Last Full Day :( Kyoto station!

Last full day left in Japan (we leave tomorrow evening and arrive home friday.) This is Kyoto station it is full of escalators and steps if you prefer to walk up them all :p. it is very modern and futuristic (it also has tons of shops inside so its more like a shopping mall.)

Walked (escalators) up the skyway to get a view of Kyoto tower and skyline.

Kyoto station.

This department store had all these toy vending machines and a lot more. (which one shall I pick?)

A shopping mall inside Kyoto station which is one of a few (most of them are underground.)

Kyoto tower at night.

What do you think of this salad real or plastic?

This is omelette stuffed with a rice risotto and cheese with ketchup on top, a popular dish in Japan.

Here is our last picture for the holiday I hope you enjoy it :p

We must have travelled over a thousand miles on all transport (bullet trains/trains/buses/foot.)

Japan was a great place to visit there are so many reasons why you should visit here, our favourites must be Mt Fuji, Wearing Kimonos or just the whole experience, places we visited and the japanese people we met who made us feel so welcome. :)

Day Twenty two Arashiyama/Kinkaku/Inari !

Went to Arashiyama for the Bamboo forest walk. The river above was so high and fast flowing that we could not do the river rafting we wanted to do :(

This is Kinkaku the golden Pavilion which is covered in shining gold. (which is very pretty)

Japanese currency (the small change) people were throwing them for wishes.

We think this is an egg but not sure what he is meant to be representing :P

Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine (fox shrine)

This shrine is full of Torii Gates which wind through the hills behind the main shrine there are about ten thousand of them.

It also has tons of fox statues around the area which are believed to be messangers of god.

These are used for people to write wishes and hopes for the future. These ones can also be drawn on to create your own fox face.

Oops Stephanie dropped her train ticket on to the track just when the train came :( lucky enough the barrier on the other side allowed me through without a ticket because we showed them this picture. (they thought it was quite funny :p)
The ticket is the small black piece of paper at the bottom of the picture.

Day Twenty one Kyoto (Gion)

We visited a food market this morning which was filled with so many different sea creatures like the poor little octopus on sticks. :(

Gion area which a lot of people walk around Kimonos.

This man was making peanut biscuits which were very tasty.

Maiko (the lady with the make up) walking through Gion streets.

Kyoto Tower from the top of the hill.

These are plums called Umeboshi which have been pickled and are very sour.

We had to laugh at this Japanese to English Translation :) can you understand it?

Day Twenty Gojo/Gion!

Met Yuki again today in Kyoto in the Gojo area and hired a Kimono for the day (even if it was raining)
In these pictures we are deciding what Kimono we want to wear (so much choice) :)

You also had to pick a sash to match the fabric of the Kimono.

We both had our hair done first then we got ready with the Kimonos which take two people to put together. (the sash gets put on really tight like a corset :p)

The Kimono I picked had Sakura blossoms (cherry blossom) on it so I chose a Sakura blossom hair piece to match. (and to keep)

The socks to wear with the the shoes (they are like flip flops.)

Yuki looked really pretty in the Kimono she picked.

We went to the Kiyomizu-dera temple which is one of the most popular temples in Kyoto.

This is part of another shrine that is know as a match making love shrine called Jishu-jinja and is popular for young girls.

This is called Dango and is really yummy it is Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour) its a sweet treat. This one was dipped in soya sauce and was cooked. (you can eat it non-cooked as well.)

Dinner was lovely as well this was filled with rice and mozzarella with a meat sauce.