Kyoto n Kobe

For the folks' last few days we ran around Kobe and Kyoto. We went to a gigantic flea market at Toji Temple and bought far too much stuff. Wandered around Gion and Yasuka Shrine, but didn't stumble across any geisha. Sunday was the Jidai Matsuri- one of Kyoto's "Big Three" festivals. Accordingly, we were expecting something stellar. Well, the Jidai festival is pretty much just a long parade of people in period costumes. It was really entertaining to see who was enjoying playing their role [usually older men and the really young kids] and who had clearly been drafted [generally all the teenagers]. Later that night was the Kurama Fire Festival, which was something I've wanted to see ever since we came to Japan. But we got to the station to find an hour-long wait just to board the train. Crowds are not my favorite thing, and we were all fairly tired from our busy days, so we decided to head back to Kobe.

Monday we took a 15 minute ferris wheel ride in Osaka, then went to Costco so the folks could see the similiarities/differences. Then we said our goodbyes and headed our seperate ways.

Some highlights

* Accidentally ordering raw beef [but it was delicious!]
* Stumbling across a small mikoshi carrying in Kobe
* Seeing some guy's butt as he just dropped his pants to change in full view of the street
* Drinks at the bar on the top floor of the hotel
* Kobe beef at yakiniku in Kobe
* Shrimp burgers