We did, however, get a chance to visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavillion), a Buddist Zen temple. It was the retirement villa of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the late 1300s. Unfortunately, it burned down several times over its history. The present structure was re-built in 1955 after it was set on fire by a fanatic monk in 1950. Each floor represents a different style of architecture and the top 2 floors are covered completely in gold leaf. This temple is in a beautiful setting and we enjoyed the leisurely walk around its grounds.
Arashiyama is a popular tourist destination in western Kyoto. We visited for 2 reasons: a bamboo grove and monkeys. Stay tuned for Nathan's post about monkeys.
We have visited many forests in Canada- both deciduous and coniferous. This, however, was our first time walking among towering bamboo trees. We were shocked to learn that certain species of bamboo can grow 36 inches in a 24-hour period!
There were many trails and gardens to explore but the kids weren't up to it so we opted to go out for sushi instead :)
I bet the kids' friends at school are really enjoying following your family's adventure! Even though they are away, they remain kinda close. Nice.
ReplyDeleteWe hear some of the kids' teachers are checking in occasionally - which is wonderful and very caring!
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