Arriving in Kyoto, Japan

Arriving in Kyoto, Japan

In Kyoto, the cherry trees are blooming early this spring.
All over the city, you can see people photographing the full blooms.
Some pose in front of the trees, other snap selfies with their smart phones, while others use large professional cameras to zoom in on the best blooms near the temples and shrines at nighttime.

I thought to post some photos that nobody has photographed this season.
These photos are of the shadows of trees, as reflected on the sidewalks that we walked at night.

It is still chilly at night in Kyoto, and we have spent a week studying Japanese and preparing for our month long walk of the Nakasendo.

We bought some lightweight clothing to replace our well worn old ones, and brushed up a little on our rusty Japanese.

On the recommendation of our friends who have walked the Nakasendo before, we will start walking from Tokyo and finish in Kyoto.

Tomorrow we will take the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo and start walking back towards Kyoto, exploring the scenery of the old inner road of Japan.

I am a bit nervous about walking all day long every day with my backpack.
A part of me wants to be eating street food in Vietnam or diving in Indonesia, not walking in the rain and sleeping in roadside hotels....

But I have committed to walking this pilgrimage and so the time has come to embark on this long journey....

May the weather be mild,
May the food be good,
May the hotels be clean,
May the wind be at our backs,
May the Spirit of fun and adventure be with us throughout this journey....

All my blessings,
Tali