A musical Saturday in Kyoto
Saturday 2004-11-13
Today I change lodging in Kyoto. I'm staying two nights in a ryokan and the rest in a hostel. Check out time at the ryokan is 10 am and check in at the hostel is 3 pm. I decided to fill that time by visiting the Golden Temple (Kinkakuji temple) and then taking in a music concert at a local coffee shop. The band at the coffee shop was 4 girls playing a very interesting combination of instruments - steel drum, fretless bass, keyboard and flute. I really enjoyed the music. After the concert I met the girls and we all talked for a long time. It was a very enjoyable afternoon. After that I met a journalist in the coffee shop. She told me about staying the night at a Buddhist monastery. It sounded very interesting. I might try that the next time I'm here. I checked into the hostel - my new home for the next week. It's a wonderful place - bright and cheery, with a large common room, kitchen, laundry, TV/DVD and internet access. I've got a single room. In the evening I walked to the area near the train station and had a great Japanese dinner.