Wonderful day in Kyoto. The city has mountains to the south, west and east. We left the city centre and headed east. We went to the Ginkaku-ji Temple which had beautiful gardens and afforded lovely views of the city (photo). We then joined the philosopher's walk along the canal. It was a beautiful walk and we came across a lovely lady sat painting with water colours. We sat and enjoyed our lunch here as we watched the fish struggling to swim upstream. The walk en...

After an amazing nights sleep we ventured out in Kyoto. First stop was Nijo Castle. Whilst the building is not as impressive as others on the outside the inside is amazing. We walked along on the nightingale floors, so called because the wooden floorboards are designed to alert intruders. The rooms were displayed with tatami mats and we saw the rooms where the Shogun would meet the feudal lords. This castle is also where the last Tokugawa shogun resigned to emper...

Up and back into the onsen before breakfast. Realised there was a second hot pool outside which was lovely as it is another sunny day. First proper Japanese breakfast was amazing tuna salad, soup, boiled egg, rice, salmon and some other unknowns. We then set off to Kyoto. Having just arrived it was quite a trip! Ferry to Miyagima, Train to Hiroshima, Shinkansen to Osaka, Shinkansen to Kyoto plus 40 minute walk to the hotel. My muscles are sore! Relax tonight befo...

Train and ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima Island. Another beautiful island and this time it is covered in tame deer! Deer came up to us as soon as we stepped off the ferry, deer tried to steel our lunch and ate the map and tried to get into the temple, they are great fun. We got in our flip flops and went out to the torii, bare foot on the sand and shingle was heavenly after the miles we have walked. The torii is particularly beautiful and when the tide is in lo...

What a day! We were up and out to hear the peace bell ring at 8.15, as it does every morning at the time the bomb detonated. We then visited the peace museum. The museum was informative but at the same time heart breaking and we both felt quite low afterwards. We strolled in the sunshine to Hiroshima castle and the Gokoku Shrine before catching the train to Tadanoumi Port via Mihara then the ferry across to Okunoshima (rabbit island). The train ride from Mihara t...