April 2, 2015. Kyoto in early April is a showstopper. The way women move in vintage silk kimonos, the cherry blossoms bursting open against blue skies. It's all so sumptuous. And in the center of it all is this Shinto shrine, Fushimi Inari Taisha, which takes on pilgrimage status during sakura season. But the big draw here isn't the 8th c. shrine, it's the modern curving tunnel of glossy orange gates stacked on the hill above.
The stairs leading from the temple to the gates.
My kids' hands were purified for all of 30 seconds I'm sure.
Inari is the god of the rice fields. In other words, prosperity. Inari's messenger is the fox. My favorite plaque: third from right, middle row.
Primping before selfies.
A different foursome of women checking the selfies they've just taken.
The gates aren't inscribed with ancient epigrams but corporate sponsors.
The Japanese version of Elsa from Frozen was there taking photos with her fiance but I was watching all along and she definitely saved her most natural smiles for a five year old stranger.
Prayer plaques at the children's temple where you write your wish and your gender. (Yet no one knows whether Inari is a male or female god.)
Jon and Francesca climbing up Mt. Inari, trying to catch up with the speedier half of the family.
On the mountaintop we found hundreds of wishes people had knotted onto plants. I left one too.
Rebecca Trafton
April 2
Oh, the stories that Max will have to share with me during our weekend together!
Oh, how I"ll miss these almost daily treasures in my inbox.
Oh, how I can't wait to see you with your glowing red-gold hair!
Oh, how glad I am that April 24th is soon...
In the meanwhile, savor these final few days.
I am sending so much love to each of you.
xoxox R, off to the airport soon to pick up Barb for a weekend visit!
Jane B.
April 2
Jayne -- THANK YOU! for including a selfie. You look great -- glistening and all. I'm not sure I would recognize you on the street with your goldenrose hair. (By the way,are you liking it?!!! It looks great from here:) Max looks pretty stoked about *winning* the climb. Man, you guys have seen so many amazing things! I can't even believe it. I know we've only seen a slight fraction of what you took photos of and what you saw -- and it has been incredible from the chair in my office. I cannot wait to see the little photobook(s) you put together over the next few months to try to capture a little bit of the magic of your Epic Adventure. It seems like yesterday that you were leaving. And now you're almost back. Wow! Look forward to hearing more stories soon. -- Love, TOJ