Kyoto and Hiroshima

宮島 & 厳島神社
Miyajima Island & Itsukushima Shrine

Miyajima is a small island less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima.
Miyajima is most famous for its giant torii gate, which at high tide seems to float on top of the water.
The sight is ranked as one of Japan's three best views.

Itsukushima Shrine stands in the ocean, and on the border between ocean and land, a location that would seem to prevent construction. The reason for building it in such a spot is that the entire island was worshiped anciently as something sacred, and it is believed that the people of the time were reluctant to build the shrine pavilions on the island itself, which was viewed as the body of the deity. The daring and original idea of using the ocean setting resulted in unique and incomparable beauty.

On the eastern side of the Itsukushima Shrine is the 27.6-meter tall Goju-no-to, a five-story pagoda. It is said that this pagoda was built in 1407. Its architectural style is a skillful combination of Japanese and Chinese features.

大聖院
Daisho-in is one of the most important temples of Shingon Buddhism. This temple is built on the mountainside of the Misen, it is characteristic of its quiet environment and great view that allows you to see all the way to the cityscape on the opposite shore.

In the middle of the stairs is a row of spinning metal wheels that are inscribed
with sutra (Buddhist scriptures). Turning the inscriptions as one walks
up is believed to have the same effect as reading them
too bad my school books didn't have the same effect





this is on the train going back to Yokohama



原爆ドーム
Hiroshima Peace Memorial & the Atomic Bomb Dome

the first nuclear bomb to be used against mankind
detonated almost directly above the dome

The Children's Peace Monument
Is dedicated to the memory of the children who died as a result of the bombing.
The statue is of a girl with outstretched arms with a folded paper crane rising above her.
The statue is based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki (佐々木禎子 ,),
a young girl who died from radiation from the bomb.
She believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes she would be cured.
To this day, people (mostly children) from around the world fold cranes
and send them to Hiroshima where they are placed near the statue.

Memorial Cenotaph

Near the center of the park is a concrete, saddle-shaped monument that covers a cenotaph holding the names of all of the people killed by the bomb. The cenotaph carries the epitaph,

"Repose ye in Peace, for the error shall not be repeated."

Through the monument you can see the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome. The Memorial Cenotaph was one of the first memorial monuments built on open field on August 6, 1952. It is built in Shinto style. The arch shape represents a shelter for the souls of the victims.

school kids

8:15

before and after shots

our street car

waiting for the train

Iain snuggling and reviewing photos with Grandma and Gramps

we not in Kansas any more.

広島城
Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima castle was established in 1589 at the delta of the Otagawa river.
Some accounts state that the name 'Hiroshima', meaning literally 'wide island',
comes from the existence of several large islands in the delta of the Otagawa,
near the castle's site. The castle was destroyed in the atomic bomb blast of
1954 . The present tower, constructed largely of concrete, was completed in 1958.

Before we left for the castle, little miss here did a photo shoot for us.
The poses were just too funny, however the photographer was laughing so much
this was the only one that was not too bury.

Annie & Gramps are holding on while the train moves!

Castle gate

Nice viewOh, there was once a building there..."Please drop the mud of the shoes bottom with the mat and enter."

view at the top

scary samurai...more to follow....

a tree that survived the blast

Below are a collection of the COOLEST Samurai EVER
so cool they are statues!

東寺
Toji Buddhist temple
Its name means East Temple. The site dates from 796.

The pagoda of Tō-ji stands 180 feet high, and is the tallest wooden tower in Japan. It dates from the Edo period(1603 to 1868), when it was rebuilt by order of the third Shogun, Iemitsu. The pagoda has been, and continues to be, a symbol of Kyoto.

Entrance into the pagoda itself is permitted only a few days a year and we got to go inside!

The buildings at Tō-ji house a variety of ancient Buddhist sculptures.
The grounds feature a garden and pond, in which turtles and koi swim.

yeah, it was raining.

音羽山清水寺
Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera

Cherry Blossoms!
Cherry Blossoms!

Cherry Blossoms!
I am obsessed with Cherry Blossoms now!

Donnie and I actually got to tour this temple complex by ourselves!
Iain and Anna were tried so Mom and Dad went back to the hotel with them.
What a concept, being by ourselves...

Wash your hands!
I'm sure I look like this after asking Iain to wash his hands a few times.

love the school boys in their uniforms and the traditional dress of the ladies

looking back at the temple complex

二条城
Nijo Castle

金閣寺
Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion"

Kyoto Imperial Palace
京都御所

Annie was REALLY excited about this tour!

祇園
Gion


some of the streets
businesses at the street level, accommodations on the upper

We were not the only tourist here,
just some of the few not dresses in traditional Japanese attire
a very cute couple ....
we are basically walking around waiting to see our first Geisha or Maikos

Oh wait! There is a Geisha, there she goes....and yest that is her real hair, all of it!

Due to Japan's social system the role of the "Japanese wife" was to maintain the home and rarely, if ever, participate with men in business or politics. This meant that they could not entertain their husbands' business associates or host any related functions and Geisha therefore became an integral part of business entertainment by serving as gracious hosts at the many ryokan (inns), ryotei (restaurants) and o-chaya (teahouses) where banquet facilities were rented for this purpose.

The ultimate experience is being entertained by a geisha while dining at an ochaya.. As expert hostesses, geisha ensure everyone's enjoyment by engaging in light conversation with guests, serving drinks, leading drinking games and performing traditional music and dance. Unfortunately, the services of geisha are expensive and require an introduction, making it difficult for most travelers to experience. Clients are billed per person attending the function which averages between 12,000 to 25,000 Yen for a two hour appointment.

Unless you are referred by someone who is already a customer of a o-chaya, you aren't allowed to enter an o-chaya. O-chaya are very exclusive places.

I like this shot because Geisha and Maikos walk very fast.

okay, so we need to put the camera on "sport" mode

Donnie is heading the way, follow the crowds

Here she come!
Oh she is close! And there she goes...

Maiko dress in long-sleeved kimonos, wear very tall geta (wooden clogs), an elaborate hairstyle and only apply red lipstick to their upper lip. When a maiko turns twenty she decides whether or not she wants to become a geisha and if she does, a ceremony is held called `eriage` which means "changing of the collar". Only women who are at the top of their group and pass a rigorous exam actually become geisha.
Today they number fewer than a thousand and are found mainly in Osaka and Kyoto.
other shots of the night...it was lots of fun!









Some very expensive fans.
Gion was also a great place to window shop of trinkets or Chu-hi's

伏見稲荷大社

Fushimiinari-taisha Shrine founded in the 8th century

The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari, and includes 4 km trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines. Because Inari is the god of business, each of the Torii is donated by a Japanese business. Merchants and manufacturers worship Inari for wealth.
Statues of menacing kitsune (foxes), said to have the magic power to take possession of human spirits, alternate with torii gates. The fox is however reverred to as the god of harvest (rice and cereals), and is often seen carrying a key in his mouth, which is for the rice granary.



Iain found a friend

Photo bomber, nice Donnie!

the color red, bells = Proof that the Japanese love Bum Chums!





Cool shot, Iain was busy discovering a dinosaur tail around these parts.


Walking up the Tori Gates

Looking back or going down.


Some stone Tori gates are mixed in as well.



lots of smaller shrines above

Da Hooze and I!




A little maintenance


At the very beginning, Iain and Grandma

My babies

at the end of our hike...love Iain, Anna and Gramp's expressions!

Bye-bye!