KYOTO, Japan \u2014 Columbia women’s basketball is on a one-week foreign tour through Japan. The Lions will spend the first few days Kyoto, followed by a visit to\u00a0Hiroshima, and three full days in the capital city of Tokyo.<\/p>\n
GoColumbiaLions.com will post daily updates on the Lions’ whereabouts, including pictures and videos from the tour. Check here every morning for a complete summary from each day.
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\nDAY 1 \u2013 Departure & Arrival
\nThe Lions departed Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, August 11, around 10:30 a.m. ET, and landed in Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Wednesday, August 12, around 1:15 p.m., local time. They then took a short connecting flight from Tokyo to Osaka, before bussing to the historic former capital of Kyoto. After settling into the hotel, the team walked to the Kyoto Tower Sando for dinner.
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\nDAY 2 \u2013 Kinkaku-ji & Kiyomizu-dera
\nFollowing a traditional Japanese breakfast at the hotel, the team gathered for a day of exploring historic Kyoto’s Japanese temples and shrines. They first toured Kinkaku-ji, which translates to “Temple of the Golden Pavilion”. It was first constructed in the late 14th century after the property was purchased by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third Ashikaga Shogun, who transformed it into a massive, luxurious retirement palace. Following his death in 1408, it was converted into a Buddhist temple. Its top two floors are complete covered in gold leaf. It has burned down numerous times throughout its history. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955.
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\nThe second temple the Lions visited, Kiyomizu-dera, literally translates to “Pure Water Temple”. The name comes from the sacred Otowa Waterfall located within the temple grounds, where clear, pristine mountain water has flowed for over a thousand years. Its history dates back over 1,250 years to when it was founded in 778. The grounds spread over 130,000 square meters along the mid-slope of Mt. Otowa in the eastern part of Kyoto. Most of the present buildings were reconstructed in 1633. In 1944, Kiyomizu-dera Temple was registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
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\nFollowing a full day of temple exploration, the team had free time for dinner and to explore downtown Kyoto in the evening.<\/p>\n
Columbia WBB Foreign Tour Itinerary:
\nAugust 11 | Depart New York City for Japan
\nAugust 12 | Land in Osaka, Bus to Kyoto
\nAugust 13 | Kinkaku-ji & Kiyomizu-dera
\nAugust 14 | Exhibition Game #1, Fushini Inari Taisha Trail
\nAugust 15 | Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Traditional Tea Ceremony
\nAugust 16 | Bullet Train to Hiroshima, Peace Memorial Museum
\nAugust 17 | Bullet Train to Tokyo, Orientation
\nAugust 18 | Tokyo Skytree, City Exploration, Exhibition Game #2
\nAugust 19 | Exhibition Game #3 vs. Japanese National Team, TeamLab Immersive Experience
\nAugust 20 | Amazing Race Tokyo, Sightseeing
\nAugust 21 | Return to New York City<\/p>\n
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\nFor the latest on the Columbia women’s basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Instagram<\/a>, X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com<\/a>.
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