We were UPNATEM early this morning for a cycling tour of Kyoto. We spent the whole morning exploring on e-bikes, winding through beautiful little alleys and heading up into the hills. Very grateful for that extra boost on the e-bike! Brent of course didn’t even turn on his battery!!
Along the way, we stopped at different Shrines and Temples. Our guide shared some memorable stories. One was about Sugawara No Michizane, a scholar and government official who was unfairly exiled from Kyoto. After his death, disasters struck the city and some of the people responsible for his exile were killed by lightning, storms, and earthquakes. People believed his angry spirit was angry, so a shrine was built to honour and appease him. Once the Shrine was built, the disasters stopped! This shrine is now very popular amongst students as the deity associated with learning. Students visit his shrine to pray for success in their exams.
Then there was Bodhidharma, the ultimate meditation guru. According to the legends, he meditated facing a wall for nine years, and cut off his eyelids when he fell asleep so it wouldn’t happen again. Later, his arms and legs fell off for sitting for so long, and his image magically became imprinted on the wall based on the time he spent starring at it. He is the inspiration behind the little round Daruma Dolls we see everywhere in Japan—the determined-looking, egg-shaped figures that seem to stare at you until you get things done. I could probably use one watching over my to-do list! And I am definitely gifting Brent one to get him to retire!
We also visited a Buddhist temple with a rather sobering ceiling. Our guide explained that the wood had once been floorboards in a castle and had become stained with blood during a conflict. The boards were later reused in the temple ceiling to honour those who died. Looking up, we could make out marks resembling handprints and footprints. It was an unsettling piece of history to see in person.
We stopped for tea and sweets with a history stretching back 1000 years—26 generations! We were told it is the oldest sweet shop in the world. For perspective on this areas history, it is the 3rd oldest business in the district.
Unfortunately, I had a bad headache by the time we finished, so I headed back for a nap. While I slept, Brent and Taryn took care of lunch and laundry. Not every travel moment involves temples and sightseeing. In fact Brent expressed his time with Taryn was his best moment of the day.
A couple of hours of sleep did the trick, and I felt much better by the time we walked to our sumo dinner show.
The show was so much fun! Sumo is Japanese wrestling, with two wrestlers trying to force each other out of a circular ring. It sounds straightforward, yet there is plenty of strength, balance and technique involved. Not really sure why they need to wear such little clothing when they are big men! It was not the most pleasant to look at, but it was a very funny and entertaining show.
Afterwards, we wandered through the streets and popped into a few shops before returning to the hotel around 9 p.m. Then it was straight to bed!
Looking very exciting! What an adventure!💕