival, and Edith Wharton, house and property. It has been wonderful to follow some of your adventures. It will be interesting to hear about your thoughts after you come home.
Thanks for this and for the link to the photos from the inside. A really beautiful place, and I hope it is a little cooler there than your earlier destinations.
I’m glad that you got a taste of Kyoto, as it certainly is a lovely city. I spent two weeks there, exploring every tiny shrine and garden available. Good luck with the rest of your trip. Stay healthy.