Just an Ordinary Saturday

Keeping busy in Kyoto on Saturday is not the least bit difficult. To help us get a sense of this place (which we've learned is the seventh largest city in Japan) we signed up for a half-day tour of three typical spots. First, Nijo Castle, home of the Shoguns. (I didn't see the mini-series or read the book, but may want to do that after this tour.) Then, we went to a Shinto shrine - ack! I didn't write the name of it down! It was a last minute change to the itinerary. I'll have to do some searching to see if I can find it. And we ended at the "Golden Pavillion" (really named Kinkakuji Temple), a Bhuddist temple.

Here's the best pictures of the day, starting with Nijo Castle, which was built in 1603. We weren't able to take pictures inside, but it was a beautiful series of Japanese rooms, with painted murals and carvings. Each place a nail was used, it was covered by a carved metal plate, over 400 in all, each with a different design.

The halls around the rooms were configured beneath so that they squeaked when you walked. This was to discourage assassins from sneaking up on the Shogun. They are called "nightengale" floors for that reason.



Before we could enter the shrine we had to remove our shoes and put them on the shelves:



The Shogun really knew how to make a nice garden, and if you look closely, you'll see an osprey on the bridge. It had just flown over our heads and landed there. Damn fine bird, with a helluva wide wingspan.



I can't believe I don't have the name of this shrine, but it was so freaking hot it was all I could do to take pictures and listen to the guide's descriptions of the places we visited:



At this shrine, one walks up to this place, throws money between the slats, steps back and prays. When finished, you clap twice, bow and back away. I also saw another woman pull on the rather long cord in the middle of the picture to ring the brass bell hung above. This picture doesn't really do it justice.



The back side of the shrine:



Then we were off to the Golden Pavillion:



The tour brochure says this is "perhaps the world's most authentic and exquisite Japanese garden." It was beautiful, certainly and we practically melted with the humidity:





As part of the visit to the shrine (and to make a few yen), we were invited to light a candle and some incense. First, you choose your prayer topic: - I picked a candle for the "God of Marriage."



Then I placed it here:



And lit my incense and placed it here. You stand for a moment and say your prayer and wave your hands over the rising smoke, pulling it toward yourself:



After some shopping and rest at the hotel, we ventured out for dinner last night, but didn't go far. Resting up for today's journey to China. We check out here around noon, take a taxi to the train station, hop a ride to Osaka Airport, get on a Nippon Airways flight to Shanghai. Once we land there, we are to be picked up by a car from the office, which will take us to our hotel. Luckily, in Shanghai it seems like we might have more personal care.

I'm really ready to come home now. It's been going great, but I'm tired of hotels and would really love to have a hamburger right about now.

Hope you all are well! See you in Shanghai!