A quiet city so trendy it's completely retro; from the sea-foam taxi's to the small-town America style diner's and all the bicycles, it felt like a time-warp. Then you turn a corner and enter Imperial Japan and cross paths with a geisha or two walking the narrow cobble-stone streets lined with secretive tearooms and expensive Japanese steakhouses. In a city with double the population of Seattle it seems much less crowded and hectic. It felt eerily like home but in another time and place. I can't wait to get back to experience more of what Japan has to offer!
Nijo Castle
Overlooking the Nijo Castle complex
Entrance
Nijo Castle mote
Shrine gate
Shrine
Kyoto streets at night
Steakhouse window
Along the Kamo-gawa River
Sashimi and Sapporo
Walking along the river
Big Gate near Heian-jingu Shrine
Heian-jingu Shrine
Heian-jingu pond
Lotus position
Heian Shrine Bridge
Kinkakuji Temple
Buddha at Ryoanji Temple
The dry garden
Lover's lane along the river
Fire show along the river
Gion District streets - Geisha Hunting
Gion streets
Gion streets are like movie sets
Geishas on the street. Geisha's are not as easy to find as you might hope. We were lucky to spot this group sending off the male patrons. They usually go from their homes to the teahouse in a taxi and stay there until going back home, so you have to catch them traveling between spots. They are not interested in getting their pictures taken and usually hide from prying eyes, but this group was openly standing on the street around a large group of on-lookers.
On the street up to Kiyomizu-dera, spotted another 'geisha'. In the daytime, it's most likely a model not a geisha or maiko.
Street leading to Kiyomizu-dera
Three-storied pagoda
Kaizan-do Hall
Sunlight bathes the city from Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Wedding reception along the Takasegawa.
Walking around the Kiyamachi street area
The waters of the Takasegawa trickle behind the restaurants and bars in the Pontocho area