 |
| Kanazawa Train Station |
Train to Kyoto
Outbound to Gufu + Tokyo Japan, Day 11 of 19, October 14, 2017
Kanazawa to Kyoto
Today was primarily a travel day with a departure from the Kanazawa train station at 9:53 headed for Kyoto. We ate breakfast catching one last bird’s eye view of Kanazawa from our 16th floor,
reported to the lobby by 9:00, bags in tow. Some of our group took taxies to the train station while some walked.
Our journey coordinator, George, had purchased a reserve ticket for all 18 of us on the express train “Thunderbird” to Kyoto. It was necessary to herd all of us through the gate together as we traveled with a single group ticket. Our train arrived a few minutes early so we all had enough time to get on the train and stow our luggage before the train departed precisely on time. Then we sat back and relaxed.
We zipped through the countryside, through tunnels, farm fields, residential areas and along the coast line of Lake Biwa before reaching our destination. We arrived in Kyoto about 2 hours and 10 minutes later.
Kyoto was the first imperial capital founded in 794 CE. We will be spending 5 days exploring Kyoto and the surrounding area with our Friendship Force group before heading toTokyo and our last cultural exchange.
We arrived 7 minutes after noon at the futuristic Kyoto main station,
found our hotel, the Kyoto Tower Annex, and went out for lunch at the London Pub near the hotel. We returned at 2:00 pm for check in. We don’t know about the rest of the group, but we have a very tiny room with no closet. We are hanging our gear on wall racks provided for that purpose.
It’s going to be cozy sharing wine and appetizers with our group tonight in these rooms.
Lunch and afternoon were on our own. Russ and I chose to stay in relax, while others went out to explore. We met up for drinks in the JC - grand poobah’s room at 5:30, and split out for different restaurants for dinner.
Kyoto - the longest temple
Rangeo-in Temple also known as Sanjusangendo Temple
By Donna Fong
After checking into the hotel a few of us went to visit a Buddhist temple officially named Rangeo-in Temple but is commonly known as Sanjusangendo Temple, a hall with thirty-three spaces between columns.
The temple is housed in Japan's longest wooden structure at 120 meters long. The structure is registered as a National Treasure.
What is housed inside, for me, was more impressive than the outside. Inside are 1001 wooden (Japanese cypress) statues painted gold from the 12th and 13th century with one gigantic seated statue of the Buddhist diety Juichimen-senjusengen Kanzeon in the middle (National Treasure).
There are 28 guardian dieties placed in a straight line in front of the statues. The guardian dieties are mythic images expressed in a vivid manner.
It is an amazing sight to behold and shouldn't be missed. Unfortunately taking photos inside the building was not allowed, so here are a few from the internet:
No comments:
Post a Comment