Happy New Year!

Since I had such a long break for New Year's, I decided to take a last minute vacation to Kyoto! I got to see Ginkakuji (although it was terribly crowded so I couldn't see it very well as I was being pushed through the lines by masses of people), Kinkakuji and Ryoanji (which I saw on a rainy day so much less crowded!). Here are some pictures that I took. It was super crowded and confusing so I spent most of my time getting lost, but it was a lot of fun, and it was cheap since I used Expedia!

 

I saw this temple the second day I was in Kyoto, it was near my hotel. It was rainy that day so I didn't do very much.

 

I had lunch at the restaurant downstairs, this was grilled eggplant with expensive cheese inside! It was the appetizer. It was really delicious, I know it sounds weird to get pasta in Kyoto, but I was really craving it!

 

I had Tiramisu for dessert. Don't ask me why it put the picture in here upside down, it won't let me change it . . .

 

This fountain was in a temple that I found when I got lost trying to find Ginkakuji! This was on my 3rd day there when it had stopped raining. I thought the sand gardens might not be visible if it were a rainy day. Unfortunately, it was a Saturday so it was extremely crowded.

 

This was the temple that I saw when I was lost.

 

You ring the bell after putting some money in the big wooden box. I guess it's for good luck?

 

I found out that this was actually someone's house I think. I thought it was a tea room, but I saw several of them and one had a scooter parked outside and it looked like someone's home. I guess this is where the monks live.

 

This was probably for someone who died but maybe it was some sort of shrine. I just thought it was kind of odd with the weird Santa angels, haha

 

A large bell that I was very tempted to ring. This was at a second temple after I got lost a second time trying to find Ginkakuji. I'm terrible with directions .. .  

 

 

This is inside of the shrine. As you can tell, it was a very bright day . . .

GINKAKUJI

I finally found it .. .  I had been walking the wrong way for about 20 mins and had to walk 30-40 mins to Ginkakuji . . . good exercise!

 

These pictures are from Ginkakuji. Unfortunately, since i have so many pictures, this thing is glitching and not letting me see my text that I've added, so I might not comment as much as I'd like.

 

View from the top of the hill that we all climbed. You could see all of Ginkakuji as well as this curious mass of smoke. I have no idea what it was.

 

There was  moss everywhere, it was so beautiful.

 

I think I did a pretty good job of cutting out the masses of people that swarmed around me. It gives you the feel that no one was there but me, right? :P

KINKAKUJI

 

 

 

I thought the rain actually added to the feeling of the place.

 

I stole a listen to a Chinese tour guide who was Japanese, so he spoke to the tourists in English. He said something like this was built to symbolize the entire temple's design to reach one's soul towards heaven. I thought that was beautiful. That's why the temple was built in gold, apparently. You were supposed to feel like you were in heaven.

I tried to get the little buds and sprays of rain, but my camera kind of sucks. Because it was raining, and because I didn't want to get in trouble, I didn't whip out my giant video camera which also has the ability to take pictures.

 

This is the golden phoenix at the top of Kinkakuji. Unfortunately, I could only see the tail-end.

 

I have no idea what this was, it was covering water so maybe the water was important?

 

We weren't allowed on this bridge, which made it more mysterious to me, and picture-worthy ;)

 

A beautiful, rainy waterfall

 

little shrines with lots of coins. I wonder if they collect them?

 

This was in the middle of a lake, I again don't know what this is. Maybe I should read the pamphlet I got . .. 

 

Ove-the-hill view of Kinkakuji's surrounding buildings.

 

I love the detail on the roof

 

The tea house of Kinkakuji. It was too crowded for me to get a view of the interior. They had it cut-out so that you could see how it looks inside without going in it, but too many people were in front of it for me to get a picture.

 

I love the mossy roof

 

RYOANJI

 

 

heading towards Ryoanji from Kinkakuji. Google maps told me it was a 10 min. walk. It turns out it was a 10 min. walk uphill and about a 10 min. walk to the hill .. .  meanwhile, I thought that I'd take a picture of the smokey mountains of Japan.

 

Nothing like hot cocoa from a vending machine while trekking towards Ryoanji on a cold rainy day :P 

 

The famous rock garden of Ryoanji

 

There were crowds of people so I tried to get good shots without them. We were inside of the building on a sort of balcony or porch area looking down into the garden. It was extremely peaceful and beautiful.

 

Looking down into another garden.

 

This was a memorial shrine dedicated to lives lost during a battle or something. It was pretty recent. I'll have to look it up again because I forgot what it said . . .

 

The sign read that the water wasn't for drinking. It was pretty funny seeing how this area was fenced off.

 

There was a path across from the bridge so I had to turn around and take a picture of it.

 

I can't remember if this is the view from the airport while waiting for my flight back to Fukuoka or while on the shinkansen to Osaka. I flew into Osaka then took a train to Kyoto since it doesn't have an airport, apparently.

 

I hope that you all enjoyed, I had a wonderful time there!