Arrived in Kyoto by Shinkansen and checked into our hotel which was right above the Kyoto train station.

Dropped off our bags in our room then had a late lunch at the train station before heading out for the afternoon to look at some of the nearby temples. The first temple we visited was the Higashi Hongan-Ji Temple. Had to remove our shoes to go inside the temple itself which was freezing. There was a display inside about how the large logs were brought to the site to build the temple using a sledge and also of a rope made from the hair of devotees to the temple.

We walked back down towards the hotel stopping ay the Nishi Hongan-Ji temple which had some plum blossom trees in flower but no cherry blossoms yet.

Returned to the hotel for a rest and to take some pictures out the hotel windown which overlooked the Kyoto Tower. Went to dinner at the train station then went to sleep as we had a big day touring Kyoto with our friend Junko the next day.