Day 12:

Castles of Kyoto

Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos

I have the whole city of Kyoto to discover and the entire day to do it. I am intrigued by the old capital of Japan and the more traditional places I will visit. Today I will be going to three temples: Kinkaku-ji, Nijō Castle and Kiyomizu-dera.

I purchased a one-day bus pass to travel around town. What's most interesting about the bus system is that you enter the vehicle on the back and exit on the front, paying when you leave rather than as you get on board.

Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos

Kinkaku-ji
Famous for the golden pavilion and, like most other temples in Kyoto, meticulous garden design. I arrived in the morning to this temple located in the northwest area of central Kyoto.

Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos

"Be safe and sound" is written on these candles that you can light up near the temple.

Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos

Nijō Castle
The Nijō Castle is impressive by the decoration of the temples, by the vast gardens and by the fortifications around the grounds. It's located slightly east to the center of Kyoto, just on the way to Kiyomizu-dera.

Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos

Kiyomizu-dera
The Kiyomizu-dera temple is located closer to a mountain and provides a view to the entire city centre. I crossed the gates before sunset and wondered on the market that goes along the road between the temple and the city.

Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos Photo taken as part of the blog 15 Days in Japan by Nuno Coelho Santos

About 15 Days in Japan

This a visual diary of my first experiences in Japan as I travelled across the country and met many different people in 2013.

This blog is inspired by the wonderful 19 Days in Japan, which I used as a model. Please have a look at it and support the work Lena and Filipe have done. Mike Mata's One Week In Japan timelapse is also an inspiration and motivation.

About the Author

I'm Nuno, a designer and developer based in London. Follow my Twitter or Instagram for updates about my work, or send me a message on LINE.

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