Good brekkie at the hotel this morning. JPY1000 each. All sorts of weird and wonderful stuff, plus the usual western staples (kind of).

Bestest value day pass ever - JPY600 for all subway and bus travel for a day .

Headed out to Nanzen-ji to visit the temples and gardens.

See the pictures. It was so beautiful out there and the gardens were just amazing. We looked at everything with the chants of the priests (monks?) filling the incredibly HUMID air. Was a wonderful experience.

Subwayed back into the city and visited the buildings and gardens of Nijo-ji. Again, beautiful.

Had forgotten our guide book and was totally confused by the Imperial Palace and Palace Park. Having now read what we should have found out before you need to apply to visit the palace. The palace park is just gardens and paddocks all around the palace walls. As with so many of these kinds of parks they are weedy and overgrown and not in the slightest impressive. Just not what I was expecting.

Of course, both melting, so back down onto the subway and to the hotel.

Once we'd cooled down it was all about the Gion Matsuri for round two.

Second night being a Friday meant there were about ten times more people out than the night before. It was crazy packed.

Love how the seemingly regimented Japanese just love the opportunity to down beers at a very rapid rate while just wandering around.

Another fantastic night.