Heian Shrine (平安神宮) (Kyoto, Japan)

Our first day in Kyoto led us on a trek across the city to find the infamous "Temple Books" that my friends Devon and Jasmine got while in Japan. These books are beautiful, Japanese-style books (with one long folded piece of paper you read right to left) with each temple and shrine possessing their own "stamp" - a series of Buddhist and Shinto calligraphy specific to only that shrine or temple. We finally found them at the Kiyomizodera Temple at the end of the day but Heian-jingu was one of my favorite spots in Kyoto.

Heian Shrine was open for a Japanese government holiday on Monday and we met three really nice Japanese college students who asked if they could show us around the shrine to practice their English. If you don't know the difference between a shrine and a temple (which I didn't), shrines are Shinto and temples are Buddhist. Most shrines are this vibrant orange color to "ward off evil spirits." We were lucky enough to witness a Shinto wedding and see one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Kyoto for free. Assah!









Japanese old people are SO much nicer than Koreans. This cute old man shared his stale bread so I could feed the turtles with him :)


wishes