Japan in Autumn - Kyoto Pt. 2

Day 3 in Kyoto, we chartered a car and driver to take us out of town and was able to cover quite a few places in 9 hours - a very efficient way of making the most of our last day in Kyoto.  Our main destination, an hour away, was the Miho Museum, an iconic piece by architect I.M. Pei.  It was a rewarding visit with fall colours complementing the stunning architecture.  

The Hachiman Bori moat, dating from the late 16th century, is a historic landmark in the old town of Omihachiman.  Old Edo-period houses lined the moat in some places.  We did not have time for a boat cruise along the 5 km long moat but it would have been interesting.  

On the way to the our last stop at the Shirahige Shrine with its floating Tori gate, we dropped by the KyuChikurin-in Temple garden to see the much touted view from inside the visitor centre.  Thanks to a local who gently pointed out to me how to get a nice reflection of the garden on the window by putting my camera (instead of myself) on a table laid out for that purpose.  😔

The Shirahige Shrine was a bit of a disappointment because there is a highway and a fence which blocked access to the Tori gate.  Huge signs posted forbade the crossing of the highway and while I would have ignored them had I been travelling by myself, I didn't this time around.  There is a viewing platform this side of the highway but it was not high enough.  We subsequently discovered a parking lot quite a distance down the road that provided beach access but it meant a long walk back and it would have been too late to catch the sunset.  You win some, you lose some...    

The tunnel exit at the Miho

Entrance

Another "At the Museum" shot

At least show one exhibit here so it's not all about the architecture, but it is...

Entrance to the tunnel

The tunnel

An unusual bridge near the museum - Omi-Odori Bridge an award-winning one, the first to combine prestressed concrete with corrugated steel webs.  It was the art deco look that first attracted me though.

Hachiman Bori (moat)

Charred wood on houses - Yakisugi, the centuries-old Japanese way of preserving wood 

Old town street

Himure Hachiman-gu Shrine -Shinto shrine in Omihachiman - city was named after the shrine; local merchants adopted the shrine as their guardian deity

The Heiden (offering hall) at the shrine

The upper window at the KyuChikurin-in Temple garden - the camera mounted on a table in thhe room produced this image with a reflection of the view.

Window on lower flower

The garden

Shirahige Shrine - founded 1900 years ago, the oldest shrine in the area.

Double Torii gates

Sunset at the Shirahige Shrine