• Susan WaglandJapan 88 Temples PilgrimageTraveler
    Huge gate to Heian Jingu Shrine
    Huge gate to Heian Jingu ShrineSilver pavilion entry ticketSea of silver sandSilver Pavilion and moon viewing mound1Photo spot3Moss and lichen, grass not allowedTornado picked cucumberAncestral spirits beside the canal. Each has their name. Temporary resting place for war deadPhilosopher's Path3Very sorry for the inconvenienceShrine with animalsMouse part of shrineLike a Cheshire catIntricate pencil sketching on a bridge1My bamboo flower boat floats, so I will have a happy lifeChinese couple in cafe. I had the same as them, curry and riceSchoolchildren at the entrance to Heian Jingu ShrineHeian Jingu gardens, children in background1An old pine tree propped upView from bridgeBridge

    Kyoto slow day

    October 6, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    My last day in Kyoto. I took a bus to the Silver Pavilion (Ginkakuji) which has immaculate gardens of trees, moss, stones and a sea of silver sand. Walking the Philosopher's Path back to the centre took me past a tiny, busy cafe where I stopped for lunch.

    Then I went to Heian Jingu shrine, where the 50th emperor Kanmu (died 806) and the 121st ruler Komei (died 1866) are buried. Kanmu is deified as the ancestral god of Kyoto and Komei is also deified. This is a large and important shrine with extensive gardens.

    A Chinese girl in the hostel explained to me about the ancestral spirits in the stones.    Read more