On our third day in Kyoto, we woke up early to take the bus to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a site we visited on our last trip to Kyoto. It’s one of our favourites because of its sheer size, and the fact that it rests on the edge of a hill overlooking a small, lush forest, with a tall red pagoda in the distance. We loved walking around on the smooth wood plank floors and checking out the ancient statues and paintings on wood panels. And the view! Looking out over that vast tree canopy on a sunny day with an endless blue sky overhead is just breathtaking.
We spent about half an hour in the temple, before walking around the side and down a path through the forest toward the pagoda. Looking back at the temple from that vantage point was just as beautiful. And we got an even better view of how extensive the temple is, how high it rests against the hill, and how gracious its roofline and eaves are against the natural landscape.
After lining up to wash my hands and drink water from a long-handled ladle at the foot of the temple, we made our way down the long road lined with tourist shops and finally found a place to try some shaved ice desserts! We’d heard about them when we got to Kyoto, but never seemed to find the right time and spot to try them. We loved it and now we want to get a shaved ice machine at home so we can enjoy them all the time!
After cooling down with dessert, we walked down several side streets toward Kodaji Temple. There we viewed illustrated pages of ancient ghost legends from the area including antique originals and newer interpretations by modern artists. They were amazing.
After a brief walk around the temple and grounds, we strolled out back to find the small bamboo forest we’d hear about. It was lovely, with tall slender bamboo trunks stretching to the sky along either side of a narrow path. Afterwards, Kevin and I took photos in a small enclosure next to a dragon statue, called the Yumi Katsura Lover’s Sanctuary, which was super cute.
After a bus ride and walk back to our hotel, Rowan and I spent the afternoon in, while Kevin visited a manga museum. For dinner we went to a great Thai restaurant, Soi Gaeng, where we all enjoyed super fresh and delicious dishes. Next, was an ice cream on the main thoroughfare before heading back to the hotel to pack for an early start the next morning.
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