RyuLaura

This is not as famous as the Gold Pavillion so I found it much less crowded. The garden was far better than the Golden Pavillion also. In general I liked this one much better. I would say it’s a must if you’re in Kyoto.

Make sure you have lots of energy for this one. You have to scale a mountain to see it all. It’s well worth it though. The thousands of gates are really amazing. Plus when you get to the top of the mountain you get a great view of the city of Kyoto. There are nice little stops along the way if you need to get some drinks or food. The food basically consists of udon though, so if your not a fan then you should eat before starting the climb. Some the most amazing parts of the trail are the small shrines along the way. You can buy a minature “torii” or gate to place at the shrines if you want to pray for something specific.

This is one of my favorite cities on Earth. Beautiful and amazing is how I would describe it!

I lived and worked in Japan for 2 years. It was an amazing experience. Living in a foreign country is a rare and special gift and whether you want it to or not, it changes you. It changed me in a positive way. It taught me patience, understanding, and how to be more laid back. I leaned tons about Japanese culture, history, and world views. I made life long friends from all over the world. Like I said, I’ll never be the same as I was before coming. :D