The Kiyomizu Buddhist Temple

Built on a hillside in Kyoto, the Kiyomizu Temple complex had multiple buildings. You can see two of them here.











This picture shows the detail of the roof and painting on the gingerbread of the building.











Two more of the buildings. The one in the background is a pagoda.












An awesome dragon fountain for washing or cleansing.

The Sanju Sangendo Temple Hall

Because we were not allowed to take photos inside, we used
these photos scanned from a brochure so that is why the pictures are not clear.
This is the god of wind.














This is the god of thunder. The images of these gods are derived from people's fear of and gratitude for nature in the old days.












There are 1000 small standing buddha statues made of Japanese cypress. 124 were made in the 12th century when this temple was founded, and the remaining 876 were made in the 13th centruy when the temple was renovated.
















This is the large sitting buddha statue that is considered a National Treasure. He is in the center of the 1000 standing buddhas.

The grounds of the Heian Jingu Shrine

Some small bamboo arbors by the hanging sakura trees.










This bridge had seats inside to better look over the garden and guest house.











Pat admiring a colorful tree in the garden near the pond.











View of a bride and her guests at a party in the guest house. Taken from the covered bridge.

The Heian Jingu Shrine (Shinto)

A wide view of the shrine buildings and huge courtyard. This shrine was initially constructed in 1895 and rebuilt in 1940. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over a thousand years.









There were two fountains for washing or purification before entering the shrine. This was the dragon one, the other was a bear.












The entrance gate from the inside looking out into the city of Kyoto.











The many-roofed shrine building.

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Part of the beautiful gardens on the palace grounds. Notice the bridge in the background.










Another view the of the same pond. They use rocks in the foreground to represent the ocean shore line.















One of the few rooms we could see from the exterior of the palace.












Another room.

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Some detail of the roof line.











View through a gate into the main area approaching the imperial stand.











Another picture showing a closeup of the gate.










Part of the grounds around the palace. We were not able to see inside and all the imperial items have been moved to the new Imperial Palace located in Tokyo. The Kyoto Imperial Palace was used from the 800's to 1868, at which time they relocated to Tokyo.

The Kyoto Imperial Palace

The main gate to the entrance of the Palace grounds.











One of the side gates where other less-notables could enter.










Showing the veranda along the various rooms of the palace.











Looking into the room with tigers on the screens.

Rokuon-ji Temple or Golden Pavilion

This was originally a banzai tree planted back in the 1200's. It was left untouched and allowed to grow into quite a large tree. Notice the large branch laying along the ground and supported by a wood structure--it looks like the bow of a canoe.














Jim standing near the beautiful Golden Pavilion













Some have told us that it is a rooster on top of objects of special interest. Others have said it is a phoenix. What do you think?














A view of the top of the Golden Pavilion through the trees.

Rokuon-ji Temple or Golden Pavilion

The gate to the temple grounds.











The Japanese bell with the long wooden bar to ring the bell from the outside as compared with European bells with their clappers on the inside.











Jim across the mirror pond from the Golden Pavilion.

The Nijo Castle in Kyoto

This wide walkway crosses over a moat that surrounds the castle. The huge gate and block wall around the grounds made this a virtually impenetrable fortress. The castle was originally built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu. It wasn't completed until 1626.











This second gate led into the inner courtyard where the actual living quarters were that you can see through the gate in the background.










Jim in front of a pond on the grounds of the castle.











Always a feeling of serenity and peace and the beauty of nature in the gardens in Japan.

The Kasuga Shinto Shrine in Nara

Pat in front of stone that describes the Kasuga Shrine as a World Heritage Site.











The Tori gate is where you leave the world behind as you enter the shrine area.










Thousands of lanterns that light the way to the temple. These are purchased by people to show their faith.















The outside of the shrine. We were not allowed to take photographs inside.