We eventually got out around midday and purchased another one day, amazing value, city bus pass. Our first stop, after many wrong buses and wrong turnings, was Kyoto Station. This place is absolutely huge! Very modern architecture, glass and stainless steel. We enjoyed the little penguins statue! We ate lunch at the station, chicken noodles and orange juice, before finding our way to bus stop D2 where we picked up a bus to the Kiyomizudera temple. Once off the bus it was a 15 minute walk to the temple and this was all uphill and I mean a really steep hill. By the time we reached the temple we were boiling hot in spite of the low temperatures!

It was very crowded with many, many tourists. We were surprised at just how many sophisticated shops there were lining the hill on the way up to the temple, very busy with souvenirs of all kinds. Again there was a great deal of green tea for sale in the form of sweets and, especially, ice cream. Obviously very popular!

We climbed up to the temple and had a good look round many of the rooms, all very beautiful, especially as the sun was shining down. At one place we read a sign and thought we were just making a donation of 100 yen. Having paid up we then found we had paid to make an excursion down into the pitch black depths of the lower levels. We descended some steps having to hold onto and follow a bead hand rail. Simon chickened out at first but then succeeded at a second attempt holding Amanda's hand! Seriously though, it was totally pitch black down there and we just shuffled along holding onto the bead rail. Quite freaky walking into the dark like that. We were supposed to keep our heads bowed and touch the special stone and say a prayer. I think we said a prayer for our safe exit! Luckily, after a few minutes shuffling in the dark, we returned to the very welcome daylight.

After a good look round we left the temple and went down another lovely, old style, street with many beautiful shops and buildings. Next stop was Gion and we hope to get a bus but ended up walking all the way. We found the check in place for our evening walk without too much difficulty then went to a nearby, up market bakery to warm up and get a beer and a snack before our walk.

WE gathered with our fellow tourists at 5 o'clock with our guide, Mia. We set of for our evening walking tour to explore Gion with particular reference to the Geiko (Geisha) and Meiko culture of the area. A little way back from the main road we were amazed to see so many old-fashioned streets with wooden tea houses and buildings. From Mia we heard many interesting facts and stories about the traditional Geiko culture. We even glimpsed a few Geiko and Meiko on their way to Geiko parties at the tea houses.

After the tour finished we found a little Japanese restaurant where we warmed up with hot sake and ate some delicious yakitori. We caught the bus back to our hotel and stopped off at a craft beer bar where we enjoyed a local Kyoto brew before heading back to the hotel. On the way we went into a local Lawson's to pick up some Japanese sweet snacks and local whisky for a night cap, yum, yum!!