We are in Kyoto and have an extra day on Thursday before heading home. We've visited all of the temples/shrines and gardens I have wanted to see, as well as Arashiyama for a day, and we are going to Nara tomorrow). Any ideas of what to do with our extra day would be appreciated. We especially enjoyed walking/meandering for the day in Arashiyama and for a couple of hours in Fushima Inari.

Is Ohara similar to Arashiyama? I think Byodin Temple is being renovated and may be closed. Would you go for the day if that is the case?

Any suggestions on how to spend the last of our 6 days in Kyoto would be appreciated.

If you fancy it, and are lucky and she's available, you could get in touch with Emi at Uzuki cookery school and see if you can book a private cookery class learning Kyoto specialities in her traditional Kyoto home kitchen. This was a highlight of our time in Kyoto a couple of weeks back, and the pricing was extremely good value, we felt. And we loved Emi!

Website here: http://www.kyotouzuki.com/

I did not think Ohara similar to Arashiyama. I enjoyed Ohara MUCH more! I found it quiet and lush and peacefull.

Isn't Byodoin in Uji? If you have a great interest in green tea, Uji might be worthwhile even if Byodoin is closed, but if think it would have to be a VERY strong interest.

Did you get to Horyuji or chuguji?

Give Jim a day off to contemplate the world...

How about some Kabuki Theatre?

kja- You are correct about the temple being in Uji. Maybe we will head for Ohara based on your input. I did not bring the Ohara pages of my guidebook so I really do not know what to do there. Is it walking paths as in Arashiyama, or is there something else you would recommend we do?

Kavey and Kathie-Thanks for your input.

Bob-Jim can contempate whatever he wishes once we get home. He is doing fine and enjoying our trip.

Any other ideas for our last day in Kyoto.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3932.html
Ohara looks interesting. It is the setting for an NHK tv show, At Home with Venetia.

You could always go to Osaka for the day if you haven't been there....

http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/tokubet...012/index.html
The Kyoto National Museum which is being renovated does have a special exhibition of ceramics.

I'm not sure quite how to answer since I didn't think Arashiyama just "walking paths" -- I walked some there, but I also visited temples and Okochi Sanso.

Mara sent you the link for Ohara. I walked up a hill beside a set of tree-shrouded shop stalls that edged a ravine/gully with a rushing stream/waterfalls and then visited Sanzenin Temple and its lovely moss garden. There are other temples I planned to visit in Ohara, but I didn't have time.

The Amida Buddha at Chuguji is, perhaps, the most beautiful Buddha statue I have ever seen.

The statues at the Kufuguji Treasure House in Nara are among the most exquisite Asian statues I've seen anywhere.

I thought the path of lanterns at the Kasuga Taisha in Nara quite special.

There are tons of other options in Kyoto, Nara, and nearby. Without knowing what you have done, its hard to know what to recommend.

Let us know what you decide!

Osaka day trip: Spa World, Osakajo, okonomiyaki
28 min, ¥540, each way on JR special rapid service train
Here is a quick guide: www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-505.pdf

Oh, am too late, it is already afternoon Japan time.

Thanks for all of your ideas. Since we have to be up at 4am for our MK Taxi pickup at 4:45, and we have not eaten dinner yet, I can't go into detail about what we did, but suffice to say we had a lovely day staying local in Kyoto. We decided to leave Ohara for next time. I'll post a TR after I recover from jet lag.