Română/日本語

To keep my promise, here I am with the second-day adventures in search of beautiful autumn, in Kyoto! The second day’s route was the following:

Day 2-Rurikoin-Tofukuji-Fushimi Inari Taisha-Kiyomizu-Dera

About Rurikoin there is no information in tourist guides and it is not listed as a must-see attraction of Kyoto, but it is a highly popular place among photographers. Thanks to social media, especially Instagram (where I also found out about this jewel) more and more visitors are coming to Rurikoin.

Twice a year (autumn and spring) it opens its gates for those eager to see something unique, a treasure hidden in the mountains, unknown to many. Rurikoin has a rich history and although the date of its construction remains unknown, in Heian it was a popular relaxation place for families of nobles.

I got there thinking of it as a little-known place but I had to wait in line for about one hour in order to enter the temple. Despite the crowd, everyone was so disciplined and thoughtful, so I could enjoy a relaxing time there, just like the nobles from old times, and forget about time. There was also the option of enjoying matcha tea with traditional sweets while admiring the beautiful garden. This was a wonderful experience! The temple is made up of several buildings, from where you can enjoy the beautiful gardens, which brings its fame, Ruri-no-Niwa 瑠璃の庭 with 10 types of moss, and Garyo-no-Niwa 臥龍の庭 representing a dragon ascending to the heavens. Although autumn leaves haven’t yet reached that intense red I’ve seen on Instagram, Rurikoin still offered a wonderful unforgettable view. The entrance is a bit more expensive than other temples, about 2000 yen, but for the great two hours I spent there, it was totally worth it.

It was already noon when I left Rurikoin for the next spot of the day, Tofukuji temple. Tofukuji is a Buddhist temple, famous for its vibrant autumn colors. Getting there near the closing hour, we only managed to see the exterior. Hardly getting through Tsutenkyo bridge, because of the massive crowd, to the gardens of the temple. Here the maple trees already reached an intense red shade, creating a great view.

After Tofukuji, we went to Fushimi Inari Taisha, shinto shrine and one of the must-see spots in Kyoto, also famous from the gate scene in Memoirs of a Geisha. Located at the base of a mountain with the same name, Inari mountain, a hike through the hundreds of torii gates to the top of the mountain will end with a beautiful view of Kyoto. It is believed that there are about 10,000 Torii gates 鳥居 at Fushimi Inari Taisha. As it slowly got darker and darker, the crowd also lessened and we could enjoy a quiet but also kind of mysterious walk to the top of the mountain. Mysterious because my friend told me there are many spirits gathering there at night. The spirit of the fox is the most famous, protector of this shrine and many other shrines all over Japan. So we finally gave up and got back, without reaching the top, but I’m glad we got to see Kyoto from above.

The last spot of the day was Kiyomizu Temple, Buddhist temple, and UNESCO site. In autumn and spring, a special light-up intensifies the red of autumn leaves and the pink of cherry blossoms.

The second day in Kyoto was also quite busy, trying to check off my list as many places as I could. Part three, next time! Thank you for reading!