June 11, 2025

Our second day in Kyoto was a bit better in terms of weather, which made for a more pleasant experience as we ventured to the Sanjusangen-do Buddhist temple to explore and admire its architecture. One of the most striking features of this temple is the presence of 1,000 statues, all facing a massive central Buddhist statue that towers over visitors in the middle of an expansive hallway. The sheer number of statues and the condition they were in was incredible, as they have been carefully preserved for hundreds of years. There was also a serene area where visitors could write down prayers or light incense as part of their spiritual practice.

After this breathtaking experience, we made our way to the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and explored its surrounding area. The scenery was stunning you could see the sweeping landscape and cityscape of Kyoto from the top of the temple grounds. The combination of the panoramic views and the magnificent architecture of the temple made for an unforgettable sight and gave us countless opportunities for great photos.

Following the incredible views at Kiyomizu-Dera, we boarded a train to our final destination for the day: the Inariyama Shrine. There, we challenged ourselves to climb the mountain path leading to the top. The climb was grueling, made even more difficult by the humid weather. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it all the way to the summit, but I still managed to ascend quite high and was able to capture some breathtaking scenic shots of Kyoto along the way.