The geishas were always going to be the highlight of our stay in Kyoto for me but it wasn’t the only thing we did. Kyoto being the old capital there were lots of historic sites Nigel wanted to see.

Nijo Castle is a shogun castle in Kyoto. It is famous for its nightingale floors. The floors are designed that they squeak when someone walks across them no matter how gently. The shogun did not want his enemies sneaking up on him.

Bizarrely group loads of Japanese school children seemed more interested in us than in the castle and we were inundated by requests for photos.

We also managed to take in a zen temple near the geisha dances as well. Zen temples have lots of space of little boys to run around.

The next day we had a guide with us and went to another shrine, again a zen one with a beautiful garden.

We also went to the bamboo forest another good spot for little boys to run around.

Our other stop with the guide was the Inari shrine. We found a shrine there were students make offerings to seek academic success. They are meant to offer a string of one thousand hand made oragami cranes. Family members usually make them as the students are busy studying. We gave monetary offerings which are also acceptable.

The Inari shrine also has thousands of tori gates which are donated as offerings. They are so popular there is a waiting list to donate.

Laura put a halt to further sightseeing in Kyoto by running a temperature and needing a doctor.

We did managed to sneak in a dinner in a small yakka tori restaurant where the tables are all in individual rooms. On the way to the ladies we spotted a geisha performing in one if the other rooms.