Kyoto: picture this!

Mum and I have enjoyed two wonderful days in Kyoto.  We visited at least a dozen different temples and shrines; each with it's own take on the traditions and rituals of Shintoism and Buddhism.  The gardens were stunning and the views, extraordinary.  Japan's ancient capital deserves every acolade it receives.  This was my third trip to Kyoto.  However, I must confess that everything we saw captured my imagination once again. 

I debated long and hard about writing a rich and detailed post about each place we visited.  However, every locations has its own fascinating back story. Each one deserves a blog post of its own.  I've decided that this is simply one task too many. A good guide book would do a far better than I ever could. Instead, I present my pictorial post on all things Kyoto. Enjoy!

UPDATE:
Ok, so I lied a little.  I couldn't help myself.  I've published a post about Fushimi Inari Taisha, an amazing shrine with thousands of tori gates that snake their way up the local hillside.

I've also published a second post about an evening excursion we took to witness the Summer tradition of Cormorant fishing. Enjoy.

And now for a little bit of zen.  Contemplate this lot.  We encountered several geisha girls in the laneways of Ninenzaka, a hillside district filled with lovingly restored Japanese-style wooden homes and teahouses. Close by is the traditional geisha district of Gion.  As a result, Ninenzaka's quaint cobblestone streets are a popular backdrop for geisha trainees keen to look the part, and for professional photographers hired to capture the experience.

Ryoanji Zen Buddhist temple and its meditation garden were a genuine highlight. It’s often described as the most famous rock garden in the world. Created in 1490, it is a 250-square-metre arrangement of 15 stones in a sea of white pebbles carefully raked each day by monks. From any vantage point, you can only ever see 14 stones at a time. One is always hidden.

 Come closer.  Search deeper.  Let the rocks do the talking.

Time for a stroll.  Which path will you take?

Just another in an endless series of postcard moments. This includes the stunning Ninomaru Goten Palace gardens, framed by an immaculately manicured pond, Ginkakuji, also known as the Silver Pavilion and the equally impressive Higashi Otemon, or East Gate that welcomes you into the inner courtyard of Nijō Castle.

There's also plenty to see after dark if you know where to look. As for those lanterns, they're backlit offerings from optimistic businessmen seeking a better bottom line.  You'll find them hanging in their hundreds inside Yasaka Shrine. Each bears the name of a local business in return for a donation.

A few more magic moments including a nifty little coffee stop while walking the Philosopher's Pathway. I booked us into the majestic Westin Miyako Kyoto Hotel. It's located on a hillside about a kilometre south of the pathway's starting point.  I had planned for us to walk to the hotel once we'd finished the path.  However, after a full day on our feet, Mum torpedoed that idea, and I hailed a cab back. Thank goodness every cab driver knows this five-star hotel.

The hotel also boasts an intimate, upmarket Tappenyaki grill with seating for about a dozen guests. I booked dinner for the two of us on our first evening in Kyoto. We enjoyed an absolutely stunning degustation meal. Once again, Mum loved every minute of it.

Finally, the rest of the pack. This included Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto's Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa. The temple is known for the scenic views afforded by its wide hillside veranda, and healing waters you can scoop from a diverted waterfall.  The temple also features a pair of famous love stones.  Visitors are encouraged to put on a blindfold and navigate unaided from one stone to the other to become lucky in love. It gives blind dating a whole new meaning!

 Did we mention the pagodas? They're everywhere.