Ah, Kyoto. Ever since my interest in Japan started all those years ago, i knew i wanted to visit Kyoto. With all it´s temples and magnificent gardens, it was on the top of my to do list. I didn´t want to overdo it so i settle for a few gardens and temples in the northwest part of Kyoto. My explorations of the rural area started in the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. Small paths takes you through these forests of bamboo canes, and it´s hard to realize that they are in fact a grass. Since it´s so close to Daikaku-ji Temple i walked on foot there passing these samurai statues in bronze.

I didn´t stop long enough to get the story behind the statues, it was raining and i didn´t have an umbrella. Once I got to Daikaku-ji i started my tour with the garden. Not a great garden at that season, i suspect it will come into it´s own right in summer. And remember, it was raining so i rushed it a little.
Inside the temple was another matter. Everthing was well kept and its my first real contact with Japanese architecture. Daikaku-ji has the world famous nightinggale floors. Constructed to give away a squeaking noise when walked upon to alert the residents of intruders. Still, they work perfectly. The temple consists of several buildings, and in between them are small planting or mini-gardens.

From there i walked on towards my next target, this time with an umbrella. The destination was Ninna-ji just 1km east from Daikaku-ji. There were som nice wall paintings there in the temple.

And everything was very well kept there also. It´s nice to see that they take such good care for their historical and cultural heritage. Outside on the templegrounds there were a lot of Apricots and cherries in various stage of bloom. And one thing which Ninna-ji i famous for is it´s pagoda.

Difficult to get a good photo when standing underneath but equally impressive from a far.

Moving on from Ninna-ji to one of the two gardens i had to go to. I had read about this since i was little, and now i was within walking distance. Ryoan-ji.
All i knew was of the rock garden and that was what i went there to see.

So, simple. And yet, so beautiful. I think i sat there for half an hour just taking it in. After, there was a temple garden to see. Got my photo taken by a nice hispanic couple just because i wanted one with an apricot in the background.

This day was also the first time i saw how much work that goes into the maintenance of the gardens. Two workers with brooms were sweeping up flower petals from the moss on the ground. And another was removing grass with tweezers. Extraordinary.

The next and final stop for the day was a couple of minutes away. Kinkaku-ji or the golden pavillion. Most of you have seen it and i have too, at least online and in books. Seeing it in real life was different though. A Beautiful building surrounded by a pond with koi and turtles.

I look wet and miserabel, but im enjoying every minute. The surroundings were also nice but the amount of people there made it hard to enjoy it.

After this i headed back to my hotel, i needed to warm up and change clothes. The next day i was going to Osaka to visit Kuoka-en bonsai nursery. More on that in part 3.