The sunshine awakens Kobe and us along with it, turning the dark sky into clear blue, nary a cloud to be seen as we climb aboard our coach bound for Kyoto. It’s a bit of a drive from Kobe, so we’re all settled in for the trip. Our guide occasionally breaks the silence with tidbits about Japan: he says it’s the 3rd largest economy in the world (it’s really the 4th). Population is only 125 million…30% of that living in the greater Tokyo area (!). 

We ramble along the highways and byways of Kobe, not ever seeming to leave the city. The traffic thins and the roads become less tangled after a while, providing a good point to stop at a Family Mart. It’s sort of a 7-11 on steroids. 7-11 and Family Mart are everywhere in Japan, and this roadside location is a perfect stop for a bus load of tourists. The blast of lights and colors hits you the minute you come through the door…it is sensory overload in this place!

I was told that when you come to Japan you have to get an egg salad sandwich at a 7-11 (as crazy as that sounds to an American). Something about it is delicious and it’s cheap! A Family Mart version will have to do today…and I gotta tell ya, it was amazingly tasty. If we had it this good at home I’d buy them all the time!

I may have mentioned that Japan is crazy for vending machines…of course there is a whole bank of them here in spite of everything that’s available inside the store. And another bit on “how Japan does things” – the pic of the machine above is how you pay in cash: it sucks up your bills, you confirm the total on the screen, and then it spits out the change and a receipt (and this whole process is supervised by a clerk).

Not long after this stop, we arrive at Kinkakuji (“Golden Pavilion”), a massive complex originally belonging to the shogun Yoshimitsu (it was his retirement villa?!). It became a zen temple upon his death in 1408. Most of the buildings no longer exist, and those that do – including the golden temple – have been rebuilt over the centuries. The latest incarnation is from 1955 (after having been torched by a crazed monk in 1950). And yes, the top two floors are indeed covered in gold leaf!

Perfectly manicured trees reflect in the ponds…the scent of pine fills the air…the birdsong provides a narrative to the stroll among the stones and koi and statue upon which wishes are made…nestled on the edge, a tea room calms the mind and a shrine heals the soul…and we are blessed with the spring’s first cherry blossoms…

Bodies needing nourishment, we soon find ourselves in a dining hall, a lid covering the bento box of delights. We wonder about most of these things “is that egg? tofu? will it be sweet or savory?” A bit of veg, miso soup, some pickled radish, and a bunch of mysterious things later – most of which were super tasty, and a few left behind – we are back on the road to Nijo-jo Castle. 

We’re used to historical places being somewhat isolated, but the castle sits smack dab in the middle of Kyoto – cars and crosswalks and shops and traffic lights encircle the grounds. The bus has to pull over on the busy street to let us out, and we all scurry to the entrance.

Nijo-jo Castle was first constructed in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo era. It was also at this site in 1867 that the last shogun surrender his rule to the Emporer, ending 700 years of samurai rule. From then it was occasionally used by the Imperial family before being given to Kyoto City in 1939.

The main gate is rather plain but gives way to another spectacular gate…the wealth and power evident in every curve and gold adornment. The castle’s gardens and pathways lead us through the grounds, the historic buildings lording over the centuries of people who venture here. Legend has it that the construction was done with intentionally creaking wood floors so no one could sneak in unnoticed.

The stroll takes us through cherry tree groves – that are not yet in bloom but you get a sense of how spectacular this must be for those ten days or so a year when it explodes with flowers that later leave a carpet of pink and white. But wait! Here’s one tree giving us an early taste of spring…

Leaving the castle grounds takes us past the vendors and gift shops…typical candies and cakes, t-shirts, jewelry and crafts, but also Japanese spice mixes and toppings (think varieties of furikake you might put on rice) and a sake tasting (we indulge!). And of course there’s the ever-present capsule vending machine, a little surprise memento waiting inside.

As we pass through the city on our way back to Kobe, bits of ancient Kyoto pop up here and there, making sure we don’t forget the millennia gone by…the years that teach us lessons we dare not repeat, and the beauty we must preserve.