Tokyo to Osaka to Kyoto -- Whew!

On Sunday, the big group of 200 JFMF teachers divided into our host city groups of 20, and ours took the bullet train (Shinkansen) southwest to Osaka, and then a bus to Ikeda-city. Our route took us past Mt. Fuji, Japan’s legendary volcanic peak that is often shrouded in clouds. We were lucky enough to have a great view of the beautiful, symmetrical 12,388 foot mountain so familiar from Japanese ukiyo-e (woodcuts). We sped through the countryside comfortably and luxuriated in treats from the snack cart (I especially recommend the “mushroom mountains” -- chocolate tidbits that remind me of Nestle’s Crunch). Settling into our new hotel in minutes, some of us headed off to Kyoto, braving a train route with which we were unfamiliar. Once in the lovely Kyoto (the first capital city of Japan), we climbed uphill to Kiyomizu-dera, a unique and beautiful Buddhist temple built into the hillside.



On this three-day holiday weekend the huge wooden veranda and many terraces were filled with people but it was amazingly quiet. We walked through the temple grounds until after sunset, then winding down the hillside. For contrast, we hit the bright lights and narrow bystreets of Gion (the geisha district) for supper.

I got the giggles on the train ride back to Ikeda-city. We had three fat travel guidebooks, five maps, and four brains and we were still confused about where to get off the train! Once again, patient Japanese citizens smiled politely and coached us through our travel dilemma.