The famous golden pavillion, very crowded though. But enjoy this illusion of tranquility.
Check out the crowds in the background..
Sooo cooool
Nishi Hongan Ji temple. Interesting to see such a big temple still in use (there was a confrence centre and office buildings on the temple grounds)
Buddhist monk anime??
Next was the famous Ryoan ji stone garden, with the mysterious 15 rocks that are never all visible at the same time.
Nice but a bit disappointing because it was very busy and.. under construction (not visible in the picture, another illusion for your enjoyment dear reader.)
One of the highlights of my day: JAPANESE DRUGSTORE!!
absolutely EVERYTHING was illustrated!
How does this work? I'm intrigued!!
In another shop: Equipment to pierce your own ears! Not just one, but two dozen different types!
Gion (the Geisha district still in use today) on a cloudy day.
Ok here is a little game for you guys: Guess which Maikos are real and which ones are fake. (by fake I mean tourist doing the very popular make over experience and getting pictures done in the streets.) Number one is obviously fake because there is somebody of the studio guiding her, but others are more difficult to guess because I left all the studio crew outside the frame.
You are asking: WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS? The answer: Jezus and Buddha are high school buddies with a secret crush on each other. MUST READ OF THE YEAR.
Ninna-ji inner buildings and garden. It is very pleasent to walk the smooth wooden corridors on your socks and go from garden to garden.
One of the dozens of temples in Myoshin-ji.
Time to catch up with some Dutch friends! Nine on the left and her Japanese friend Rie who she met in Italy years ago. She didnt speak a word of English but her Italian was great, so all of a sudden I had to dig up my rusty italian to communicate with her.
Okinomiyaki time!
This is how it is served at your table.
Sander on the right, another friend of Nine's.
Number two: real or fake? Hint: they posed at least 10 minutes for the crowds of tourists.
Kyoto is kimono capital in this season, I saw more kimono wearers in one day than on my entire trip so far.
I was asking to take their picture, when they suddenly all wanted to pose with me! Notice how she's standing one step higher.
Number 3.
Number 3 frontview.
Old ladies doing watercolor painting.
Number 4
Kiyomizodera by sunset. (the world famous veranda isn't really visble though)
And then the real main event: special evening viewing for the cherry blossom season.
Nijo castle by night.
Tofuku ji and the 'bridge to heaven'.
And one of the most beautiful Zen gardens I've seen so far in Japan.
In contrast to Ryoan ji must more quiet and peaceful.
Nanzen ji.
Next we followed a 'secret' path behind the temple, mentioned in the Lonely planet and without ANY tourists..
It lead us to this improvised little shrine next to a waterfall.
So quiet, didn't hear a thing of the city so close by. We followed it all the way in a loop around the hill, and ended up in somebodies backyard back in the city.
The first of many many cats I met in Kyoto. We passed her again an hour later and she was in the exact same spot.
Bonus surprise shrine in the middle of nowhere!
Restaurant Omen.
Sander, Nine, Rie and her very sweet boyfriend.
Tempura, young bamboo, and the special of the house: udon that you mix yourself.
At one point we were communicating in Dutch, English, Italian and Japanese all mixed up. Then Nine needed another challenge and started a conversation with our neighbouring table in German.
Green tea ice cream.
Then they took us to an arcade! I owned at Taiko!!
For Nine and Sander it was their first time, but they loved it.
Highlight: the Sumo game (despite my fighting spirit I really sucked.)
Kyoto night view from one of the hills.
The famous bamboo grove in Arashiyama (I got there at 8.00 to beat the crowds, but this gardener got there even earlier.)
I expected a giant bamboo forest but in reality it was only one lane in a (very pretty) residential area.
Tiny little temple I got all for myself because I was so early.
(It looks all serene and spontaneous, but was done with selftimer haha.)
I was there all morning by myself, after a while I even started cleaning up the altar and stuff. Felt like a little private temple!
Cloth from one of the farmlands near by, beautiful effect in the wind.
Okochi Sanso, a gorgeous villa designed by a famous silent movie actor in the forties.
Green tea and cake in the beautiful tea house.
Tenryu Ji was super crowded cherry blossom mad house.
The garden with 'borrowed scenery' from the hills in the background.
Look at the sneaky one in the right corner.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did anybody ask for monkey pictures?
Because I've got them.
haha, ok I will explain: there is this montain monkey park up hill where you can walk between them (or they walk between us, they kinda rule the place) and feed them from inside a cage! (monkeys outside, people inside for safety!!)
Jizo-in, found after another 1,5 hour quest in the middle of NOWHERE. It's fun to search these hidden spots, exploring residential areas you'd never ever visit otherwise.
I stumbled onto this cafe when I heard piano music coming out of the window.
Very british down to the last detail.
Number 5 of our Maiko challenge!
Number 5 from the front.
Maiko number 6.
Maiko 7.
Gaijin Maiko 8 ... (this one is easy I hope)
Maiko 9.
and Maiko 10.
I LOVED these ladies, look at those colors! There were many girls in kimono in that park, but most of them have such uninspired pink-pink combinations (and with too much bling, flowers and girliness)
These combo's rocked, the purple one even has matching glasses.
See what I mean? don't get me wrong, still very pretty but could be so much more creative in my opnion.
Fortunes based on birthday (??)
And here are my answers for the Maiko challenge: 1 probably fake, 2 confirmed fake, 3 I think real! they were in a hurry and looked really proud instead of insecure. 4 not sure, 5 confirmed fake (and very ugly wig too), 6 7 and 8 confirmed fake, 9 unsure and 10 confirmed fake.
Enjoy the last picture, there is another Kyoto album coming up but I need more time.. only thing I'm saying: KIMONO (!)
