Touring Kyoto Day Two

On Saturday we started our touring at the most famed site in the city, the Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion temple. It is covered in gold leaf, and was rebuilt after a fire started by a crazed monk in 1950 destroyed the original structure. Our second visit was to the Ryoanji Temple, also a world heritage site, like all, of our attractions on Saturday. This Zen temple contains the most famous rock garden in Japan, a place of meditation in former times. Lunch at an Italian restaurant followed, and then our bus took us to the celebrated Nijo Castle, former palace of the Shoguns in Kyoto. Most wall were covered with screens showing tigers or pine trees in the vast spaces. Unfortunately, no photos were permitted inside the complex. Finally, we traveled to the Arashiyama District to see a Zen temple and its gardens with the tallest bamboo trees we've ever seen. Back at our hotel we enjoyed a delicious multi-course tempura dinner accompanied by a nice sake. - Dan