March pictures.
Long overdue. I was running around and doing quite a lot of stuff during March, but I think I need to pick another time to slowly go through any of it in more detail. For now, accept my humble pictures.
If you have the time to spare, send me a happy thought? Thank you. ♥
We walked down 哲学の道 (Philosopher's Path - it runs along a canal from Ginkakuji to Nanzenji in Kyoto), which I'm sure would have been beautiful if the cherry blossoms had been out already. It was still so serene and relaxing that I think we both really enjoyed it anyhow. There were all these little cafes sprinkled along the way. If I lived in Kyoto, I would love having the time to stop by one and sip a drink while looking out over the peaceful scenery.
They were selling these at a stall near the beginning of the path, complete with diagram and explanation of why it's an amazing snack. I usually scoff at touristy things, but we gave in and each got one. They were hot and really delicious, with a light crunchy shell and gooey creamy filling. And of course, they were super cute, which is definitely a plus. ;P
They were enjoying the scenery, too. :P
We took it slowly and didn't stop by that many tourist attractions in Kyoto, but Ginkakuji was one of the places we decided on (I'd been to it before and had a reasonably favorable impression). Maybe because I was in a better mood this time, but I found it incredibly beautiful.
Of course we went on silly tangents while enjoying ourselves there. I decided that it'd be best to enjoy Ginkakuji as a cat because then you could loll and pad around in the garden through its little winding paths much more easily.
More Ginkakuji...
By one of the paths, they had these samples of different kinds of moss laid out. Moss that's troublesome, moss that's less so, and Very Important Moss - like V.I.P.! Hahaha...we got a good laugh over that. Someone who works there has a sense of humor? Cute. I thought it was one of the best things about Ginkakuji.
A last Ginkakuji picture. I don't really have pictures of the other places we went because my camera started running out of batteries (or so it claimed) - plus I think Ginkakuji was the most picturesque.
On the way to Kyoto, we had planned on eating bento boxes on the shinkansen but were too rushed to actually buy any. So before going back to Yokohama, we prowled around the JR Isetan store at Kyoto Station. The food floors in Japanese department stores and such are pretty incredible. We went for slightly cheaper lunches, but I certainly didn't feel that we were settling for less, just that we weren't being cheated out of our money, haha. This is my friend's! :D
Mine! Along with the box of giant green tea Pocky which I convinced her to have us buy together...then I ate most of it since it was still around when she left for the U.S. (^_^);
Back in Tokyo - after a morning in Akihabara, we got this fantastic lunch for 1000 yen - less than $10 US! I was pretty pleased. There's a small bowl of unagi-don (eel rice bowl) and delicious udon with mushrooms, among other things. Too bad the place isn't closer...
My friend and I had chocolate banana caramel waffles during one of her last evenings here. Simple, yet so good. :) The warm, slightly crisp waffle with cool ice cream on top - yum!
This is awhile later, when I went for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) with some friends from school. Apparently, Yamate Park is the oldest Western-style park in Japan, whatever that means.
What do you think? This is my first time in Japan in the spring. So this is what cherry blossoms are like - it's been about a week since I took this picture, and soon the blossoms will all be gone.
I thought the blossoms scattered on the path were beautiful, too.
Close-up.
If you have the time to spare, send me a happy thought? Thank you. ♥
We walked down 哲学の道 (Philosopher's Path - it runs along a canal from Ginkakuji to Nanzenji in Kyoto), which I'm sure would have been beautiful if the cherry blossoms had been out already. It was still so serene and relaxing that I think we both really enjoyed it anyhow. There were all these little cafes sprinkled along the way. If I lived in Kyoto, I would love having the time to stop by one and sip a drink while looking out over the peaceful scenery.
They were selling these at a stall near the beginning of the path, complete with diagram and explanation of why it's an amazing snack. I usually scoff at touristy things, but we gave in and each got one. They were hot and really delicious, with a light crunchy shell and gooey creamy filling. And of course, they were super cute, which is definitely a plus. ;P
They were enjoying the scenery, too. :P
We took it slowly and didn't stop by that many tourist attractions in Kyoto, but Ginkakuji was one of the places we decided on (I'd been to it before and had a reasonably favorable impression). Maybe because I was in a better mood this time, but I found it incredibly beautiful.
Of course we went on silly tangents while enjoying ourselves there. I decided that it'd be best to enjoy Ginkakuji as a cat because then you could loll and pad around in the garden through its little winding paths much more easily.
More Ginkakuji...
By one of the paths, they had these samples of different kinds of moss laid out. Moss that's troublesome, moss that's less so, and Very Important Moss - like V.I.P.! Hahaha...we got a good laugh over that. Someone who works there has a sense of humor? Cute. I thought it was one of the best things about Ginkakuji.
A last Ginkakuji picture. I don't really have pictures of the other places we went because my camera started running out of batteries (or so it claimed) - plus I think Ginkakuji was the most picturesque.
On the way to Kyoto, we had planned on eating bento boxes on the shinkansen but were too rushed to actually buy any. So before going back to Yokohama, we prowled around the JR Isetan store at Kyoto Station. The food floors in Japanese department stores and such are pretty incredible. We went for slightly cheaper lunches, but I certainly didn't feel that we were settling for less, just that we weren't being cheated out of our money, haha. This is my friend's! :D
Mine! Along with the box of giant green tea Pocky which I convinced her to have us buy together...then I ate most of it since it was still around when she left for the U.S. (^_^);
Back in Tokyo - after a morning in Akihabara, we got this fantastic lunch for 1000 yen - less than $10 US! I was pretty pleased. There's a small bowl of unagi-don (eel rice bowl) and delicious udon with mushrooms, among other things. Too bad the place isn't closer...
My friend and I had chocolate banana caramel waffles during one of her last evenings here. Simple, yet so good. :) The warm, slightly crisp waffle with cool ice cream on top - yum!
This is awhile later, when I went for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) with some friends from school. Apparently, Yamate Park is the oldest Western-style park in Japan, whatever that means.
What do you think? This is my first time in Japan in the spring. So this is what cherry blossoms are like - it's been about a week since I took this picture, and soon the blossoms will all be gone.
I thought the blossoms scattered on the path were beautiful, too.
Close-up.