Trips

Thurs., 10/13 - Kyoto

Today was a long, busy, and very interesting day visiting the Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Nishiki Market, the Kinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavilion), and the Kyoto Train station.

The day began with a trip to the Fushimi Inari Shrine that dates to the 8th century. Inari is the most important shrine of the rice deity. Supposedly a fox came to a man’s rice paddy that was being destroyed by rats. The fox ate the rats and the farmer had a great harvest, so the fox is the symbol of this shrine to the rice god.

Driver/guides meeting for instructions. These people take small groups of school children to museums and historical sites rather than putting the kids in a big group on a bus.	Local cemetery
Restaurant sign	Local rain station
Local train	Busy line
A Toro near the entrance	Upkeep is important
Map of the Fushimi Inari Shrine complex showing the main gate (Romon), the main hall (Honden), and the Senbon Torii (1001 torii gates)
Entrance Torii	Ablution font for purification before entering the shrine grounds
Another Torii gate	Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers. This one is holding a key, presumably for the rice granary. There are many fox statues across the shrine grounds.
Nio guardian - there is one on either side of the shrine entrance	Main Hall or Honden
Back of the main gate
One of many smaller shrines	Lifting a "strength stone" or Chikaraishi - to demonstrate strength
One of many smaller shrines	The Fushimi Inari Shrine is famous for its "Thousand Torii gates" - the Senbon Torii. These gates, painted a vermillion red, (a color that "evokes a strong sense of spirituality for Japanese people"), have been donated to express prayers and appreciation since the Edo period (1603-1868).
	The writing on each torii shows that that particular torii has been dedicated to the shrine by an individual or group. This is an act known as hono.
The walk up through the torii brings you to an area where there are many personal shrines established by individuals.
Individual shrines	Individual shrines
Individual shrines	Individual shrines
Fun sign	Interesting design - apartment building
Japanese proprietors keep their store-front areas immaculate	The next activity of the day was a stroll through the Nishiki Market, an arcade several blocks long selling mostly food - fish, fish, and more fish - and restaurants. Kay gave us a challenge. Working in groups of four, each group was given the Japanese word for some item (fruit or vegetable), and we had to go buy it. She gave each group 1,000 yen to buy whatever was assigned and bring it to her. Our word sounded like Ka Key. I asked a shop keeper who spoke a little English and she told us it was a fruit but she didn’t know the English word for it. We found a fruit and veggie market and asked for 2 Ka Key. He pointed to persimmons - Kaki. No wonder the young woman didn’t know the English word. Ringo is apple. The third group was to find a Nashi or pear. The rest of the money could be used for our lunch. We went back to the French bakery and bought two Croque monsieur sandwiches, two big chocolate chip cookies, an Americano coffee, and a lemonade beer for $18.82 US. It was a clean, quiet cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.
My favorite beer	More challenging electrical work
Entrance to the Nishiki Market	Ceiling in the central hallway of the Nishiki Market
Markets are my favorite places and my camera just loves them. The photos will have to speak for themselves as most of the goods pictured are unknown. If you have the Google Translator app, you may be able to decipher some of the signs.
Nice sculpture	Back to the bus to travel to the Kinkakuji (Golden) Temple (Pavilion).

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