Today we quite literally spedrun some of Kyotos most popular sightseeing destinations. Many of these temples and shrines are considered national treasures of Japan, and it was genuinely some of the most gorgeous scenery and gardens I’ve ever been to.
First, we saw the Kinkaku-ji temple. Known for its golden exterior and pavilion architecture, it overlooked a gorgeous pond and picturesque scenery. The photos genuinely do not do it justice.
Next, we headed to the Arashiyama Area where we saw another gorgeous temple and zen garden, as well as an amazing bamboo forest. I felt so small in comparison to the bamboo. At the Arashiyama area we got some delicious udon before hitting the road once again.
Our next destination on the tour was the Kiyomizu-dera temple. This temple is known for its amazing mountain-top view of Kyoto and its iconic red temples. This temple is a Buddhist temple, with Buddhism being one of the major religions practiced in Japan. Again, pictures and words cannot do this view justice. The Kiyomizu temple was my personal favorite destination of the day.
Finally, we headed to the Fushimi-Inari Shinto shrine.
This shrine is a Shinto shrine. Shintoism is the native religion of Japan, and is known for its red Torii gates and emphasis on natural deities found everywhere in life. This particular shrine is protected by the fox messenger, or Imari. We walked through 1,000 Torii gates, and sometime in the future I would love to do the full 2 hour hike up the mountain through all the gates.