We decided we'd have a walking day in Kyoto today - a great excuse to burn off the beautiful breakfasts at our hotel (and the pork buns and gyoza the night before!)
From Kyoto Station we headed East towards the Kamogawa River.
...we love checking out the architecture wherever we go!
At the river we headed North towards the Gion district (a long walk).......
Can you spot the frog in the pic below?
We eventually reached Shijo-dori (street) on the Western side of the river and soon found ourselves in the Nishiki Food Market.
These adorable dogs were shopping with their adoring "Mummy"......
Autumn chestnuts.....
This was the neatest, cleanest food market we've ever seen.....although we were all rather alarmed to see bar-b-que sparrows on a stick, for sale at one shop (no pics) .......
Baked scallops and cuttlefish - pretty cheap at around $6.30......
A selection of our favourite Japanese sweets (rice cakes + red bean / green tea etc)......
Pickled cucumber in Sake lees!
Back on Shijo-dori we found the wonderful Nomura Tailor fabric store (renowned throughout the world) - a treasure trove of high quality Japanese cottons, linens and silks. This country has an amazing textile tradition.
We caught a taxi then to the SE of the city to join the crowds visiting the Kiyomizudera Temple in the beautiful woodland covered hills overlooking the city. As always the streets approaching these "big name" temples are crowded with excited visitors.....
Many of whom dress up (in rented costumes) for the occasion.
Kiyiomizudera (founded in 780) is best known for its wooden stage which juts out from the main hall 13 metres above the hillside below. This is not only one of the most photogenic of all the beautiful UNESCO temples and shrines we've seen in Kyoto, but also gives the visitor fabulous views of the surrounding forest and cityscape below. We would all love to see this view in mid-Autumn when all those maples are ablaze with colour.
The bright vermillion painted Koyasu Pagoda stands among the trees at the far southern end of the temple grounds...a visit here is said to bring about an easy and safe childbirth!
We started walking northwards back to the Gion district again, but this time we walked along the atmospheric laneways of the Higashiyama District - past the Hokan-ji temple and its wooden tiered pagoda.......
and more domestic gems....
Until we eventually reached the massive Yasaka Shrine which marks the eastern boundary of Shijo-dori on the Gion side of the Kamogawa River.
It was late afternoon by now (and threatening rain) but we decided we could walk all the way back to our hotel from here..... as always there's lots to see along the way.......
The buildings in Kyoto have the same subtle palette of colours as the Tokyo skyscrapers do...
17,500 steps today according to Rob's FitBit..
The Kyoto Railway Station is a stunning building!!
This is our favourite pork bun/gyoza shop at the railway station - and always a long queue of locals.
Back view of our hotel: Sakura Terrace - the Gallery (a few minutes walk from the station).
Front view....
A free drink each evening at the Bar...our new favourite hotel!
From Kyoto Station we headed East towards the Kamogawa River.
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