Takayama to Kyoto

Another day and another long train trip. This time the sun was out so we were able to see a lot more on our way down the mountains than on the way up.

We had under 8 minutes to change trains and after sprinting through Nagoya station we made it with a minute to spare. Before we had a chance to catch our breath we were arriving in Kyoto.

After dropping our bags off at our Ryokan we headed for Nijo Castle. Built in 1603, it was home to the first shogun of Japan for 265 years during the Edo period. The original palace is fascinating to walk through and the immaculate gardens with the sakura in full bloom are a wonderful sight.

Crossing to the other side of Kyoto our next stop was Fushimi Inari Shrine. It was starting to get dark when we arrived but it didn't stop the hoards of people coming to see not only the shrine but the thousands of torii gates lined up in rows. It is a spectacular sight to behold.

We headed back to Kyoto for dinner and a walk around the town at night. It is easy to know where you are as the Kyoto Tower is lit up and higher than anything else in the skyline.

Early observations of Kyoto: There are a lot of bicycles here, more than any other place we have visited, and a lot of women (only a few men) dressed traditionally.

Tomorrow we have one of the busiest days of our trip exploring a lot of the old Kyoto shrines and temples. The forecast is for warmth so hopefully some good photos for us to share.

Takayama

Heavy rain once again greeted us this morning in Takayama. Unfortunately it took its toll on the two morning markets that are a feature of this town. It also made for slow going as we walked around the town between the markets.

A short bus ride from town centre took us to the Hida Folk Village. A lot of work has gone into preserving a number of original houses from the area in this one spot. It was amazing to see all the different styles of architecture spread over centuries and really only changing on the 1960's.

This was also the first place we saw snow today. Not a lot but enough to remind us just how cold it can get here.

We returned to town for lunch and made an elderly restaurant owners day by giving her a small koala in thanks for her hospitality. They really do get very excited whenever we pull one of them out, I'm not sure how they'd cope seeing a real one.

Finally a break in the weather gave us a chance to walk around the hills surrounding Takayama to explore the 20 plus temples and shrines that make up what is known as "Little Kyoto".

The Cyprus pines that surround a lot of the path are beautiful and being the only people on the path for most of the journey was a little surreal after the hoards of people we have encountered at most other sites.

Making our way back to the hotel from the shrine walk also gave us an opportunity to try some of the local sake and warm up. There are a lot of sake breweries here all identifiable by the ball of pine that hangs from their doorway.

After dinner at an Izakaya (like Japanese tapas) and a relax in the open air onsen at the hotel we're ready to go to Kyoto tomorrow.

Hakone to Takayama

Most of today was spent on trains. Not the same type of trains: Shinkansen, trams and local commuters formed part of our 7 hour journey from Hakone to Takayama.

Retracing our steps from yesterday back to the Shinkansen station was made more difficult by the heavy rain. Fortunately we picked a break in the weather and were able to make it to the station without getting wet.

As much nostalgic fun as some of these trains have, nothing compares to the force of the Shinkansen. The only fault with them is the lack of food options on board. We purchased lunch in the station platform between services which wasn't too bad and beautifully presented.

The last leg of our journey took us through an area known as the "Rhine of Japan". The river was indeed fast flowing and different rich shades of blue as we travelled alongside it for an hour.

Finally arriving in Takayama the rain held off long enough for us to find our hotel, explore the centuries old town centre and find a place for dinner.

It is a wonderfully preserved town, and many of the centuries old buildings are sake breweries. The whole town is based around a river where we spotted wild koi. It is also surrounded by mountains that we will explore tomorrow.