Outing to Kiyomizu Temple

We made our first adventurous outing yesterday to Kiyomizu-dera Temple--one of the most recognizable and beautiful sites in Kyoto. The pagoda roof is world famous. Kiyomizu means "pure water." Drinking the water at this temple is said to have powerful healing qualities.
Skylar though was skeptical about taking "healthy" sips out of the same metal cup that thousands had also sipped from. Walking up the narrow, steep path to Kiyomizu, we spotted our first geisha. (see her beautiful but blurred kimono back as she swept past us). While I was excited at this "celebrity" sighting, Skylar was definitely more enthusiastic about spotting soft chocolate ice cream cone vendors on the same path.
Inside the main temple, we took a tour through the pitch black basement: It's so dark down there you cannot see a thing and must hold on to large wooden prayer beads on your left as you slide your feet down the stairs and along the smooth wooden floors. As you shuffle through the blackness, and turn each corner, a large granite stone suddenly appears bathed in its own light and seems to be floating in space. We each touched the stone, and pushed it counter-clockwise, and made a wish.


The streets that lead up to both sides of Kiyomizu are famous for their vendors--who sell everything from world-famous blue and white Kiyomizu pottery, to tacky Japanese chotzky, snacks, and little statues of tanukis. Skylar says I'm obsessed with these cute "tanuki" statues. Tanukis are a small brown badger like creature with a pointed nose. These statues are everywhere and are like the Japanese equivalent of plastic garden gnomes.

There are so many famous temples and shrines in Kyoto, it's hard to decide which ones we must see next. Stay tuned.