My Oyster

To the heights for our last full day in Japan...

We decided again to train our way out of the city and explore a bit more off the beaten path.  It was actually a hard decision because we are so much enjoying Kyoto proper.  But we spent the day up in the mountains outside of Kyoto and we were really happy we did.  It is simply stunning up in the mountains.  Hiking along winding trails and roads with centuries old temples nestled in old growth forests was a wonderful way to end our trip.

We also got Jean to his first onsen experience.  It was incredibly relaxing to be in the natural warm Sulphur springs looking up at the gigantic trees and mountainscapes.

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from our last full day here in Japan...

Nature...

Forests and mountains for as far as the eye could see.

Beauty...

Vermillion speckled trails cut through old growth forests leading to an important Buddhist temple.

Fun...

Walking through the small village of Kurama to find the onsen.

Spirit...

This dragon attending to the fountains to wash hands before entering a temple.

Just liked it...

We reached the top of the mountain and took a rest at the Kurama-Dera temple.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

So many temples, not enough time, and too many deer...

Today we hopped a train to Nara based on the recommendations of a few friends.  The temples there did not disappoint. We only visited the town for a few hours and saw just three temples, but they were spectacular.  I have really come to like taking off my shoes and feeling the smooth wood under foot while walking slowly around a temple and soaking in all the detail - up above, down below, and really all around.  It is a wonderful experience.

Despite great word of mouth about the town, and yes the temples were amazing, we were a little skeeved out by the enormous number of deer roaming every inch of the town and aggressively looking for food handouts.  After experiencing three temples, we decided to call it quits and head back to Kyoto. The deer really were too much for us.  Back in Kyoto we visited the Higashi Hongan-ji temple - very glitzy for Kyoto.  It is also the biggest wooden building in the world.  We loved it - even moreso because we were forced to hang out there for a long time as a thunderstorm passed by.  It was really nice to just relax there for a while.

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from day 5 here in Kyoto...

Nature...

Too much nature.  Smelly, aggressive deer looking for food.  Hundreds of them.

Beauty...

Higashi Hongan-Ji's gold and dark wood set against a stormy grey sky.  Loved it.

Fun...

Butterflies with Buddha in Nara.

Spirit...

An older woman experiencing a temple in Nara.

Just liked it...

Not at all sure what I was seeing, but I liked the mix of colors and textures very much.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

Vermillion, Bamboo, and Temples...

Today we traveled to opposite ends of Kyoto so we could experience some of the city's most stunning beauty.  We had been waiting for a sunny day to see the thousands of vermillion (orange) entrance gates that line paths up and down Mount Inari - a Shinto shrine. We were not disappointed. We are there in the pic above.  It was truly one of the most visually stunning settings I have experienced.

After spending the morning on Mount Inari, we went to the opposite corner of the city for the afternoon to visit several temples and the bamboo forest in Arashiyama.  Also stunning. 

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from day 9 here in Japan...

Nature...

The bamboo forest was enormous and I loved peering through both the tops and the bases.

Beauty...

The Shinto shrine at Fushimi Inari-Taisha was a feast for all senses.

Fun...

Love the Geishas.

Spirit...

The fox is the messenger of Inari - the god of grains.

Just liked it...

Today was our first clear day in Kyoto and we got to see the layers of mountains that surround the city.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

Living the lush life...

Kyoto has so many shades of green.  It has so much thick moss.  The breadth and depth of colors and textures here are impossible to capture with a camera...but I love trying.  I also love just soaking it all in. 

This morning, we got out even earlier than usual and visited a temple in our neighborhood, the Shoren-in.  We were the only ones there for quite a while and we just sat on the tatami mats and walked, barefoot, on the wooden planks around the several buildings of the temple.  It was so peaceful and the gardens were stunning.

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from day 2 here in Kyoto...

Nature...

Mushrooms love it here.  Even on the rooftops.  This one at Chion-in temple.

Beauty...

At the imperial palace - right outside his personal quarters. 

Fun...

An old (Japanese?) car that I had never heard of was parked on our walk to the palace.

Spirit...

Messages at one of the temples.

Just liked it...

Geisha foto shoot at a temple this morning.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

Soaking wet and very happy...

Kyoto is even more beautiful, more zen, more romantic in the rain.  We experienced that today.  We are at the tail end of the rainy season here in Japan but that has not slowed us down (spent 10 hours straight walking the city today) or dampened our enthusiasm for this amazing city.

The mist and the rain give us a different lens to see the city.  Geishas with umbrellas. Stones on the roofs and streets glistening even more brightly.  It is all really breathtaking and we have been soaking it all in.  Literally and figuratively.  Our feet our tired and our shoes are soaked  We are happy.

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from day 2 here in Kyoto...

Nature...

Rain hitting a pond at Kodai-ji temple.

Beauty...

Kiyomizu-dera temple shining brightly.

Fun...

Geishas and photographers are everywhere here.

Spirit...

This sole Buddha seemed so serene in this spot at the Kiyomizu-dera temple.

Just liked it...

I don't know if this boy was posing or sincerely contemplating the many buddhas - but it was a nice scene.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

Moving on to Kyoto...

This afternoon we took the 2.5 hour Shinkansen bullet train ride from Tokyo to our next stop, Kyoto.  I have been to Tokyo many times and like it.  I have never been to Kyoto.  I already love it.  Smaller. Greener. More peaceful.  A photographers dream of angles, textures, and colors.  This will be a fun few days!

Jean and I rolled into town at around 230pm and spent the next several hours walking from temple to temple and through the downtown area.  The pic above is at Gingkaku-ji, the Silver Pavillion - our first stop today. The first several hours were overwhelming and we just started to get a glimpse of all the imperial wonders that Kyoto has to offer us. 

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from our first day in Kyoto...

Nature...

More moss.  Japan does moss like nobody's business. This is a hillside at Ginkaku.

Beauty...

A perfect setting. Like living in a painting.

Fun...

This boy kept leaning over the railing to look at all the money in the stream below.  I was a bit nervous he would fall in.

Spirit...

We stumbled into a stunning and so quiet Buddhist cemetary. This gate was the entrance.

Just liked it...

The details everywhere you look are breathtaking.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

New neighborhoods, new friends...

We started out our last full day in Tokyo doing a walking tour around a less touristy but very cool neighborhood (Shimo-Kitazawa) and ended the day with a great dinner getting to know two new friends.  Jean and I will be together with Louis and Keisuke - in the pic with us above - in Wisconsin in a month to celebrate Ashely & Drew's marriage.  Tonight they helped us navigate the menu for some typical Japanese food at a local favorite restaurant.

In between our morning and evening adventures, we walked more of the city and did some fun shopping for family and friends.

And here are my Five Favorite Fotos from day 5 of our trip together in Japan...

Nature...

I loved how these hydrangeas peeked into softened up this side street in Shimo-Kitazawa.

Beauty...

Big art in Shibuya station.

Fun...

Street art in Shimo-Kitazawa.

Spirit...

Busy Sunday morning life in Shimo-Kitazawa.

Just liked it...

This side street was quiet but so full of character.

And more photos here at my flickr account.

 

Sailor Moon, BL, anime, and manga...

Today was Jean's day in Tokyo.  We spent much of it roaming around Akihabara looking at old and new versions of all this very Japanese style of expression.  Wow.  A bit of overload for me and so I was happy to be crashing in the room tonight - pic above. We did squeeze in a bit of shopping and some fun in Shibuya, too.

With some pretty severe anime driven limitations, here are my Five Favorite Fotos from day 4 of our trip together in Japan...

Nature...

The best I could do today was this assortment of plastic dragons.

Beauty...

I was ready for a cocktail and some soft jazz tonight.

Fun...

Pink robot and three guys endlessly talking about it. Her?

Spirit...

Rising sun jumbotron over Shibuya Crossing.

Just liked it...

It actually creeped me out, but Jean clearly did like it.

And more photos here at my flickr account.