Kyoto - Temples

These Are What Draw the Tourists
The many Japanese tourists you see in Kyoto are there for the temples.  There are more temples than you can see in two weeks - there are over 2,000, many of which are listed by UNESCO as world heritage sites.  Our ryokan was on the edge of a forest that housed a few large temple complexes.  We toured them on foot, taking in the peacefulness and beauty.  These ladels are used to clean your hands prior to entry, done for ritualistic purposes rather than public health.

As with most temples I've visited in Asia, there was a wishing tree.  In this case, you write your wishes on wooden placards and hang them up.

I took this shot of two ladies wearing kimono only to later realize that I'd captured the Dodo.  She was happily displayng her good "qian", the equivalent of a Buddhist report card on your future.  Her future was rosy, it promised.

Here's a shot of the same kimono-clad ladies passing a different temple in the same complex.

As you can see from the remaining shots, it's a welcomed side of Japan - quiet, green, beautiful, contemplative.