We had a fun time today at one of Kyoto's busiest tourist destinations- Kinkakuji, or the Golden Paviolion. It was built in the 1300's as a retirement villa by Japan's third Shogun during a time of national famine. The original burned down in the 1950's by a crazed monk. The Japanese often rebuild exact replicas of destroyed architecture. Most Jr. High students in Japan make a trip to Kyoto at some point during the year and this is one of the stops. Since tourists are often found here many students come prepared to speak English to foreigners, sometimes for the first time ever. Their English teachers usually give them an assignment to ask questions to anyone speaking English that they come across. Since it was pouring most of the day we were the only tourists there for a bit with LOTS of school kids. Boy did we have a lot of answering to do! They really liked talking to the girls. 
