Apparently it is more than 1000 times better than a garden gate.
We took the Keihan line train from central Kyoto. For a subway train it was really posh. This should have made us realise something was wrong.
There were water colours on the walls and comfy seats and little ornaments. It was like I imagine an old Japanese Grandma's house to be. Rich was immediately calmed by the announcements that were made in calming voices with mid-Atlantic accents announcing the next station like something from a sci-fi film. You almost expect "the next stop is Tobakaido" to be followed by "after which we are non-stop until Saturn".
After the first two stops that followed the right subway line, the following stop was a bit more confusing. It wasn't on our map. We worked out (well the nice grandma who "owned" the carriage worked out) that we had got on an express service and had missed our (and about 6 other stops).
Luckily being the university educated geniuses we are, we managed to find our way back to the correct stop. All before 9.30am. Yay! Shrine!
Some gates.
There are lots of tourists, but also lots of Japanese business men dressed in suits because this is the shrine to business prosperity. To have success in business you pay a tenner for a little fox carving and then put it on a hook, ring a bell, bow and clap your hands. If only the Brits knew about this we would be raking it in and be far more international.
We wandered the 1000 gates while Rich took 1000 photos. Clare wrote this blog entry in realtime while waiting for Rich. If only she had Pokemon Go still, sure there are loads of epic Pokemon around here. Then she has a brilliant idea - see post of sightseeing activities.
They got the name of this place right. There are a whole load of orange gates. One had fallen down so I guess maybe there aren't 1000 anymore. Unless there were more than 1000 to begin with. Also, did they count the ones in the gift shops in the 1000...
Having conquered the shrine/mountain there was just time for a (gravity defying) tofu ice cream.
Back on the subway (the right way) we went to Sansuago Temple - the temple of 1001 statues. We are really into multiples today. If only Rich had let me have multiple ice creams.
No photos were allowed but I can paint a really realistic picture. It wa a HUGE barn filled with 1001 golden statues, each of which had lots of arms and were about 165 cms tall. Then in the middle there was a huge statue of something with multiple heads and arms. Also gold. Picture painted.
This is the outside of the barn.
This is the entrance...or should I say "portal"...where we had to take our shoes off.
This is a little garden by the barn.
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