Japan, Let's Go

Was unpacking and making sure I didn't lose any of my knickknacks-- so why not photo it? Incredibly happy I was able to find so many enamel pin and keychain goodies.

Please let today end.

This is the thanks I get for opening my final onigiri of the trip.

Really? I have no idea how we managed that! We chose places based on word of mouth and reviews on japan-guide(.)com and then visited based on what was the easiest travel route, especially in Kyoto and Hiroshima. Some of the locations were insisted on by Kat, who is here on exchange and just went to many of these places on a guided school travel group. We also chose order based on how much energy we thought we'd have by the end of week two. Tried to do the full day trips earlier since we knew we'd be dead on our feet by the end of our time in Japan.

Final count on regional Starbucks cards for the trip. Could have made a final push for one from Kobe but I didn't have the energy.

Second and last major stop of the day was Sumiyoshi-taisha. It was very quiet. I would have expected a taisha/great shrine to be busier than a handful of people.

Slept in late this morning since Kyoto destroyed our feet yesterday. Went to Osaka Castle since I've been in Japan a combined three weeks in two years and hadn't visited a castle. Honestly the moats and castle walls were some of the coolest stuff to see. Also it was 70 degrees outside and raining and the umbrella I was forced to buy at a tourist trap up there was $10 and ended up being broken when I finally got back to the station. Bleh.

When convenience stores give you an extra long straw for your carton because they know you're going to be drinking it on your own anyways.

It really hit me on the way back, but Kyoto Station is really tall.

There was a walkway segment above maple trees with everything lit from below and I had to take photos. The patterning reminded me a lot of fabric prints I had been seeing around.

More shots from Kyomizudera. Did I mention how pretty it was?

We decided to visit Kyomizudera after it opened up for its night hours so we could see it lit up. Best decision of the day by far. The main hall is currently under renovation for earthquake renforcement so I don't have any pictures of it. I loved seeing all the bright color details on this part of the shrine.

I must say, Kyoto buses are the least amount of fun. They’re confusing and way too warm and the only way to get around the inner parts of the city. After Ginkakuji we gave up on trying to find the right bus to take us to Gion so we went back to Kyoto Sation for lunch and then took trains to Gion. A little old man insisted on helping us when we got there, but he really wanted someone to check some of his writing in English, then managed a brief shopping trip before walking over to the famous shopping hill on Higashiyama, which we visited two years ago. This time around we stopped at the new Starbucks, which was blended perfectly into the rest of the buildings. I have to post all of my regional Starbucks cards still.

Ginkakuji was really pretty and serene! The moss gardens were so lush.

Yesterday was a full Kyoto day. We got up early to take the rapid service to Kyoto Station then made our first stop at Sanjyusangendo, where you're not allowed to take photos inside. The main hall is 120 meters long and enshrines 1000 life-sized Thousand Armed Kannon statues, plus the large main statue. After we got a late breakfast at a tiny cafe that was run by a single woman. She was so lovely that we wanted to ask if she would adopt all of us. On the way to Ginkakuji we walked along the Philosopher's Path where all of the cherry trees had already dropped their petals but the tiny waterway was solid in its collection of them.