Kyoto

Kyoto was a fairly brief adventure due and a little marred by the typhoon that's passing through at the moment. But we had a lovely time. Our hotel was beautiful; built around a few central inside gardens Spanish style. We had a Japanese style room with tatami and futtons. They provided Yukata-like a thin, plain kimono for wearing in the hotel and it felt really peaceful and as if you were looked after. 
We took a taxi to Gion in the evening and had dinner in a restaurant there. We walked around the streets and even had an ice-cream in defiance of the weather. I was rewarded in the winding streets of the old town by the sight of a Maiko, an apprentice geisha in full kimono and make-up walking along. We went to a temple which had beautiful paper lanterns and a pagoda with people practicing for a dragon dance-sans costume. Very atmospheric.
We spent this morning at Nishi-honwang-ji Temple which was close to the hotel. We ate lunch at the restaurant there and decided tto get on the road before the weather turned any worse. 
A tantalising glimpse of Kyoto...looking forward to going back. 

 Yukata wearing.

 Temple in Gion at night.

 Nishi-honwang-ji Temple. Below is an ancient gate way preserved by UNESCO.