Kyoto is always memorable whatever the season: the new continues to displace the old — my old haunt Maruzen has closed and the inexorable spread of Starbucks and Pachinko continues apace. But there are still sufficient traditional narrow streets to imagine the past, and the temples remain. All changes. The timing of the trip was perfect for cherry blossom, and the city was full. Despite the crowds, the atmosphere was very relaxed.Reverend Master Mugo wryly observed that on her SE-Asian trip she would arrive the day after a festival. I had better luck. The birthday of the Buddha is observed on April 8th and with thousands of others we poured tea over the Buddha's head in Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Temple) in Higashiyama and then slowly walked along the philosopher's way (tetsugaku-no-michi) down to Nanzen-ji, stopping at Hōnen-in (and the nearby burial ground), and the Nomura museum on the way.
If you are in Kyoto, give Starbucks a miss: Inoda is the place for coffee.
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