2 Travel adventures Japan

Enchanting Japan

8 augustus 2016 - 21 augustus 2016 (13 days)

After asking for directions three times, we finally arrive at the temple. A security guard immediately points out where we should park our bikes. In Japan, you can’t just leave your bike anywhere. The Kinkaku-ji Temple, officially called Rokuon-ji Temple, is best known for its Golden Pavilion. Hundreds of other tourists—mostly Japanese—are aware of this too. Today is the first day of the Buddhist Obon Festival. During the three-day Obon Festival, ancestors are honored. It’s not an official national holiday, but practically all Japanese people take three days off. In a procession of tourists, we enter the temple grounds. The Golden Pavilion lies across a pond. The pavilion dates back to the late 14th century. The golden roof reflects in the rippling water—a beautiful sight. Perhaps even more amusing is watching everyone contort themselves to get a photo with the temple in the background. Most visitors miss the rest of the gardens, ponds, and temples. So do we.

Photos Travelogue Route

Japan

Monkey Park

Baboons in the Monkey Park in SagaArashiyama

Floating Torii

The most famous image of Japan on Miyajima Island

Kyoto

Evening falls by the river in Kyoto

Restaurant

A cozy meeting in a small restaurant in Kyoto

From Amsterdam to Tokyo

1 mei 2016 - 8 augustus 2016 (100 days)

We see a second parking lot. There’s a “P” sign, but the Japanese text below it is unreadable to us. We suspect it’s a private parking lot for a hotel. Otherwise, there would probably be more cars here, so close to the ferry. We park Brutus. In less than ten minutes, the ferry takes us to the island. I’m not feeling well. Despite the intense heat, I feel cold. The goosebumps on my skin are a bad sign. I must have a fever. It’s a shame, really — the island is quite nice. Tame deer lie under the trees, waiting to be fed by tourists. They have no intention of moving aside. Countless stalls selling food and souvenirs line the path to the shrine. I try to stay in the shade as much as possible. The entrance gate — the floating Torii — is stunning. With the lake in the background, it’s a classic Japanese scene.

Photos Video Travelogue Route