Hanami in Kyoto

By lucky chance, a long-planned weekend trip to Kyoto coincided with an earlier-than-usual sakura season. We strolled down the Tetsugaku no Michi (Path of Philosophy) and visited Daigo-ji in the south-east, and caught something close to full bloom at both. Sakura petals abounded in the branches, the trunks, the ice-cream carts, the tea.

Lolly sniffing the Sakura

Couple on the Philosopher's Path

Sakura rain at Daigo-ji

Daigo-ji

Tea at Daigo-ji - (L to R) Fiona, Fern, Sharon, Lolly

A Merchant's Life for Us

In Kyoto with a bunch of like-minded gaijin, we stayed in a restored machiya (merchant's house) in the downtown area. All of us felt disinclined to leave the tatami and the superb antiques; it was a struggle to drag ourselves out into the city.