After strolling through Gion the night was falling. We walked over the bridge at Kamo River, which is popular with residents and tourists. A few people were walking along and sitting next to the pathways running alongside the river. The water level of the river was quite low, but we enjoyed the reflections of the… Continue reading Kyoto: Night falls at Kamo River
Category: Japan
Kyoto: Geishas in Gion
On our last day in Kyoto we spent a few hours in Gion. Initially we had plans to explore Nara, but the weather was bad, it was cold and rainy and we did not want to venture too much outside. We wanted to stay close to coffee, tea and cheese cakes - which sounded like… Continue reading Kyoto: Geishas in Gion
Kyoto: Nishiki Market and pickled vegetables
Nishiki Market is a narrow, five block long shopping street (conveniently covered for the rain - given that we were not so lucky with the weather) lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. It known as 'Kyoto's Kitchen' and our guide book said 'f it can be eaten, it can be found here'… Continue reading Kyoto: Nishiki Market and pickled vegetables
Kyoto: Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)
One of Kyoto's highlights is the Golden Pavilion, a Zen temple whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. The pavilion was built in 1408 and has burned down numerous times throughout its history including 1950 when it was set on fire by a fanatic monk. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955.… Continue reading Kyoto: Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)
Kyoto: Nijo Castle
Next on our list of sightseeing top spots was the Nijo Castle, which was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence the first shogun of the Edo Period. It was expanded by his grandson by adding a five story castle keep a few years later. From 1867 onwards the Nijo Castle was used as an… Continue reading Kyoto: Nijo Castle
Kyoto: Nishi Honganji Temple
After our amazing visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine we went back to the area surrounding Kyoto Station to visit Nishi Honganji (sometimes written as Hongwanji too). It's next to Higashi Honganji, but as there are still renovation works going on, we decided to visit only Nishi Honganji, which is the temple to the West.… Continue reading Kyoto: Nishi Honganji Temple
Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine
This is the most amazing shrine I've visited in Japan so far, it is very beautiful with fox statues and thousands of red torii gates lining the hills. It is one of the oldest (founded in 711 AD) and most revered Shinto shrines, and dedicated to Inari, the god of rice, sake, and prosperity. While… Continue reading Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine
Kyoto: Gioji Temple in Arashiyama
This is a very unusual temple - it is more like a secret garden. It is a little bit tucked away and might not be THE temple to visit according to your guide book, but it is very unusual with the moss garden, quiet and peaceful. The temple is named for Gio, a dancer from… Continue reading Kyoto: Gioji Temple in Arashiyama
Kyoto: Jojakkoji Temple in Arashiyama
Arashiyama is known for its large numbers of shrines and temples and one can probably spend days exploring those. So we had to limit ourselves and just select a few to visit. After the Tenrujii Temple we decided to go and see a quieter temple, the Jojakkoji Temple. It's mostly known for its view over… Continue reading Kyoto: Jojakkoji Temple in Arashiyama
Kyoto: Bamboo Path in Arashiyama
The Arashiyama Bamboo Path is a 500 meter pathway through the Sagano Bamboo Forest between Nonomiyajinja shrine and Tenryuji temple in Kyoto. It's one of the most pleasant nature spots in the city and a fantastic place to take great pictures - but I ran out of luck. On the day we visited the bamboo… Continue reading Kyoto: Bamboo Path in Arashiyama
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