Snow and temples in Kyoto

Third morning in Japan, and we awoke to a cold Kyoto, with snow on the mountains but blue skies above. After breakfast, we took a bus to the north west of the city, to visit the famous Golden Temple, Kinkaku-ji - entirely coated in gold leaf, gleaming in the sun and with the snow not fully melted from its roof.









Then after a stroll around the gardens, a cup of green tea with real gold leaf flakes in it and a quick lunch stop, we walked on to another famous temple, Ryoan-ji, with its famous rock garden. Some say it has is a mysterious aura and perfectly designed for zen meditation - others say its a bunch of stones in a bit of gravel. Decide for yourself, or can you?



To be honest we were a bit tempelled-out by this stage, so after a short break, we decided to potter along Kyoto's Nishiki marker. Well, not exactly a quiet potter, more like a surging sea of people, but certainly memorable. Hundreds of stalls crammed into a narrow, ancient covered alleyway, selling fish, pickles, vegetables, tea, rice balls, more fish, strange marine creatures and more.

Location:Kyoto, Japan