Asia Japan

Kyoto Photo-Diary

September 14, 2015

If you’re like me, you may not have heard of Kyoto, a town just two hours away from Tokyo by train (fun fact: if you rearrange all the letters of Tokyo you get Kyoto!) Kyoto is a historical town, full to the brim with ancient temples and shrines. A must-visit if you’re in Japan, Kyoto may not be super modern, but is enchanting in it’s own way. Here’s a little photo-diary of my time there:

Okay so this doesn’t have much to do with the historical sites of Kyoto but in the train station there I found ORANGINA! If you’ve seen my Paris photo-diary you’ll know that this is my favorite drink of all time, and I was real upset that after I left France I wouldn’t be able to have it. But lo and behold, there was Orangina just sitting in a vending machine in Kyoto! I was deliriously happy.

Fushimi-Inari Shrine

You might’ve seen this shrine before – it’s the most famous shrine in Japan (according to Trip Advisor at least). A walkway leading all the way up a rather large hill/small mountain is completely lined with these orange… I don’t know what they’re called. No matter what they’re called, you have to admit that the perseverance of the Japanese is remarkable. This pathway is long, and there isn’t a single part of it not lined with orange.

Tenryuji Temple and Bamboo Walkway

Green tea ice cream! A must-try in Kyoto.

The Tenryuji Temple reminds me of the quintessential ancient Japanese house, with white walls and brown rooves. Gorgeous and serene, this temple has a humble air to it, unlike the Fushimi-Inari. The bamboo walkway exudes the same air; a walk around these two places (which are right next to each other) is peaceful and gorgeous. Just beware of the mosquitoes in the bamboo walkway, they will eat you alive.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

In order to reach this temple you’ve got to climb an insanely steep hill, but the views at the top are breathtaking. Another orange temple, (the Japanese seem to love orange) this temple is constructed on a pathway winding down the hill. It was almost night when we finally reached this place, so there weren’t too many other tourists and just like the previous temple, it was extremely peaceful. I could understand why buddhists monks went up there to pray in peace.