Kyoto, day 4

1st kanji: "kyoo"=capital 2nd kanji: "too"=capital

say: Kyo-toe (not Key-yo-toe)

Jeremy and I arrived in Kyoto on the night of December 28th, and headed straight for our ryokan. (say: rio-khan)  A ryokan is a Japanese-style inn, so we slept on futons on a tatami-mat floor.

To-ji

We first checked out To-ji, which boast the tallest pagoda (LEFT) in Japan.  The hondo (RIGHT) housed some of the most lovely Buddhist statues I'd ever seen.  I bought postcards, since I couldn't take pictures. (:

Heian-jingu

Heian-jingu's main gate, just past the torii

Heian-jingu's giant metal torii gate

Heian-jingu is another famous shrine in Japan, so we decided to check it out too. Of course, being the first day of the New Year, TONS of Japanese had the same idea.  See, the tradition is to visit lots of temples on the first days of the new year, to pray and ring bells and light insence and stuff like that.  Though it was crowded, it was really interesting and fun!  (And we got lots more tasty food!)

Heian Shrine, through the gate,              and a shot back towards the torii from inside the gate

Chion-in

Chion-in is another famous temple in Kyoto that I hadn't seen before.  The gate was HUGE, and the stairs there... well, I'm glad we didn't come IN this way, they were beastly!  But the temple was really lovely. (:  Chion-in boasts the 'biggest bell' in Japan.  (BELOW)

This time, we found Chion-in.. not Chion-JI.  Hooray!

The main hondo of Chion-in

The main gate (mon) of Chion-in--it's so BIG!

Koryu-ji

Next we visited Koryu-ji, which houses a really beautiful, famous statue of Buddha, among other statues.  The left-hand picture is of the treasure hall, where we saw the statues, and to the right is the hondo, were you can go to pray.

Kyoto, day 5

Kyoto, day 3