Inside Hiroshima

These are before and after scales of the city of the bombing in the peace muesum.

This is our closet room we had in Hiroshima. We started with big rooms and great views to tiny cloest and no view. I was glad to be going back to the Hilton in Nartia tomorrow.

See you all soon. 

Last stop Hiroshima

The remaines of a building from the A-bombing they call it the Atom Bomb Dome. This was interesting to see. The day was gloomy and rainy. Set the mood for the day.
The peace momiral for the victims of the bombing. The names of all of them are in the chest. 140,000 I think died right away.











And the peace flame, that will burn until all nucler weapons are destroyed from the earth. 

Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion

The best thing we saw today (making up for the rock garden) was the Golden Pavilion. It looked great and I can't even imagine what it looks like on a sunny day. The gardens around it were also nice. Today is it for Kyoto. Back on the Bullet train tomorrow.






 

2nd full day in Kyoto (Thursday Feb 8th)

Today we went to Kiyomizu Temple first. It is a huge temple built on a cliff on Mount Otowa in 1633. there were great views from it. First photo is the three story pagota near the temple and the temple is in the 2nd photo. 3rd photo shows the love stone in a Jishu Shrine that was near the same temple. This was a Shinto shrine (every other shrine and temple we visited was Buddha).

The last photo here was in the Ryoanji temple. We walked a long way and paid $5 each to see the most famous zen rock garden in all of Japan. It was put in this temple in the 1400's. Anyway, we were not very impressed.





 

Nijo Castle in Kyoto

Next we went to Nijo Castle. It was built in 1603 (By the way, the Sanjusangendo Hall that I mentioned in the last blog was rebuilt in 1266 original was in 1164 and burned down. All 1001 statues had to be recarved.)

Anyway, this castle had a moat and thick walls around it. Kelli is standing in the doorway so you can see the wall thickness. Inside the castle all of the floors squeeked so noone could sneak up on the Shogun inside. These "Nightingale floors" would alert the samurai bodygaurds that hid in some walls. There was a very nice garden around the castle.





 

First Full day in Kyoto

In Kyoto we first went to the Higashihonganji Temple. First two photos are from that. It was huge - Kyoto's largest wooden structure. We found the dragon out front. They don't let you take photos from inside the temples.

Next temple we went to was the Sanjusangendo Hall. It had 1001 statues of the 1000 handed Kannon that were life sized. The hall was 400 feet long. The also had archery competitions in it. The bell in the last photo was outside the hall.





 

Some interesting people we saw.

 

Interesting Signs we Saw.

No Scribbling Here






 

Odds and Ends

A tiny car we saw. Fish and Eel drying in the sun. And a rocket for Andy!!





 

More exploring near Hakone

After the boat ride and the hike, we took the ropeway back up to the top of the vocano and hiked around in an old crater. It was called the Owakudani Nature Trail. There was steam and gasses coming up everywhere. They boiled eggs in the bubbling water and they turned black from the sulpher (see them in the baskets on the cart?). People ate these black eggs like crazy. We skipped them.

Next we went nearby to an open-air sculpture museum. There was a huge building dedicated to Picasso.