- Temple -
There are over 2.000 temples in Kyoto. Rent a bike, ride along and you'll find one, eventually. Kinkaku-ji and Sanjusangen-do (first row) are probably among the short list of the most famous, but you'll want to go witness the beauty of Fushimi-inari (see the
Toriis section here) or consider jumping from the terrace at Kyomisu-dera... Whatever you're looking for, there is a temple for you in Kyoto!
- People -
Of course, it's not Shibuya, Tokyo's vibrant and picturesque district (and a tourists' favourite). Yet, with almost 1.5 million inhabitants, Kyoto does host many people. It's only a matter of time until your start running into exotic, strange, eye-catching or freaky characters. And, no! These "geishas" are not real. They're Chinese tourists who rent those costumes to "blend" in while wandering around the city's must sees...
- Creatures -
In Kyoto, there are many creatures, too. They live everywhere - aside and among people - so, you'll get to meet some. They can be lonely or they can be legion. They can be fluffy and goofy. Foxy, or hungry. Some look at you from the dark ; some look after you on the street ; some look orange from far away. There's even one who looks at you from above, whose name says just that in hindi - Avalokiteshvara.
- Textures -
There are probably many reasons why craftmanship is such a core element in the Japanese culture. Wood, stone, paper, fabrics... even straw. It seems that everything the hand touches reaches some sort of perfection. Perfection of cutting, jointing, weaving, threading, carving or folding. Most objects tend to transcend shape and function: they become a tribute to the very nature of the raw materials they're made of.
You enjoyed this post with less talking and more pictures than usual?
You're tired of Futuna's logorrhea and you'd like more of this?
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