Quantum_Life: Kyoto Temple Pilgrimage - Temple of the Thousand Buddhas, Bamboo Forest, Zen Temple, Golden Temple, and Shinto Shrine.

We were in Kyoto from about May 22nd to the 25th.

After Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the tour bus went directly to Sanjusangen-do, another temple made of wood. The temple was built in 1164 for the Kannon Bodhisattva. Its special feature is the display of a thousand standing statues divided into 33 sections. It's said to be arranged that way because the Bodhisattva takes on 33 forms to save people. This temple caught fire and was rebuilt in 1249. Now, there are 1032 statues.

Almost all of these statues are different from each other; Ines actually observed that. Taking pictures there is prohibited, so the one included is from a souvenir book. Another interesting thing is the statues of characters from Jataka tales. Sakra, Varuna (the thunder god), Vasu, Maha Brahma, Virudhaka, Virupaksha (the set of four guardian kings), Kinnara, Garuda, and Asura are all there.

We saw some Chinese and Taiwanese tourists, as well as Japanese, worshiping those statues. A teacher was there with adolescent school children. They were also asking for details and worshiping in line, just like our school days.

The garden of this temple is very beautiful. The picture I posted above looks like a real Japanese garden, just like the ones we used to see in books back in the day. Down below, there are some tombs of monks. This place feels both serene and majestic. Even though this temple also has many statues, perhaps because it's large and beautiful, it has a very calm and tranquil atmosphere.

After that, we went for a buffet lunch. I didn't take any photos there because we only had about twenty-five minutes to eat. The food was absolutely fantastic, though, with a really wide selection.: Korean style fried chicken, fried fish, sushi and they even had German cheesecake in small pieces, with mocha.

While we were there, I met a British Indian guy with roots in Tamil Nadu. Turns out, he's from Barnet, which is the town right next to ours in Enfield! What's even crazier is that he works for a company that makes legal software, and it's actually one of our rivals. He basically does the same type of job as me. It was a surprising coincidence!

After lunch, we headed to an even more beautiful temple, Tenryu-ji, located in Arashiyama. It's a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple that was founded in 1339. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is part of Japan's "Five Mountains and Ten Monasteries" system. This name came about because these temples were supported by the Ashikaga shogunate during that period.

The picture I've uploaded to my Facebook profile is from there. The temple is situated within a large bamboo forest, known as the Sagano Bamboo Forest. It reminded me of that scene from the Chinese film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Bamboo Forest Final Fight. This forest is entirely natural, which is incredible.

Apparently, the roof of the temple and the distant mountain peaks are designed to align perfectly, though I couldn't quite capture that in a photo myself. The entire area is incredibly scenic. It would be even more beautiful if there were fewer people.

Japanese families, dressed in kimonos and traditional attire, are sitting in the large hall. They're chatting very casually while drinking tea.

From there, we went to see the Golden Temple, officially called Kinkaku-ji. It looks incredibly beautiful because of the small lake outside. The roof's peak and the first and second floors are covered with 0.5 µm gold leaf. Because of this, you're not allowed to go inside.

This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to Zen Buddhism. The palace, which belonged to the nobleman Saionji, caught the eye of the third Ashikaga Shogun, Yoshimitsu, a samurai general. He acquired it to turn it into a palace. It's said that the "Kitayama" culture (integrated with Chinese influences) began here.

Legend has it that the lowest, third section of the temple doesn't have gold because it was where the noblemen were allowed to sit. The Shogun apparently disliked the noblemen and did this to mock them. However, it's also said that he was killed by the noblemen because of this.

To wrap up this post, I wanted to include our visit to the Shinto Fushimi Inari Shrine, especially since I have two more articles to write about Kyoto! Shinto temples often have beautiful paths designed for walking. Along these paths, you'll find posts for lighting candles or lamps, which must look stunning at night.

Next, you'll notice that the gates of every temple are painted red. This color symbolizes vitality and is believed to ward off evil. Inside the temple, there are special paths with wooden arches called Torii gates. If you follow this path upwards, you can reach Mount Inari. Inari is the deity of rice, making this a very important shrine. You'll find many statues of wolves and foxes here, as it's believed that the gods send messages through them.

The Torii gates serve as a reminder of deceased relatives and close friends; you're meant to walk through them in their memory. If you have the means, you can even contribute a gate in honor of your parents or other departed loved ones.

The entire Kyoto region is overflowing with natural beauty, though it does attract a lot of tourists. To truly appreciate places like this, you should visit on days with fewer tourists. This way, you can fully absorb the tranquility of the area, meditate by the lake, calm your mind, and enjoy a peaceful stroll.

One more thing to note is that Japanese people often visit these temples dressed in traditional attire. Men wear Montsuki and Yukata, while women wear Kimono and Yukata.