Day 39 of 111. Osaka Japan

Here we are at the Heian Jingu Shinto Shrine. The visit was great, but the garden must be amazing in the spring. The stand full of wishes and the offerings of saki barrels were interesting things to see.


I really liked the trees covered with papers. All of the small pieces of paper make the branches look like blossoms. You get a fortune (with a donation?) and if the sentiment is good, you keep it. If it is not a good fortune, you tie it onto the tree… you get rid of it as soon as possible. So… don’t take the papers off of the trees. Some of the more sensitive trees were wrapped in reeds to protect them from the freezing weather.

In Kyoto, we saw several people dressed in kimonos. Some people simply want to be traditional, but our guide said that sometimes people in kimonos can get discounts or free entry into some places. The lighted wheel and displays are in an area adjacent to our ship’s dock. There is a large aquarium with many impressive lights. We visited the shops and restaurants nearby and had katsu-don in a bowl of rice. Yum!