October 23 - Kyoto (Higashiyama area)

Visited the area at Kiyomizu Temple.
On the way there, I stopped by Kyoto National Museum and I saw a replica of Rodin's "The Thinker"..






Kiyomizu Temple is just in front.
No, I wasn't following those girls in Yukata.




Again, so many kids on their school outing.










So many wishes written in so many languages




Here I am on the main wooden temple.
It's supported by wooden pillars.
People used to jump off this temple not to commit suicide but to make really serious wishes.
Whether their wishes came through after the jump, I don't know.


Here people cleanse themselves with the smoke from the burning ashes.


Here people tried to lift 3 heavy objects which priests would carry.
Not sure if the priest still do that.
The iron slippers and the smaller iron pole are heavy but most people could lift them.
But the middle pole is really heavy, at least 45kg.


Here people wash themselves before praying in the temple.




People would go up there to make other kinds of wishes.


There're 2 so called love stones up here.


It costs about CAD11 to obtain a better chance for love.
Or about CAD6 to find love.
But to end your love costs more at about CAD22.
I suppose the harder a wish is the more costly it becomes.


Teen girls having fun.
They were giggling so loud.






Here's one of the two love stones.
The way it works is you close your eyes and touch one stone and walk straight to the other stone about 15ft away while avoiding people.
If you manage to do that, I suppose whatever love you're wishing for has a better chance to come through.


Here's one girl about to touch the second stone.


She touched it.


Sort of like a personal PR system.
People would write their problems on pieces of paper that resemble a person and drop them in a bucket of water (holy water?).


Drop a coin. Shake the bell to get the attention of the Person up there. Then make a wish.


Waters (a.k.a waterfalls) from the mountain used for spiritual cleansing.




Here's how the main temple looks like.
Notice those wooden pillars.




I stopped by this hut and had my late lunch.


Sweet mochi (rice cake) and Chinese tea.


Soba and tofu skins.


They even sell bottled coke which I haven't seen for awhile.
Nowadays, they're in plastic bottles.


Later as I walked down from the temple, I bought a fish cake blended with squid on a stick.
I wasn't hungry but I wanted to try it.


Then I saw this shop selling hot buns and I bought a mushroom filled bun to munch on later.
It became my dinner.




cute colorful rat.


This doll costs over CAD300.




A Maiko (Geisha apprentice) model.






This kind of delivery scooter is seen everywhere.


Cute little ones with their cute leather bags.
Those bags are called "Randsel" in Japanese, which the Japanese government adopted from the Dutch.
Also this kind of bag costs hundreds of dollars since they're made in leather.