more Japan

Isao, Peter, Kiriko, and we journeyed west to Kyoto the next day, again traveling in Isao’s car. It was the peak of cherry blossom time! We hoped to ride the bus to various temples, but our first ride was packed. The driver kept letting on more people, and I guess the bus just kept making room because we added at least twenty more after it was full! We made it to Nanzen-ji Temple and walked the beautiful grounds with ponds, mossy gardens, little running streams, peaked buildings with curved tile roofs, pines, and the flowering cherries (sakura) everywhere. Isao climbed with me to the top of the temple to see the view. We walked along the Philosophers’ Walk beside a stream with cherry tree boughs hanging over, stopping for lunch at a café. We then visited Kiyomize-dera Temple where we lit incense and saw people drinking the holy water coming down from Lake Biwa. At the end of the day we met Matthew, Wendy, and Barrett and all went for a Japanese “Viking style” dinner. We had divided trays and could try many different dishes. Matthew’s family were spending the night in Kyoto, and we drove back to Nagoya.
Isao and Kyoko have a house with a garden. The side of the house where we stayed had been his father’s home. We got to stay in a tatami mat room with comfortable Japanese beds. We had breakfast one day in the sunshine on their deck. More coming on Japan.