Nineteenth Post

November 2, 2018

Today was a holiday in Japan/day off school, so I went exploring some temples and shrines in Kyoto with my friend! I woke up with bad hair so it took me a while to wash it but I met my friend Tomoya at a train station that my host mother showed  me the night before on our bikes. Next Tomoya and I went to Sanjūsangen temple, where we took off our shoes and saw many, many Buddha statues. No photos were allowed indoors but I will say it was so cool. They were gold, and there were 1001. We lit candles, and bowed/prayed. After this we went and walked around the garden where we saw beautiful fruit trees and leaves turning red, orange, and yellow. 

After we took a bus to a restaurant where we got udon and soba noodles to eat, and some ice creams afterwards! 

Our next destination was by bus to another temple called ‘Kiyomizu-dera’. It is very famous especially in the spring and autumn season. Many women were wearing kimonos and there was even a couple in Japanese wedding attire getting photos done. That was on kiyomizudera street which was filled with people from everywhere and omiyageya (souvenir shops). We took photos, went in the temple, walked around the paths outside and washed our hands in special water that is supposed to bring good luck! 

The last place we went before going home was to a temple called ‘Nanzenji-tera’ (Tera meaning temple in Japanese). There was only half an hour until entrance into one of the prefectures closed but we made it in time and climbed up super steep stairs to get to the top. Boy, was it worth it. The view was beautiful and the trees leaves were the colours of autumn. It was breathtaking. 

I’ve heard that lot of young Japanese people aren’t interested in going to temples and shrines, but they are very interesting to me. Maybe because I am a foreigner and I’m not used to living with temples in (practically) my backyard haha.