Today we visited a couple of Kyoto's most famous sights. After having breakfast in a coffee house near our hotel we took a taxi to Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, that is set in the grounds of the Rokuon-ji temple complex. Just after the gate there was a huge bell which you could ring for 200 yen. Almost straight away you come across the pavilion, across from the Kyoko-chi mirror pond. Made up of three floors the upper two are gilded with gold leaf, and it once ...

This morning we checked out of our hotel in Nagoya, but not before taking a picture of the emergency torch that every hotel room is meant to have in case of fire or earthquake. We caught the Skinkansen to Kyoto and then hailed a taxi to take us to the Kyoto Kokusai Hotel. It was right opposite Nijo-jo (the equivalent of the Tower of London) and quite a plush place. It reminded Joan of 1960's Bond films. Check- in was 1pm so we left our bags and crossed the road t...