J Is for Japan and K Is for Kyoto

 

Welcome to Kinkaku-ji, The Golden Pavillion, Kyoto

We're far from Iona in miles, but the Golden Pavillion in Kyoto, Japan has the same serene beauty. It's also one of the most visited sites in Japan, but somehow it looks very far from the crowds, at least in this photograph from my 2015 visit to Japan. 

Though the rest of the A to Z Blogging group is now on the letter O, I'm actually pleased to be keeping up in my own style. I got delayed by celebrating Passover on Saturday and Sunday, but no regrets for the delay. It was a wonderful celebration and a great reason for a delay in blogging. But I'm also happy to be back on track with memories of one of my all-time favorite trips, Japan. 

Another of the over 2000 temples and shrines in Kyoto

My dream trip to Japan was to see Kyoto in cherry blossom time, which I did. Osaka, Mount Fuji and Tokyo were also on the tour itinerary, but my heart -- ahead of the trip -- was captured with seeing Kyoto. Kyoto didn't disappoint. It was magnificent. It was beautifully preserved and with a great bus system, it was easy to get around. 

What I didn't anticipate was how fascinating I would find the other places I visited in Japan. From landing in Osaka and then to Kyoto and then Mount Fuji, the highest point in Japan and the national symbol of the country, I was enthralled by all of Japan. 

Though I seem to travel in the rain, my day at Mount Fuji was sunny and clear

After Mount Fuji it was on to Tokyo and to my great surprise I fell in love with Tokyo. There were historic sites, but much of the city is modern. It's lively, crowded and clean and I was taken with all I saw. We saw a lot from the most crowded corners to a tea ceremony to the Tokyo subway, where the signage was in Japanese and English and actually easy to use.

Crossing the street in Tokyo was well coordinated by lights     

Inside a Tokyo subway station, with excellent signage  

I traveled with my friend K to Japan. We were with a tour group, but on our "free" day in Tokyo we decided to travel to the Tokyo Art Museum from our hotel in the outer reaches of the city. I'd read a lot about the crowds on the Tokyo subways, but since our free day was a Saturday, we decided to use mass transit. I looked up the route from our hotel to the museum via a website online  and we ventured out. It was a total success and the one time on the subway trip we appeared confused, a kind rider who spoke English directed us in the right direction. 

I'd be remiss not to share the beauty of cherry blossom season in Japan. This photograph is from the beginning of the trip and was taken in Osaka. 

I've loved returning to Japan. The trip also included a stop in Seoul, another fascinating site. We may stop there when we get to "S," but I've also got a few other ideas in mind. We're returning to the United States for our next stop and we'll be visiting two of my favorite places, one in the south and one in the Midwest. Any guesses? 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.