A ryokan is a traditional Japanese guesthouse. Our room has tatamis, a low table and mats instead of chairs. At night we sleep on a futon that was put on the floor while we were having dinner in a large hall downstairs. Although this is in the middle of Kyoto it is very quiet. A beautiful garden surrounds the ryokan and just looking at it during breakfast eases your mind.
Breakfast with a view
We are wearing a blue and white yukata (house robe) with a dark-blue overcoat – very comfortable but during the meals we still feel a little silly in it.
After we got off the Shinkansen (bullet train) in Kyoto, Irene’s friend from old Cologne times, Michiko, came from her home-town Gifu and waited for us at the mega-modern train station of Kyoto – to guide us to our ryokan and be together with us for one afternoon. We visited the Kiyomizu Temple, which is famous for its 1000 year old main hall built without a single nail. Irene showed Bob the temple for lovers where she made a wish five years ago … Now, what better proof than us that it helps! The temple also has a little restaurant and we had tofu watching the crowds go by.
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- Breakfast with a view
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- Bob, Irene and Michiko
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- Alley leading to the temple
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- Internet connection!
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- Good for the blog – internet connection!
In front of the Kiyomizu Temple
Bob, Irene and Michiko
Kyoto – the city of thousand temples, enough to visit in a lifetime, but Kyoto also has a fantastic food market (Nishiki Market) that we discovered today. Now Bob and I are debating priorities. Finding food heaven or soul heaven. We settle for doing both and for coming back sooon!
Hello Irene and Bob!
Thought maybe we would get a picture of Japan celebrating, too! I shared a bottle of sekt with my colleagues. They shared some of my enthusiasm. I found the election results overwhelming, unfortunately not enough to stop a filibuster. Are many Japanese addressing the topic?
Well, I wish I would have been in the US to experience the historic moment!
Will this inspiration remain alive and will we now work towards creating that better future? I hope so, too.
Greetings my friends and to Japan from Cologne!
Faith