Day Three – Gold, Gates, and Values Found

Day Three – Gold, Gates, and Values Found

Day three began later than planned, with a well-earned sleep-in until 9am. After the previous day’s 55,000 steps, our bodies clearly needed it. We took a western-style breakfast at the Brighton Hotel before setting out with a simple but ambitious plan: the Golden Pavilion in the morning, followed by Fushimi Inari Shrine in the afternoon. Both are iconic — and both sit at opposite ends of Kyoto’s vast sprawl.

With yesterday’s mileage still in our legs, we made the sensible choice and took a taxi to the Golden Pavilion. A short 12-minute ride, but a very welcome break. Kyoto taxis may look old-fashioned, but they are immaculate, and the drivers are unfailingly respectful — opening and closing doors for their passengers with quiet pride.

The Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) was everything we had hoped for. The moment you enter the grounds, it stands right there in front of you — no build-up, no reveal needed. With barely a breath of wind, the reflection of the gold-leaf-covered building shimmered perfectly in the water. It was stunning. Photos were taken, of course, and I even recorded a short video to remind our community back home to get their Japan Koi request forms ready for next week — Japan never really switches off, even on a reflective day.

The surrounding grounds were equally impressive, and it was easy to imagine how breathtaking they must be in spring or autumn. Maybe an autumn harvest return is already planting itself as an idea.

From there, another taxi took us across the city to Fushimi Inari Shrine. Stepping out, we immediately caught sight of torii gates climbing high up the mountainside — a quiet promise of the work ahead. Fushimi Inari does not disappoint. The sheer number of shrines is incredible, many guarded by stone foxes — some holding what appeared to be sticks or scrolls, others with ball-like objects in their mouths. The symbolism is everywhere, and I’ve realised just how much meaning exists in this culture that I had previously walked past without truly seeing.

We began the climb, passing through endless vermilion torii gates, each one a step deeper into the mountain and into reflection. Along the way, we met a kind Japanese gentleman several times, crossing paths as we took different routes. When we eventually met again near the summit after choosing separate trails, we shook hands and shared a fist bump — a simple, human moment that felt oddly significant.

Fushimi Inari is said to have over 10,000 torii gates, and I was determined to pass through as many as possible. A personal achievement, physical and symbolic.

Leaving Fushimi, we returned by taxi to Higashi Hongan-ji — a familiar landmark now, and a central point we were beginning to understand instinctively as we learned Kyoto’s rhythms. From there, an unplanned visit to the Samurai Museum rounded off the day in a way I couldn’t have predicted.

This visit added yet another layer of meaning to the trip. Learning about the Bushidō spirit — honour, discipline, loyalty, integrity — felt deeply aligned with my own values, and with the values I have realigned Elite Koi around. The tour lasted around an hour. We tried on samurai armour, held training swords (which somehow still felt very real), and were guided by a tour guide dressed as a ninja.

He explained the art of the ninja — stealth, intelligence, misdirection — and even let us try throwing ninja stars. These, we learned, were often used not to attack, but to create distraction, allowing the ninja to disappear once their assignment was complete.

By now, we had discovered a new part of Kyoto filled with traditional food spots. The day ended perfectly with a bowl of pork ramen — thick, rich broth — accompanied by half a dozen pieces of fried chicken. Simple. Comforting. Delicious.

Tomorrow, we leave for Tokyo. As we prepare to move on, we say a quiet but heartfelt thank you to Kyoto. We could easily have stayed longer — and perhaps one day, we will return.