Shogun Day 16: Kyoto Rest

Riders for Stage 2 arrived today, Rbert and Evelyn from Sydney and we lost Janice, Sally, Lance, Aiden and Tina…Team Samurai will ride on without them unfortunately.

Rest, laundry and sight seeing in such a contrasting environment to our last 4 days riding.

Kyoto is a true highlight of Japan and you can wander in any direction and it will always be interesting! Our hotel is fantastically located for just this!
We did not have time to see a lot of the sights of Kyoto so we chose a few and sought them out. ( it is a rest day after all!). I was with Moyra and Seth. First up was Erikando Temple with its beautiful forest paths, moss gardens and Japanese cut leaf maples.

An old still functioning viaduct…

From here we walked along the famous Philosopher’s Walk to the Nansen-Ji Temple aka the Silver Palace.

Before going into the Silver Palace grounds we had some fresh strawberries and delicious matcha tea, and a matcha latte

Fine pebble gardens in the Silver Palace…

More moss gardens …and coins in the pond

A nice view of the city in the background

Then on to the Kinkaku Temple aka the Gold Palace..

Kyoto – The City

Nestled among the mountains of Western Honshu, Heian-kyō (which translates to “capital of peace and tranquillity”), the former name of Kyōto, was the capital of Japan and the seat of the imperial court from 794 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

The city, built on the model of the ancient Chinese capital, modern-day Xian, was the religious, commercial, and artistic hub during the Heian period, and preserved its significance as a seat of power even after 1868 when the capital was moved to Edo (now Tōkyō).

Nowadays, Kyōto is the 8th largest city in Japan, with a population of close to 1.5 million. With over 1,200 Buddhist temples and 400 Shintō shrines, it is depicted as the heart of Japan where past and present coexist together in perfect harmony.

Despite the major industrial revolution of the Meiji period, wandering around Kyōto is still like a blast from the past: the ancient temples, shrines, inns, and palaces represent exactly what old Japan is in the global imaginary.

And of course some lunch of ramen in Kyoto miso with wagyu beef on ride with egg…note the colour of the egg yolk!