Kyoto:  I wasn’t expecting to go far, but it quickly became the longest run of my trip.  As usual, I left the hotel early (~7:00 am).  I crossed the city to the river and its extensive trail network.  When the trail on the western side ended, I crossed over to the other side.

Lots of birds in the water- egrets, cranes, and a small bright blue bird that I only caught a quick glimpse of.  A couple of “water falls” along the way, with the pleasant sound of flowing water.

I ran over to the Imperial Palace complex and was surprised and pleased to find the gardens open.

Was drawn in by the beauty- ran on large, broad gravel boulevards and standard bush-lined dirt trails thru the beautiful trees.  Couldn’t see the palace, but the gardens were worth it.

Came back along the west side of the river that had a small adjacent canal and signage with descriptions of Kyoto’s history and images of paintings from long ago.  Came off the river when nature called, and discovered that clean and accessible toilets can be found in the many 7-11s located around Japan.  Continued my run, orienting on Kyoto Tower, a prominent landmark that eases urban navigation.

 

Passed a large Buddhist temple buried in the city but within walking distance of the hotel— I had not known it was that close.  Enjoyed the New Year decorations and aphorisms.

8+ miles and my second favorite run in Japan.

Much more on Kyoto here:  https://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/kansai/kyoto

Here’s the map of my NP2R Kyoto: