The good news is, we both managed to fit everything into our cases! Bec has a few things in a carry on bag but the cases both weighed under our 25kg limit.
Renee and Matilda called in to our hotel and then we all left for today's adventure:
Nijo Castle, the Teramachi Mall and the Gion district where traditional geishas and authentic tea houses still exist.
We purchased a day-pass for the bus for 500Y so we could ride around and see the sights as we went.
Nijo Castle was our first stop.
The castle was built for the first shogun of the Edo period in 1603. It is well preserved, with extensive timber walls, floors and interior panels. The gardens would be a mass of cherry blossoms in Spring.
From there we boarded another local bus to take us to Teramachi and Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcades in Downtown Kyoto. This is where the locals shop, so there were many interesting places.
Next stop was the Gion district to see old Kyoto and perhaps a geisha. Easier said than done! We had multiple maps but struggled to find the right bus stop to get the bus to Gion. We walked the streets checking bus routes at bus stops until we found a lady who could speak enough English to tell us we were almost in Gion, so we kept walking...
We managed to spot a geisha hurrying along the street, but didn't get close enough for a decent photo.
The buildings in this district are much older and it was obvious that wealthy Japanese frequented the area, judging by the cars that drive past us in the narrow alleys or were parked adjacent to the tea houses: Mercedes, Lexcen, Audi, etc.
To return to the hotel we hopped onto another bus, but were still confused by the routes and stops, so opted for the subway. So much easier! Two stops and we were back at Kyoto Station!
We are a little sad that that was our last day in Japan. Tomorrow is a travel day to get back to Tokyo and the airport on the Shinkansen to catch our flight home.
No comments:
Post a Comment