A Day Touring the Sites of Kyoto

Our first stop today is Kyoto Central station to meet a small group for a tour of 4 sites around Kyoto. 

Kyoto Central Station


Looking to the far end are stairs and an escalator going up about six stories to an outdoor mezzanine.


Looking back at the station from the outdoor mezzanine...


View from the mezzanine of the Kyoto Tower, a landmark in the city...



The Happy Terrace on the mezzanine, manicured meticulously...


Remember, we’re 6 floors up...



The escalator handrail, artistically designed...



Our first stop for the day, Fushimi Inari Taisha...

Fushimi Inari is the head shrine of a network said to number over thirty thousand dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. People have been coming here for over 1,300 years to worship for good harvests, business prosperity, and general family well-being. One of the highlights is the walk through the 10,000 red torii gates leading up to the top of the mountain behind the main shrine. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain, also named Inari, which is 764 ft above sea level.

Each of the torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha has been donated by a Japanese business.  Many of the visitors were traditional businessmen dressed in black suits. 


The presence of a torii at the entrance is the way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small torii icon represents them on Japanese road maps.


Legend is when you make a wish here and lift the rock, if the rock feels heavy, your wish will come true. 


It was quite heavy for both of us...




Next stop - Kiyomizu-dera, officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera.  This is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.


The Main hall was covered because of roof construction. This is a popular photo from the internet.  


"To jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is a popular Japanese expression equivalent of the English expression "to take the plunge". This refers to an Edo-period tradition that if one were to survive a 13-meter (43-foot) jump from the stage, one's wish would be granted. During the Edo period, 234 jumps were recorded, and of those, 85.4% survived. The practice is now prohibited.

In 2007, Kiyomizu-dera was one of 21 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World; however, it was not picked as one of the seven winning sites.


While on the grounds, we visited the Jizo Garden.  Jizo, protector of travelers, is the first deity most people encounter when they set foot in Japan. Parents of deceased children place colorful "bibs" on Jizo statues to show their gratitude for his protection in the afterlife. 


It’s not uncommon to see many girls wearing kimonos. Today, kimonos are most often worn by women, particularly on special occasions. Umarried women wear a style of kimono called furisode with almost floor-length sleeves.  



Kinkaku-ji, literally "Temple of the Golden Pavilion", is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto. It is one of the most popular buildings in Japan and is designated as a National Special Historic Site. Also a National Special Landscape, it is one of 17 locations making up the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which are World Heritage Sites.


The name Kinkaku is derived from the gold leaf covering the pavilion.  Gold was an important addition to the pavilion because of its underlying meaning. The gold employed was intended to mitigate and purify any pollution or negative thoughts and feelings towards death.


The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with "pure" gold leaf. The pavilion functions as a shariden, meaning this pavilion houses relics of the Buddha (Buddha's Ashes).


One of the many stone monuments on the grounds...

Just enjoying life...



The Bamboo Forest or Sagano Bamboo Forest, is a natural forest of bamboo in Arashiyama, Kyoto. The forest consists of several pathways. The Ministry of the Environment considers it a part of the soundscape of Japan.  Listen... 



Listening to the song of the Bamboo...

Fences are made using only twine and bamboo from the forest.  



Back to Kyoto Station after a long day visiting many sites... This steel Kyoto tower is the tallest structure in Kyoto with its observation deck (430 ft).  



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