Rainstorms in Kyoto...

JAPAN DAY 3: Exhausted but still eager to see more, we checked out of our Tokyo hotel by 8am and met Chris, Steven, and Hoffman before heading to the train station.  Our original plan was to go to Hiroshima today, but because of the national holiday we could not get a train to the city until late in the day.  Our change in plans actually worked out quite well because most of the sites would have been closed.  Instead, we made our way to Kyoto on the 3 hour bullet train ride.  I had hoped to get some sleep, but the scenery was too beautiful to miss so I watched the countryside and small towns fly by out the window.  Our time in Kyoto was rainy and cold, but we still managed to see the town.  Kyoto is known for its traditional temples and use of timber in the buildings.  This city was the capital of Japan many years ago, so there is a tremendous amount of history and culture.  For a late lunch, we found ourselves in an upstairs traditional sushi restaurant with no shoes on.  We each ordered a feast of sushi, miso soup, and tempura. Shortly after sitting down a bottle of sake was delivered to our table and the waitress told us that the men at the other table had purchased it for us.  Steven went over to thank them and soon found out that they were the supreme power circle of Russia.  He didn’t believe them at first but the men laughed and gave him a business card that identified one of them as the head of the entire legal system!  After enjoying our feast we set back out into the pouring rain and wondered around the city exploring little shops and small shrines interspersed.  That night we went to see a Geisha show in the Gion district.  Tammy and I were actually chosen to be part of the performance as participants in a traditional tea ceremony.  We had special seats and were served traditional tea and cookies while watching the process.  There were two short plays and a geisha performance.  Afterwards we took pictures with the actors.  After the play the rain had subsided a bit so we walked around the old Gion district stopping in the few stores that were still open.  We found our way down the most charming back pedestrian alley and stopped in this tiny restaurant for a late night dinner of fried chicken and sweet potatoes on a stick.  The meal was cooked at a bar and delivered to our table by hand without plates.  Overall it was a great day, but we all admitted we needed rest!  So, back at our ‘Kyoto Royal Hotel and Spa’ we had our first good night’s sleep in Japan.  The next day we’d make our way to Hiroshima.