Unique Kyoto walk
- December 6-2016
- Chikako Takemoto
- Event,Green tour,Kyoto,Nature,Outdoor life,Shrines,Temples,Travel
My best friend came to see me yesterday from Tokyo.
She is still working for JAL as a chief CA, I quit about 15 years ago though.
Luckily she used a free return air ticket. (It is the best advantage of working for Airline companies!)
I met her at Kyoto Station and bought rice balls for lunch on the mountain.
Guess! Where was it? (see the photo below!)
Obviously Fushi Inari Taisha Shrine.(伏見稲荷大社)
It was warm, unbelievable in December. Many tourists as usual. Fresh air and nice smell of earth and leaves especially after the rain. Nice view from the middle point of the mountain.
Perfect tour so far.
After Inari Mountain, we walked toward Unryu-in Temple (雲龍院) on the Sennyu-ji Temple (泉涌寺).
It just took 20 minutes on foot from Inari.
There, we enjoyed Shakyo transcription of the Buddhist sutra. I focused on writing letters and sometimes thought a new resolution for a next year.
After that, we were allowed to stroll around the temple and have a matcha tea and Japanese sweet.
There were some symbolic trees in the garden: a colour-changed maple tree, ever-green pine, big and old plum tree and round shaped azaleas. Th best thing of this temple is being a few tourists anytime. Compared to Fushimi Inari Shrine, I can feel a tranquility and essence of Kyoto.
My friend was satisfied with my tour plan. It was my pleasure!
Visiting good place with a best friend is definitely a time to relax.
Yesterday’s route is included in Kyoto Circuit Trail. If you want to know about the route details, please Green Tours page of GTK website: http://www.greentour-kyoto.net/green_east01.html
Unryu-in: http://www.unryuin.jp/