Kyoto - Day 1

With over 2000 shrines and temples, Kyoto is a cultural mecca for Japan and a must see on any travellers check list. It's even more impressive in the cherry blossom season and as a result accommodation becomes hard to find, so we made reservations some 6 weeks in advance. However cherry blossoms can be a little fickle and as luck would have it, they were late this year. So when Etsuko and I arrived early this morning, there wasn't a single cherry blossom in sight.

So no cherry blossoms, but there are still many other treasures to see. We started the day walking the streets north of Kyoto's main train station.


Nishi Hongan-Ji Temple in early morning light

First stop was Nishi Hongan-ji one of two large temple complexes near the station. The other one is Higashi Hongan-ji but it's still under renovations. It was under renovations when I visited 5 years ago too.



Historic Mission Hospital


We came across this European styled architectural gem while walking the back streets. It's a recently restored 1912 Mission Hospital that operates as a part of the Nishi Hongan-Ji temple complex.



Japanese dragon watching over a temizuya

A Japanese dragon watches over a temizuya. Most Shrines and Temples in Japan have one of these. It's a Shinto water ablution basin for a ceremonial purification rite known as temizu.



Pomegranate


Several shrines have pomegranate trees growing in them, especially those that are devoted to Kishibojin the goddess of fertility. I wonder why Etsuko wanted to visit so many of these temples...



Japanese Lantern


A Japanese Lantern in a private garden we passed by while walking the streets of Kyoto.



Bamboo Forest

Who could resist photographing the straight lines of a lush green bamboo forest.



Togetsu-Kyou Bridge - Arashiyama

The ever popular Togetsu-Kyou or Moon Crossing Bridge, especially in the cherry blossoms or autumn leaves seasons. Alas, no cherry blossoms for us this year.



Corridor - Ninna-Ji Temple

The ancient wooden corridor leading to Ninna-Ji temple, one of the buildings in the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto", a UNESCO world heritage site.