by Tags These are all the tags used in my gallery. Have fun exploring. A Scene at a PondThe gardens have all kinds of features, but follow basic themes common to all Japanese gardens. Every turn in the garden reveals a new view. Here's a pond at the Choin-in Temple.Arashiyama Bamboo GroveThis bamboo forest in the Arashiyama area of west Kyoto is a nice break from the buildings of Kyoto. The path below is very popular, not just because of the bamboo, but because it leads to a number of popular attractions.Archery DemonstratoinWalking through Maruyama Park, I came across this public archery demonstration. A group of about 20 people were involved - each with a unique uniform and specific role. Each move of the archers was precise and deliberate... a bit like a tea ceremony, but with arrows.Bamboo PatchA patch of bamboo grows at Shoren-in Temple.Bamboo WallFushimi Inari Shrine takes up an entire hillside. Most visitors head up the main path which is nearly covered with orange torii gates. But, there are many paths to the top.Fushimi Inari GatesThere are paths all around the mountain at Fushimi Inari leading to smaller shrines.Gardens and ShojiThe perfect place to just sit and think.Gray HeronA Gray Heron looks for a quick meal in a pond at Kiyomizu-dera shrine. This bird was a little hidden behind a corner. But pretty tame all the same.Hummingbird MothA hummingbird moth gets a meal off some garden flowers. You might do a double-take if you've never seen a hummingbird moth. They are like smaller versions of hummingbirds, having evolved a similar flight style completely independently.Japanese WagtailA pair of these birds were hopping on the rocks at a temple pond in Kyoto.Lantern in the GardenKyoto is bursting with gardens. Most of them are on the grounds of a temple or palace. The gardens are filled with all kinds of interesting artful objects, placed just so.Mossy PathA stone path heads to a mysterious destination in this Kyoto temple garden. This is in the Daitoku temple complex, a group of about 10 temples, most with a garden.Mountainside ForestThe alternate trails up the mountain at Fushimi Inari Shrine pass forests like this. There can be literally thousands of people going up the main trail not far away, but nearly nobody on a trail through the woods. My advice is to go up via alternate paths, because there is only one top to the mountain, and all paths lead there. On the way down, take the popular path.Old Kyoto StreetA number of streets in Kyoto are preserved to a more historic state. I couldn't quite figure out where cars were allowed. The rule seemed to be 'wherever they fit'. These steps were a bit too much to drive up though.Passing the TimeAt Koto-in, part of the Daitoku temple complex.PrayersThe temples have many functions and purposes. These are not some relics for the tourists, they are active and popular Buddhist temples. It's amazing when you consider how many temples are in Kyoto, and so many of them are both large and busy. Here, visitors can light an incense stick.Rocks and PlantsOne suggests the other in the garden at Chion-in Temple in Kyoto.Shoren-in PathA path wanders through the garden at Shoren-in Temple.Shoren-in TreeThe roots of an old tree make an interesting pattern at Shoren-in Temple.Shrine FoxYou'll find stone foxes like this one all over Fushimi Inari Shrine. And by shrine I really mean Mountain. The entire mountainside is one big shrine, with dozens of small shrines scattered about.Starting to ChangeThe leaves are just starting to change at the Okochi Sanso Garden in Kyoto. This is one of the private independent gardens, on the estate of a long gone movie star.Statue and TreePart of the landscape architecture are human built items - bridges, paths, buildings, lanterns and more. Here is a statue in the garden at Choin-in Temple.Stone LanternIn Kyoto, the stonework is everywhere. Even hidden utility walls are often hewn from hand-carved stone. The care it took to place every stone in this scene is evident.Stone PathThe stonework all over Kyoto is impressive, but espeically so in the temple gardens, like this one at Chion-in.The Golden TempleThe golden temple at Kinkaku-ji looks like something from a dream, but it is indeed real.Tinge of RedThe fall color was just starting to turn at a garden at Choin-in Temple. Fall color usually peaks in mid-November. It's one of the top attractions drawing tourists to Kyoto from throughout Japan and the world.Trailside FlowersJust coming into bloom in October on the trail up Fushimi Inari Shrine.Trunks Through the MaplesI wish I had been at this scene at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple about 3 weeks later when the color changed. But, it's still a nice assemblage of lines and detail.View of KyotoA ray of sunshine cuts through the clouds over Kyoto.Yasaka PagodaKyoto is a mix of the modern and ancient. The people have done an admirable job of honoring the past without being trapped by it. The Yasaka Pagoda rises above eastern Kyoto, above an old preserved street.
