Wednesday we were impacted by the typhoon that landed between Tokyo & Kyoto.  We had significant rain but not the 20 inches near the typhoon’s center.  To get away, we took the bullet train to Himeji, the site of the Himeji Castle, an iconic white castle built in the 1600’s when the castle construction technology in Japan was at its zenith.  It is a UNESCO World Culture Heritage site.  The castle is stunning and the inside is filled with great wooden beams and steep stairs.  It is highly visited and often, the interior tour is delayed for 10 minutes at each of the staircases throughout the 6 story structure.  A mid-week day and the rain kept the crowds down.  One of the disappointing aspects of Japanese temple & castle interior tours is that they are just empty rooms.  They may state the room purpose but imagination is not a substitute for furniture, armaments, etc.

We rode the Mt. Shosha Ropeway (cable car) near Himeji in the pouring rain & fog.  The views were non-existent.  We hadn’t realized how much rain the Kyoto area receives but it doesn’t deter the crowds.  Covered shopping areas abound.

We are heading back to Tokyo on Thursday, then Vietnam on Friday.