Today we had English and Art class at school and then spent the afternoon in Arashiyama, the western side of Kyoto. Our first visit was to Rakushishya, a home built by a disciple of the famous haiku poet, Basho. It was serene and had a beautiful feel. As we began to walk through the Bamboo Forest, the skies opened up and it poured with rain for over an hour. We scrambled into a beautiful Buddhist temple called Tenryuji and spend the afternoon observing the garden and mountains. It felt like we we were living inside a landscape painting! There are many photos but the pictures do not begin to capture how magical the afternoon felt. The students did not want to leave! We got very wet in the rain but had a very special afternoon in Arashiyama.