Kodai-ji Temple - Kyoto, Japan

Kodai-ji Temple not to far away from Yasaka-jinja or Kiyomizu-dera temple. It is part of the Rinzai Sect of Buddhism and established in 1606 by Nene who is the widow of the late Toyotomi Hideyoshi. I went a guy from Canada that I met earlier on the streets and his fiend a girl from  Taiwan. Was a really nice day!

Maymont Cherry Blossoms 2014

I love Cherry Blossom season and I wish I experienced more of the cherry blossoms but they are only at a peak for a few days and that is the beauty of them. They are worth the days you get to see them and they are short lived so cherish the opportunity to see them. Maymont Park in Richmond has a few cherry trees on the grounds and the grounds have a nice Japanese Garden with a weeping cherry that I didn't get to see in full bloom this time. There have been some nice days recently and have enjoyed them all.

On my visit with my girlfriend we saw a few monks visiting the area walk around and enjoy the gardens, they were using an iPad to take all their pictures. 

Issen Yoshoku Okonomiyaki Experience in Gion

This is a restaurant that is in the "Gion" area and it was hard to miss. With the colorful store front and friendly workers I decided to stop in especially for Okonominyaki or at least their version of it! There menu is there one thing that you can get there and of course different drinks like beer or just water which is in a pitcher at the table. Also another drawing thing about this place is that they advertise that you can eat with Geisha!

Hokanji Temple in Higashiyama, Kyoto

This I think is part of the temple in Higashiyama Kyoto that has the Hokanji Pagoda that you notice when walking around. There was a lot of color like these things below seen. Do not know much information about it but decided to put them up anyways. 

Thanks for looking!

Nigatsu-do of Todaiji Temple in Nara

So after I visited Todaiji and Hachiman Shrine up the hill I wandered over to this temple which had a view across Nara. Was really nice and you didn't have to pay to go to it either. The name means "Hall of The Second Month" and it is on the side of Mount Wakakusa and it has a few other buildings on its grounds making it a complex inside Todaiji's complex. Sanetada founded the temple in 752 and it made it through the wars in 1180 and 1567 where the Great Buddha Hall did not. 

It has a nice balcony!

Konchi-in Temple - Kyoto, Japan

This temple is located near the front entrance of the Nanzenji complex. When I got here it was shadowed by Nanzenji as hundreds of people were pouring into there and passing this temple and that is what drew me in. Built in the early 15th century by Ashikaga Yoshimoshi and in 1605 was relocated here by  Nanzenji. Kobori Enshu is believe to have built the garden in preperation of the shugun's visit. The fee was 300 Yen.

Nanzen-in Temple - Kyoto, Japan

Nanzen-in Temple is located within the Nanzenji complex. It has a nice moss garden and its within a bunch of other things to check out! You can reach it by going underneath the aqueduct on the grounds and up the stairs. It is at the location of the former villa of Emperor Kameyama. These buildings were built in 1703 since previously it was destroyed in the Onin Wars. 

It had a nice garden that had a path that wandered behind the pond and along the trees. It felt closed in with the trees all around, added to the magic...

Jikkoin Temple - Ohara, Kyoto Japan

Jikkoin Temple is right across from the entrance on Nanzenin on Ohara just north of Kyoto. I almost passed on it since the price was high (700 Yen) and it seamed small but I went ahead inside. I got some tea and a sweet to enjoy while I looked upon the gardens. The gardens were lovely. It is a sub-temple of Shorin-in back in 1013.

Assateague in the morning

I got up really early on Sunday morning on our trip to view the Sun rising on the beach. That morning was extremely chilly but worth the view. Assateague is really a wonderful park to walk on and view wildlife and recommend it to anyone who wants to get away from everything.

The Climb up Fushimi Inari Taisha - Kyoto, Japan

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a great place to visit in Kyoto and is always highly recommended as one of the places to go see. It is even seen "Lost in Translation". I had done a post about it previously with lots of information so I will just go on with what I did that visit. I arrived really early so I had a lot of time to hike up by myself which was amazing!

Have a Drink in Japan

I stopped in a bar to grab a drink and do some writing. If you have not had a chance to have a beer in Japan, go ahead and give it a try.
What I notice in America is that people here do not like a lot of head on the top of their draft beer, they want more liquid then foam to get their "moneys worth". In Japan when they poured it for me they lit it almost come to the top before they used another dispenser to add foam on top. I wonder if it has something to do with the Japanese enjoying the flavor of things as the foam has a rich flavor on it. Much like slurping their soup to get the flavor. I got a Kirin Ichiban  draft and it was quite refreshing!

Chilly Chincoteague Part 2

 

I wanted to swim but it was too cold and I know if I decide to go in the summer it will be super crowded. It was really peaceful out at the time no one in sight but it was already 35 degrees with 20 mph winds on the beach. I stood out there for a few pictures and got right back into my car!

Saisho-in of Nanzen-ji Kyoto, Japan

Saisho-in is a small temple within the Nanzen-ji complex. There is a small garden within the malls and I noticed these statues that I took pictures below. I didn't get anymore pictures then that must have been distracted. I twas built maybe around 8th century. 

Chilly in Chincoteague Part 1

It has been quite a while since I did a post on anything recently, just a lot of my photographs from Japan. I did go to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands back in February for Valentines day/weekend. My girlfriend booked a trip and we went for two nights and it was really enjoyable to get away for awhile. There were no crowds there but it was a little chilly and we even saw some snow. Anyways there was some wildlife that we saw and even ponies!

Sokusoin at Tofukuji Temple - Kyoto, Japan

I could not find much information about this garden but they were nice and it is part of the Tofukuji temple complex. They even put up some chairs next to the main building for viewing pleasure. 

Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine - Nara, Japan

So this shrine is easy to access from Todaiji temple as you just turn left when you exit it. It works its way up a hill in the forest. It was established in 749 to protect Todaiji temple. In the Meji period the temple and shine were separated because of the ban on Buddhism. These buildings up now have been there since 1250.