Typhoon Trami and Kyoto

When a typhoon is hours away from hitting a Japanese city, the people DO go to the store.  The difference, as I found out earlier this afternoon, is they don’t buy out the place.    There were still products on the shelves.  I was reminded of the near supermarket hysteria in DC when Isabel was about to hit.  Hey DC, you can learn from the Japanese!  I bet they don’t panic when it snows either.

I have enjoyed Kyoto but I wish now I had come here first.  It is a city of temples and shrines and by this time in the Japan journey, I am pretty templed and shirned out.  You probably are too, if you have been following the posts.

In addition to shrines, Kyoto is known for the incredible Arashiyama area.  Natural beauty with a river and mountains and, the incredible Bamboo grove.

The river that runs through the area has these wonderful cormorants just hanging out.

There is a temple and lovely gardens in Arashiyama as well, but I will reserve my temple photos for ones in central Kyoto.

In addition to temples and shrines, Kyoto is also known for Geishas.  I did not go to any of the houses where Geishas work, but I did go to Gion, the neighborhood known for them.  It’s a lovely place to walk around and you get a feel for what the city may have been like 50 or 100 years ago.

Possibly the most important Buddhist temple in Kyoto is Higashihonganji.  It’s quite impressive.  There was a prayer service going on while I was visiting and I was able to sit in the back and listen to the beautiful chanting of the monks.  It was so peaceful.

Here in old and new coexist, a shrine and a modern tower.

The rooftops are just so amazing.

A peek inside from outside the doors.

This guy was just hanging out on the roofs.  I think he was trying to figure out where to go to ride out the storm.

So this evening, my last in Japan, the city is hunkered down.  Streets are quiet.  Hopefully, to storm will come and go without too much damage.  Hopefully for me, trains and planes will be running tomorrow.  All trains right now are cancelled.  The forecast says the storm will be out of here by noon tomorrow.

I have loved my two weeks here.  I have had a great time and seen a lot.  I don’t know if I would do the solo thing over again.  I think I have missed out on some things since I don’t speak the language and cannot read the explanations on signs.  However, traveling solo, navigating subways and buses has given me a better feel for the country and enabled me to meet people I would not have on a tour.

My next stop is Beijing, where I do have a tour starting for several parts of China.  I have a flight tomorrow night from Nagoya.  I don’t know if I will be able to post from China, the Great Firewall may make it difficult.  I hope I can, at least once or twice.  So, if you don’t see a post for a couple of weeks, I have not forgotten you.