Kyoto & Nara: May 17

Today was day two with our own personal drivers and tour guides around Kyoto. We've decided that this is the one and only way to travel where you get private tours, are dropped off and picked up right at the entrance and they patiently wait while you shop as long as you want. We were quite spoiled in Kyoto.

For day two we left early in the morning for Nara which is about 100 years older than Kyoto. We started our morning at the Joruriji Temple.


We then made our way to the Todaiji Temple where we first walked through a park with wild deer wandering around. I think it was a natural preserve and we spent a couple minutes feeding them. You had to be careful though. Once you ran out of food they started following you around and would try to nibble on your shirt.


Now about Todaiji Temple - this structure is the largest all wooden building in the world and also houses the largest bronze gilded statue of buddha. It was quite impressive. While walking around the grounds we saw the cutest school children on field trips. Each class has a different color hat - what a great idea for keeping track of the children and they looked so adorable.



Our taxi drivers then recommended a delicious place for lunch. We took pictures outside so that we'd know where to find it when we return because the food was so good. Here's what my plate looked like.


After lunch our next stop was Kiyomizu Temple which also included a shrine known as the love shrine. Here it is believed that if you can walk from one stone to another housed on the property of the shrine you will be blessed with love. We also learned about Shinto prayers and our taxi drivers aka private tour guides walked us through the rituals. It was a great learning experience.


We met some college students while we were there as well who were spending the day dressed up out on the town. Hopefully we'll find an excuse this year to wear the Yucatas (summer kimonos) we're bringing home with us.


There was also an old cemetery by the temple that crept up the entire hillside. It was amazing how large the cemetery was and how many stones lined the hillside. This is common across Japan and we've seen numerous cemeteries in local towns, but none as large as this one.