Everyone crosses in all directions at once for about 2 minutes- then its just crazy vehicular traffic...we were there today looking out from second floor Starbucks... xox h last few hours in this crazy and wonderful Japanese mish mash... see everyone soon!

Kurotani papermakers village one hour and half northwest of Kyoto. The train and bus there travelled through mountainous and gorge-like places, such scenery with small villages hugging train tracks- most beautiful picture postcard like -except real! The people here have been very kind and helpful...some many auspicuous events continue to unfold daily...last day today in Kyoto and back to our hamlet in Urasaki... dewa mata ne

I (we) spent the day in Nara today- a 45 minute train ride JR pass from Kyoto. Nara is famous for its Daibutsu- large seated Buddha in a beautiful shrine- unusually unpainted-you can see the stain of the wood, its age and way it was constructed. Even the gate opening to the shrine grounds is magnificent and very large. Throngs of uniformed kids from various places visit during this time as well as other Japanese and of course the Gaijin from many countries including us. It wa

We walked this today in the heat and and sun- its supposed to be the rainy seasonand each day has been lovely! Bamboo grove in Kyoto Kyoto garden teahouse Hiroshima Park