Last night’s rain seemed to have subsided when we got up
this morning and it promised to be a good day. However that changed when we got
to the train station. It all changed when we found the trains had all been
cancelled as the rain had washed away the rails somewhere. It took 2 hours to
get us sorted and installed on buses bound for Fukuoka. The journey was about 2
– 2 ½ hrs then we went to the train station to pick up a direct rain to Kyoto
bypassing our stop at Hiroshima. It was a weary bunch of travellers who finally
arrived at Tokyo Inn Gojon in Kyoto at about 4pm. I just dropped my bags off
and headed to Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. What an amazing place. The structures
were huge and so impressive, although just as impressive was the metal
structure covering the Amida-do (Buddha Hall) which is being restored.
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| Higashi-Honan-ji Temple - Amida-do |
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| Higashi-Honan-ji Gatehouse |
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| Cranes! |
I bumped
into Keith, Iris and Gary and we wandered down to the train station to go up to
the roof garden for a view of the whole city.
The station is a very modern building and although I think
in general it isn’t well liked I loved it. A very impressive structure of steel
girders etc.
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| Kyoto Train Station |
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| Kyoto Train Station |
For dinner we went to a restaurant serving traditional
Hiroshima pancake / omelette things which you cook yourself on a hotplate. Must
admit it wasn’t the nicest meal I’e had since I’ve been in Japan. Afterwards we
wandered down Pontocho Alley; a really atmospheric alley in the entertainment
area. We didn’t see any Geisha or Maiko though – maybe tomorrow.
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