After our morning in Yokohama we took the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Yokohama to Kyoto, the old capital of Japan. We’re staying at a traditional Japanese style inn called a Ryokan, which means sleeping on futons and tatame mats on the floor amongst bamboo and rice paper walls. An adventure! 

We walked around the old district of Gion that afternoon and evening. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and people from all over had travelled in to admire them. It was amazing. Gion is full of quaint alleys and streets covered in old wooden Japanese style houses, small canals and lots of bird life. So, so pretty. The red statuesque Yasaka Shrine in Gion is magnificent and draws in the crowds. The light shone on it so perfectly as Greg took the photograph.

I LOVE grilled unagi (eel) with rice. Greg spotted an Unagi-ya (a small restaurant that serves grilled eel), and that was where we had supper. Again, there were no English speaking people in sight, so thanks to the plastic “mock-ups” of the food outside, we were able to order our meal. I had Unagi Donburi (with rice) and Greg had Unagi Tomago (eel omelet). I had it with tea and pickles while Greg washed his down with an ice cold Asahi beer. Fabulous.