14 March 2010

After another Starbucks breakfast, we checked out from the room then made our way to the home of Nick's friends the Tateyamas. Unfortunately their son, Eito, who is six, was out hiking. We had been talking about him to Emily so she was disappointed not to see him, but she certainly enjoyed playing with his toys.


We spent quite a while looking over their wedding albums (they married at Gleneagles), though I recall that we saw the photos last time too! In true hospitable Japanese style, Mr Tateyama kindly gave us a lift afterwards to Fushimi Inari shrine, where we were due to meet another friend, Masahiko. We were a little early but were more than happy in the lovely warm sunshine. We were intrigued by a stall set up nearby, which had lots of dead snakes on display. Nick enquired and found out that they were selling snake oil, in dried form. If you purchased a jar you got the relevant snake into the bargain.


Masahiko and his wife and son (Satoko and Kaoru) duly arrived and we walked through the shrine

and on up the wooded hillside via a path that passed under hundreds of red torii which are donated by businessmen hoping to improve their fortune.


We had lunch in a restaurant by the path, staffed by old crones as these places often seem to be. On the way back down Emily dropped off in the carrier and had a short nap. Soon it was time to go back into the centre of Kyoto and pick up our late afternoon shinkansen. Emily munched contentedly on an apple nearly as big as her head while we waited on the busy platform for our train.

The journey went OK but Emily wanted to walk up and down a lot so Nick and I took it in turns to accompany her.