KYOTO Temple Tour | Best Temples and Shrines | Japan Travel Guide

Ep.78 With so many temples and shrines in Kyoto, it can be hard to know which ones you should visit. That’s why we take you to 11 of the top ones and rate each for why it may be the best for you. We bring you all the beautiful fall colors, too! And at the end, we show off a bonus temple for cat lovers.

💥 Go to https://findingGinaMarie.com/join to join our free travel forum and learn more about our Gelato Levels!

🇯🇵 FULL JAPAN VIDEO SERIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNT98lWfwdF0V4Brx4J0uWJdQENFZKWBT

😎 ***WANT TO SUPPORT OUR CHANNEL?***
☕️ Buy us a coffee (caffeine helps us bring you more great content)! https://bmc.link/findGinaMarie

💥 SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/FindingGinaMarie

😍 Using our affiliate links below helps us to bring you videos from around the world at no cost to you. Thank you very much if you choose to use them!

🧳 Explore Briggs & Riley Collections: https://link.findingginamarie.com/BriggsAndRiley
👗 Judy’s wool clothes (Wool&): https://link.findingginamarie.com/WomensWool
👕 Kevin’s wool clothes (Wool& Prince): https://link.findingginamarie.com/MensWool
📩 Traveling Mailbox (Mail forwarding service to wherever we travel): https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=1375
💳Earn 60,000 bonus points with Chase Sapphire Reserve: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19k/WT5WYTRQ9Z
🧾 Our packing list: https://findingginamarie.com/articles/packing-list-how-we-pack-and-travel-with-only-carry-on-luggage
✈️ Best deals on plane travel: Skyscanner skyscanner.pxf.io/eKEJv1
🎵 Music from Epidemic Sound: https://share.epidemicsound.com/747rgk
23andMe: https://refer.23andme.com/s/judy49
Ancestry: https://refer.ancestry.com/judy43

🤓 READ JUDY’S JOURNAL
https://findingginamarie.com/judys-journal

Chapters:
00:00 – Start
00:57 – Daigo-ji Temple
03:17 – Nanzen-Ji Temple
05:19 – Higashi Hongan-ji Temple
06:31 – Todai-ji Temple
09:08 – Adashino Nembutsu-ji Temple
10:35 – Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
12:22 – Kinkaku-ji Temple
16:21 – Ginkaku-ji Temple
18:03 – Kiyomizu-dera Temple
20:29 – Yasaka Shrine
22:03 – Fushimi Inari Shrine
24:31 – Gotoku-ji Temple⁩

Finding Gina Marie is where we share our lives as full-time travelers and the connections we make along the way.

✈️ FOLLOW US
* Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@KevinHoctor
* Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@JudyHoctor
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinhoctor
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/judyhoctor

✅ FOLLOW FINDING GINA MARIE
* Website: https://findingGinaMarie.com
* YouTube: https://youtube.com/FindingGinaMarie
* Podcast RSS feed: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1967301.rss
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/findGinaMarie

📹 VIDEO EQUIPMENT
* Primary Camera: Sony FX30
* B-Roll Camera: iPhone 14 Pro
* Editing: Final Cut Pro X on a 16” M1 Max MacBook Pro
* Key Light: ZHIYUN MOLUS X100 Bi-Color 100W COB Video Light
* Diffuser: ZHIYUN Quick Release Mini Softbox
* Vocal Microphone: Sony ECM-B10

#findingGinaMarie #worldtraveler #worldtravel #livingthedream #slowtravel #digitalnomad #digitalnomadlife #europetravel #retireearly#retireearlyandtravel

Kyoto temples are so much more than you can imagine and each is unique with elaborate architecture Zen Gardens stunning seasonal colors carnival-like atmosphere and tasty treats there is something for Everyone welcome back to fine Gina Marie where share our lives as full-time Travelers and the connections we make along the way if you’re new here welcome I’m Judy and I’m Kevin alongside many Buddhist temples and subtles there are also Shinto shrines we’re going to give you all the information about all these

Beautiful sites so that you can make an informed decision about the best ones you want to go to and if you’re a fan of cats we have a bonus Temple at the very end that you’re not going to want to miss so let’s dive in the dieo G Temple

Still has an operating monastery we visited it on a drizzly day so don’t be deterred it meant that it wasn’t crowded at all the walk up to the entrance had stunning colored leaves on the trees and just a hint of the vibrant colors yet to come there’s a lot to see

Inside the main hall including some painted art on the sliding doors our daughter was eager to explore the grounds so we pivoted we took a left outside the temple area and came upon the caramon gate which is only opened when the Imperial Messengers visited which is almost never

Now the impressive five-story Pagoda was built in 951 ad and is the only structure to survive the fires that have repeatedly destroyed dieo G over the centuries we were amazed at the Fall colors and how picturesque this bridge looks over the pond the Highlight for us was this view

Of bendo Hall we aren’t using any filters on our camera so what you’re seeing is exactly what was supplied To Us by nature and is perfectly composed all right we’re at the Dao G temple with a beautiful beautiful array of colors with the trees yes this Temple was founded in

874 and it’s spectacular especially on this day where it’s a little bit drizzly and so that means that there are fewer crowds but the leaves are just Exquisite feels like we have to place to ourselves yeah I mean we’ve had to wait for a tiny bit but it’s amazing

You can see bentendo Hall in the background and in the foreground is the reflection Pond the Vermilion bridge and complimentary leaves engulfing everything the eye can see people lined up for photographs but the line was short and we had the area nearly to ourselves you probably will never have

Your F of the view in Autumn but it’s worth your time to take the short path beyond the bridge into the woods and allow the leaves to Crunch under your feet while you enjoy the small waterfall before finishing the path Nanzen G is considered one of the most important Zen temples in all of Japan the first thing you notice at this Temple is its Mammoth sanmon entrance gate which was originally built in the 13th century and rebuilt over time You can see the leaves are just starting to change when we visited here on October 22nd its grounds are free to wander in but it’s worth paying for access to to its Gardens you’ll have to remove your shoes and there are clear bags for them Kevin wasn’t thrilled to have to wear these

Loose fitting one- siiz fits-all slippers they provided they wouldn’t stay on peeking into the shunko in Temple which host Zen meditation sessions and traditional tea ceremonies you have access to the perimeter hallways and you can view the monks quarters although you can’t take photos inside the rooms there are 132

Beautiful painted images on screens to admire if you’re looking for a bit of Serenity the Hojo Garden was built in the 1600s and hosts a dry landscape garden with its R gravel and strategically placed rocks sit on the ledge and enjoy some time to soak in all the

Beauty you’re not done here yet though we arrived around 300 p.m. and although we didn’t have a ton of time we were able to enjoy the changing colors in the sky and the Aqueduct was relatively crowd-free it’s an incredible spot for Photos the higashi hongan temple is a quick walk from Kyoto station the temple complex is known for its massive scale and impressive wooden structures the main Hall is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world and its size alone is enough to inspire awe there are

So many intricate details on the wooden panels and the lovely Gold Leaf decorations the temple offers several unique experiences for visitors such as morning Services meditation sessions and tea ceremonies we were able to visit late in the afternoon without any issues don’t get there too late because a crowd

Of students arrive shortly before closing time which happens at a lot of temples there’s a small mountain with a dragon that you can use to purify yourself before entering the Halls you will need to remove your shoes and unfortunately pictures aren’t allowed inside the two main buildings are

Founders Hall with its impressive wooden pillars and vast interior space and a metah hall the Halls are split up to prevent either one from having too much Power the toai temple is in Nara it’s about an hour commute from Kyoto station but it’s worth including here and absolutely worth the transit time it was constructed in 752 and its influence grew so powerful that the capital was moved away from Nara in 784 because the Temple’s

Influence on government Affairs was too great The Grounds are expansive that combined with the crowds and waving banners it also felt very celebratory the massive gate leading to toai Temple is guarded by two impressive statues and its intricate details are a Marvel in Themselves one of the reasons to visit is that the great Buddha Hall houses one of the largest Bronze Statues in the world this colossal Buddha statue is a mustsee it stands 15 M Tall a unique feature of Nara is that it has wild saika that at one time were considered sacred they may be cute but they’re still wild animals so you need to be very respectful of them especially during mating season when we were Visiting they aren’t afraid of people and will eat anything and everything in fact the deer were very interested in Kevin’s ice cream but the only thing you should ever feed them are special crackers made of wheat flour and rice brand that are sold here for 200 yen we didn’t know this beforehand but

If you bow your head to them first the deer will also bow they’ve learned that they’re more likely to get food if they do This a collection of artifacts crafts and documents dating back to the 8th Century are stored here it’s worth seeing but you can’t take photos If you’re looking for a Hidden Gem you found it at adashino nambutu G if you don’t want to deal with the crowds of the bamboo forest and even if you do this is a mustsee site it gets bonus points for being virtually crowd-free we were here in mid November and the

Beautiful fall colors already were decorating the sky we felt a quiet Beauty here that made it a standout location for us it hosts a cemetery and alongside it is a vast collection of over 8,000 stone statues dedicated to lonely Souls there’s so much Beauty here to see including the Shinto shrine after appreciating the main area continue walking and you’ll come across the small bamboo forest we mentioned where you can get great photos without dealing with other people getting in your shots continue on and there’s another

Bit of cemetery leading up to a hexagonal jizos Sama 6ace 6 body Cemetery statue the otaka nutu G Temple is hidden away in the western Kyoto neighborhood of arashiyama it’s an uphill walk from adashino nambutu G and the grounds have a variety of different levels to explore

So be prepared to do a little climbing it’s worth it though because it contains about 12200 whimsicle stone statues known as Buddha’s disciples they showcase a wide range of facial expressions and poses after years of Misfortune a new head priest appointed in 1955 who was an accomplished sculptor of Buddhist

Statues Came Upon the idea of having visitors carve their own statues for the temple under his guidance these statues which represent Buddha’s disciples were all added to the temple between 1981 and 1991 each is unique with its own personality the Moss that forms naturally here give them a sense of age

When you see them holding a tennis racket or other things you’re glued into them being more Modern this gold statue is of an enlightened being who has remained Within in the sixth Realms of existence to Aid others and whose compassion is said to be as boundless as the Sky the king Kakui Temple is also referred as the golden temple and is clear to see why it’s so lovely that we visited twice you can see that even the walk up to this Temple is beautiful when we visit on November 12th trees are turning this looks Beautiful and it was equally stunning when we visited a week later although it was raining a bit at that time the second time we brought our daughter and we arrived before the temple opened there were already lines including one for groups which included a lot of school children before you enter notice the

Five white lines on the wall behind this engraved Rock the most prestigious temples are marked with five white lines on their Walls star of the show here is the golden temple whose top two floors are completely covered in Gold Leaf note that this is not one of those temples you can go into or even get close to it was originally the family Villa of a Shogun and according to his will after

His death in 1408 it became a Zen temple don’t be discouraged when you first walk up to the water because it’s a very crowded spot where everyone wants to take their first photo with that backdrop of that beautiful golden temple if you continue walking there are other

Spots for beautiful photos and you can more easily capture the Mirror Pond and the golden pavilion’s reflection and note the Golden Phoenix on the top of the temple the path winds uphill so you can enjoy some Scenic views from a higher perch but the path is one way only so

You’ll get stopped if you try to backtrack to take pictures again the gardens hold a few other spots of Interest including this Pond which is said to have never dried up that’s because of White Snake Mound which is at the center of it and enshrines a white

Snake which is supposed to be the god of water there are also a few statues along the path that people throw coins at for luck I think the luckiest people are the grounds people sweep up the coins after the crowds have gone home it’s all going toward care of the temple

Though continuing through the garden takes you to a tea house just before the Exit outside the exit are souvenir shops and various snack places including this little shop that sells gold fled matcha ice cream of course I had to try it all green and gold flecked up yes it’s matcha and vanilla and specks of gold yeah there’s sparkly all right good luck to your [Laughter]

Stomach don’t complain later uh I feel rich [Laughter] already before hopping on a bus back to our Airbnb we stopped into a great ramen restaurant which probably served the best ramen we had during our entire time in Japan you’re the star we didn’t know in advance but the reviews are spectacular

Tong kenu traditional Kyoto Ramen is one you don’t want to miss they have both salt Ramen or soy sauce based we choose the soy sauce base and we didn’t regret it at all we don’t think you would either we’re excited to share that we’ve started our own absolutely free

Community Forum that we are calling La Familia you can ask questions about trip planning and all things related to travel there a video with the details is linked in the description below gaku G is also known as the Silver Pavilion unlike the golden temple the silver Pavilion is not covered in silver the

Name may have originated from the way the Moonlight reflected on the original black lacquer facade similar to The Golden Temple a Shogun built his retirement temple on the grounds and then converted it into a Zen temple after his death in 1490 one significant difference between the two temples and

From many of the other temples we’ve mentioned is that the walk up to the pilion is lined with souvenir shops and all sorts of food chops with a variety of tasty treats before entering there’s a map of the entire ire complex so you have an overview of all of the

Subtles besides the lovely fall colors one of the main features is an expansive dry sand garden called The Sea of silver sand there’s also a huge sand cone named Moon viewing platform the main hall has paintings on its sliding doors but it’s not usually open to the public for 300 Yen you can

Write down your wishes on a wooden strip that is later burned a walking path leads visitors through a moss garden with ponds Bridges and assorted plants the path Rises steadily to take you to a bird’s eye view of the stand garden and the entire Temple grounds Kiomi Zira Temple has over 12200 years of history and requires you to climb a long flight of stairs this is Kyoto’s most visited Temple and was built to honor the goddess of Mercy passing through the neoman gate is a symbolic leaving behind a worldly concerns and entering the realm of peace

And Tranquility we visited late in the day and it wasn’t overly crowded we’ve heard early mornings are the same this is the perfect Temple to visit in Autumn because of the stunning Colors you can look across and see the stage that is still used for a variety of traditional Performing Arts on special religious occasions there’s Japanese fortune tell here called amuk kiju but instead of having to read the kanji yourself after you pull the stick out give it to a

Worker behind the counter and they’ll pull the fortune for you once again our luck was bad it might help to shake that canister really well seems like all the bad fortunes are near the opening don’t forget to tie up your bad fortune to a pole and leave it at the

Side of the temple do not want that bad fortune following you around you’ll also see a shrine containing nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity jizo when you see red bibs or red hats they’re put there by parents who are either praying for the recovery of a sick child or Mourning a lost One this is another temple with food and souvenir shops before leaving our daughter had to get some crunchy glass candy covered fruit called Tang Hulu which are served on a skewer these were the best we ate in Japan because they were served chilled what do you think they actually

Pretty good I think I like all the glaze on it but it’s very light it’s very light yeah not overly sweet what’s your rating one thumb up that’s some one’s Threee we entered the yasaka shrine through the niran entrance gate it’s a stunning shade of Vermilion and the gate is two stories with curved roofs and intricate carvings and the Autumn Leaves surrounding it are beautiful this gate is an entryway to the gon District which is famous for its gisha culture and

Traditional tea houses instead of the usual Guardian figures this gate features the Protectors of the noble class adding a unique cultural Element If you’ve ever been on Instagram you’ve seen the Fushimi anari Shrine we visited this Shrine twice once as part of a tour we did with a Buddhist priest which we highly recommend and another time with our daughter the shrines were established beginning in 7-Eleven ad and the property hosts a main Shrine

Building containing five shrines together a lower Shrine a middle Shrine an upper Shrine and auxiliary shrines The most obvious part of its appeal is it seemingly endless rows of verm million Tory Gates it’s estimated that there are between 10 to 12,000 of them but it’s impossible know for certain because new ones are always being donated and walking through the tunnel signifies a spiritual Journey towards

Self-improvement and prosperity you can see the donor’s name on the back sides of the individual Gates if you want your name memorialized small gates cost 400,000 Yen and the large ones can be a million or more Yen you can choose to walk through the mall and it will take

Between 2 and 3 hours to cover the 2.5 miles the slow pace will be due to the number of people who also will be walking and stopping to pose for pictures so give yourself plenty of time if you’re short on time there’s a main path that takes only about 30 to 45

Minutes and is only 1 km long you can also do one of any number of the side paths available the shrine is dedicated to anari the Shinto God of rice foxes and business you’ll see Fox statues considered inari’s Messengers dotted throughout the grounds now if you tratar and his Messengers with

Respect notice that they’ve got something in their mouth once again street food and souvenir shops line the path to in front the Shrine here’s a tip visit early in the morning or during weekdays versus weekends one of the times we visited was at dusk and the sky can be pretty spectacular at that time of day especially if you’re comfortable walking through the illuminated paths as part of a nigh Hike Our bonis Temple is in Tokyo it’s called the Goku g Temple also known as the cat’s Temple this Temple was very crowded with photographers everyone wanted a picture with the cats what makes it special is that it’s filled with hundreds of cats statues of assorted sizes and they’re all designed to bring good luck many of them are there because you can buy a cat at the

Main building which also donates one to the temple unfortunately our daughter was disappointed that they ran out of cats by the time we visited we got there late in the day but there’s a cat cafe where you can interact with the felines when you’re finished exploring the

Temple this Temple is free but there’s no bathroom facilities you get what you pay For we hope you’ve enjoyed this episode we have even more content to bring you from Japan so please subscribe if you haven’t already and check out finding gen.com we have great information great articles and our La Familia Forum until next time until next time