Japan

Jojakko-ji was the hilliest of the temples I visited. Winding paths led higher and higher up the mountain until I could see Kyoto in the distance. The temple was founded around the end of the 16th century by Nisshen, 16th Head Priest of Honkoku-ji. Jojakko-ji’s website offers a step-by-step primer on the temple. Niomon gate […]

Arashiyama is a neighborhood on the western edge of Kyoto with many temples and related tourist destinations. It appeared to be a popular destination for Japanese in town to see the fall color. As I walked the skinny streets through farms and modest residential neighborhoods on a day that threatened, but failed to deliver rain, […]

I caught as many gardens as I could during the daylight hours on my first day in Kyoto. Eager to see more, I found a temple that was open at night – the Kiyomizu-dera. Kiyomizu means clear or pure water. The Kiyomizu-dera temple takes its name from Otowa waterfall. The water has been channeled into […]

Daitoku-ji is a Kyoto temple dating from the early 14th century. Over time, 22 sub-temples have been added to the complex making the 56 acres that comprise the grounds a super destination for enjoying Japanese gardens. A number of Daitoku-ji’s gardens are only open a few weeks each year – others are usually open to […]

Upon telling friends that I was heading to Kyoto, I received a lot of suggestions about which gardens warranted a visit. “Kinkaku-ji,” “The Gold Temple,” or “The Golden Pavilion” came up a lot. Common sentiment: “Yeah, a lot of people go there and it’s really busy, but it’s worth it.” Having now visited, I wholeheartedly […]