A Mountain of Orange

The Fushimi Inari shrine is probably one of the most photographed shrines in all of Japan. And by looking below, it's easy to see why. At times, it was hard not to look at it through my lens. But after hiking about half way up the mountain, I just sat for a while overlooking Kyoto. This was probably one of the most peaceful moments I have had since starting my travels, and a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city below. I hiked up at the end of the day, as to avoid the crowds and to catch the sunset from the top. Good move on my part! My only wish was that I had packed bug repellent, but that's neither here nor there. 

A pleasant little surprise were all the kittens running around different parts of the shrine. Some of them were a bit skittish, but these two guys below hung out for a while; guarding their portion of the shrine, I suppose.

The last little bit of the hike was my favorite. The sun started to go down and it lit up the shrine perfectly. Definitely one of the best sunsets I have seen since being in Japan. 

This picture reminded me ever so slightly of the view from Sacre-Coeur 

After getting back into Kyoto, I took a brief detour and hung out around Kyoto Station. Upon exiting, you have prime viewing of Kyoto Tower, which is best seen at night.

Tonight, I am in Tokyo for one final night and then it is off to Seoul tomorrow!

Get the Look: Shirt, James Perse // Shorts, J Crew // Scarf, Anthropologie // Purse, Marc by Marc Jacobs

The Heart of Kyoto

Today was predicted to be hot, so I stuck with light, airy fabrics and some of my favorite accessories from Pinkyotto. I'm loving their new Fall designs, so definitely check out their new collection!

My first stop of the day was to Kiyomizu-Dera, which is a Buddhist Temple towards the outskirts of Kyoto. I took the City Bus to Gojozaka, and from there it is about a 15 minute uphill trek to the temple. I chose to go up the direction of the cemetery, which is the road less traveled, so to speak. I recommend going that way to start and then going down the main path to pick up a quick snack before your next stop. Once at the top, there were several different buildings, including the bell tower, three storied pagoda, and my favorite, the Kaizan-do Hall.

Deva Gate at the entrance of the temple.

Bell Tower 

Kaizan-do Hall

As I was walking to my next destination, I just quickly looked to the right and manged to capture a glimpse of the Yasaka Pagoda. This brief moment of luck is just a testament to the fact that history is around every corner in Kyoto. When you first arrive, there is the temptation to be discouraged because you are surrounded by modern architecture and neon signs, but once you do a little exploring, Kyoto's rich history starts to slowly reveal itself. 

The Yasaka Shrine, which is a Shinto shrine in the Gion district of Kyoto, was the next stop. This is definitely one of the more popular shrines in the city. The air was full of sounds of the bells ringing after many people paid their respects by making an offering (saisen) to the kami. 

The lanterns over the stage are the names of those who sponsor the festival every New Year.

Tonight is my last night in Kyoto and then it is back to the Conrad Hotel in Tokyo for one final night in Japan before I head off to Seoul.

Gt the Look: Necklace, Pinkyotto // Tank, Forever 21 // Cropped Pants, Pinkyotto // Belt, Pinkyotto // Shoes, Via Spiga