Kyoto... erm... take three?

Soooo... Tokyo was no go today.

Back to Kyoto, and it probably won't be the last time either. We still have people that want to check out more of the neat things there, like this nearly mile-long path of gateways, all painted saffron, and lined up so it almost looks like a tunnel. I will have to send along some pictures when I get some.

Today we saw the Mifune Matsuri (too lazy, just Google it). It took place on the river far on the outskirts of Kyoto, in Arashiyama. It's a very touristy area with a very historical style about it. It's not as over-crowded as some of the rest of the larger Japanese cities, though Kyoto is rather large itself.

Afterward, we climbed up what I will call "Monkey Mountain" because I can't remember the name. It is a steep hill that is a sanctuary for a couple hundred wild monkeys. Lookit how close I got!

I got a little too close to one and it attempted to eat me I think...

I met a girl from England on the way back, where we encountered a portable shrine being set down while the procession carrying it took a break. They set a box of beer right on the shrine, and started handing them out. I would assume this was for the Kami-sama of malted beverages and other related bacchanalia.

Lunch was fantastic. Curry again, with Asashi extra dry beer (same as pictured, LOL), and a desert consisting of an ice-cream, red bean, and kinako-covered, mochi-like dumplings, served with green tea.

We walked through the street shop district later and proceeded to the bamboo forest. It's just like something out of a samurai movie.

We encountered some people we left in Kyoto yesterday on the way out, and from there, headed home.

I will still attempt to go to Tokyo some time this week. I understand the half of our group that did go early yesterday didn't fare so well, as one of the travelers got... let's say, very sick, and was sent to the hospital overnight.

I'll be around Hikone tomorrow and I'll let you know what goes on.






Here are some images from yesterday's excursion:





The matsuri from yesterday was beautiful... but slow moving.


The American embassy.


I wish I could show you more of the museum. They disallowed photography inside. The outside was neat. Like a manga cafe --also quite popular here-- your admission gets you access to the thousands of manga books on the shelves in the museum archive to take with you and sit outside.

The English section is sizeable but nothing compared to the total Japanese language collection. But for 550 yen ($5.25) admission , you could come back time after time and pick up a stack of books, sit there, and read them all day!