Sunday 16th April train to Soja station and a bike ride around the Kibi Plain in beautiful weather, first we visited a temple, then cycling around paddy fields when we stumbled upon a festival at a small village and we were the only Europeans they were demonstrating making rice flour (which I joined in), various dance routines, lots of food and drink stalls and the Japanese Minister of Culture was there, he wanted us in some photo's with him, our guide said we were very lucky to be able to experience this. Onto another Temple before returning to the hotel.
Monday train to Kyoto, then that afternoon we went to a geisha dance show, the temple of a thousand gates and onto the old quarter and it poured all afternoon. Tuesday lovely weather today went to a shrine and met a New Zealand Buddhist monk who answered questions we put to him, then Nijo-jo Castle which explains how the Shoguns of this fortress changed Japanese history then more of the old quarter with a stroll by the river.
Wednesday we said goodbye to our group as the tour was over, Kiyoe our guide traveled with us to Osaka where we had two extra nights. That afternoon we went up the Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden Observatory (it's just a tall twin towered building with a circular viewing deck but no garden!!!) great vistas.
Thursday Osaka Castle, that's been rebuilt as the original was destroyed by fire and it now houses an interesting museum telling of many bloody samurai battles then onto the very interesting Kuromon market with weird and wonderful foods for sale. Then Dotonbori street which is a colourful young people's area with lots of neon and early to bed to be up 05:15 for our flight to China. J & G