The friendly translator from the Michelin rated restaurant in Nara was a Kyoto native. At the end of the evening, she – her name is Mao – offered a ride to Kyoto, my next destination, to spend a few hours showing me around. I immediately seized the opportunity, and was able to ask her many questions about Japanese life and culture along the way.

Once in Kyoto, Mao brought me to the Golden Temple, one of the most famous attractions in the city. The light drizzle kept most tourists away, and we were able to quietly admire the temple and surrounding area. We also sampled some tasty local sweets, made from rice and sweet red beans. Then we went to the Kennin-Ji temple, the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto – founded in 1202. It was, and still is, my favourite temple in Japan. There was a tranquil energy throughout, and I paused many times to feel it while observing the carefully manicured pebble garden, the intricate architecture and the detailed artwork.

The downtown core of Kyoto is very commercial; the streets are lined with skyscrapers and shopping malls. But outside this core are lovely suburbs, with winding paths, streams, temples and shrines, forests, and plenty of cherry blossom trees. By this point – the date was actually April 7th, as I’m still behind on the posts – some petals of the blossoms were falling, as the full bloom had passed. The tumbling petals looking like delicate snow leaves, blowing gently in the wind, and slowly collecting on the ground.

One of my favourite days was walking in the eastern regions for about 15 km, through cute districts with little shops, stopping at various temples, having a quick nibble in a park full of cherry blossoms, then continuing along a popular trail called with Philosopher’s Path, which runs along a winding canal. Along the way, I met some genuine Geisha, which is a rare sighting, since there are estimated to be only 1000 to 2000 remaining in Japan. They are treated like mini-celebrities, and were kind enough to allow a few pictures. They were extremely soft soften and respectful, speaking in perfect English. That moment made my day 🙂

Another wonderful occasion was spent in the bamboo groves in the west, and I spent the day with a young American couple. We toured the grove and the enchanting Ohkohchi-Sanso garden, of which the owner spent 30 years growing and perfecting his masterpiece. We also lounged by the nearby river, watching boats with chefs serving food to passengers. During one of our many conversations, they discussed how the medical masks some Japanese wear served no real security from germs; a much more sophisticated mask is needed for that. We agreed they are more likely social masks, so they don’t feel the need to socialize.

Kyoto was one of my favourite destinations, and 4 days was insufficient to experience everything the city had to offer. I befriended the host of the Airbnb I stayed at, so I’ll need to revisit him and the city one day. Thank you again, Ken, for your hospitality.