Miho Museum and Daigo-ji

The miho museum was gorgeous. Walking on the bridge if you stood really still you could feel it moving, swaying ever so slightly. The museum itself was amazing, a very rich woman's collectables that happened to be priceless and beautiful. The gardens of Daigo were breathtaking. Sadly, my camera was not working at the time so I missed out on some stunning shots. Cheers - Jenny

After the group departed Kyoto crammed elbo-to-elbo into JR train, we transfered to a crowded bus for the second part of Wednesday morning's excursion to Miho Museum. The museum is secluded up in the mountains, east of Kyoto. We would be traveling there via bus. The bus flew up the single-lane mountain roads, sliding past oncoming cars with only inches of clearance. After almost an hour of moderate distressful driving, we stepped out into the cool mountain air. The mountains are the home of a very different type of environment. The ground is covered in furry mosses. Dark green coniferous trees grow. Sprinkled among them are others covered in rich red leaves, blazing in the early-morning sunlight. The museum itself, though constructed in a modern style with shining silver metal and smooth sand-colored stone, coexists with the environment with seamless compliments. It does not seem out of place, they live as one. The museum is built into the mountain as if it was naturally formed, the same as the forest and stones around it. A shadowy and gaping tunnel led us through a mountain and opened out onto a long suspension bridge, stretching between two mountain sides. At the end of the bridge lies the entrance to the museum itself. The sleek and modern design, glowing among the deep-toned plant-life, was illuminated in the warm and streaming sunlight. To be honest, I enjoyed the beauty of the construction more than I did the art that lies within.

-Henry Smith - Nov. 17th, 2011

The Miho Museum was amazing! The building the museum was in was astonishing. I have never seen a place so intreging and be on such a beautiful landscape. I loved how the museum had artifacts from many different cultures instead of just from the japanese culture. Also the guide was very nice amd helpful. The Diajo garden was beautiful as well. The smell of insence, sound of water flowing, and the scene of the garden was super relaxing. It was a great place to just sit and think.
-Andrew Torma