Kyoto Part 2

On Sunday after attending church in Kyoto we visited the fushimi inari-taisha shrine which is famous for its orange buildings and miles of orange torii gates. The first picture is not one we took but from Free Stock Photo's website, but it gives you an idea of what torii gates are and how beautiful they are. The day we visited it was sunny and the sun illuminated the pathway.

 

 

Luke thought it was cooler to walk on the outside of the torii gate pathway. Goofy kid!!

 

We also visited the Nishi-Hongwan-ji Temple which is an UNESCO world heritage site and is the headquarters  of the Shin Buddhism in Japan.  We arrived right at dusk and closing time which was a bonus since we didn't have to tell the kids to stop running and be quiet all the time!!

 

 In Kyoto we stayed at a Rakuten, a traditional Japanese guesthouse. You can rent individual rooms where there is a tatami mat floor and you are given futons for each individual. It is kind of like camping just indoors with heat and air conditioning. It is definitely the best way to travel with children in Japan. Here is a picture of the receptionist at the rakuten.