Fall Days & Nights in Kyoto | Night Illuminations, Hidden Gem Temples, Fushimi Inari | Japan Travel

Fall Days & Nights in Kyoto | Night Illuminations, Hidden Gem Temples, Fushimi Inari | Japan Travel

Autumn is a very special time of the year to visit Kyoto as many temples will hold night illuminations that light up and transform the vibrant fall leaves We’ll be visiting several temples during the day and night but first a quick stop at Saizeriya which is a Japanese chain serving Italian food known for good portions at very affordable prices It’s not exactly fine dining, but it’s very good for what it is A lot of locals tend to hang out at the restaurant which makes sense given that there is a refillable drink station with soda, coffee, and tea The plan for the day is to visit Sanzen-in Temple which is the main attraction of the rural town of Ohara located an hour north of central Kyoto The bus got super packed to the point that a local Japanese lady was yelling at the bus driver not to let anyone else on at one of the bus stops Woah look at all of these veggies We’re taking a walk through the area before heading to the temple Well that’s an interesting crossing sign Late fall is our favorite time to visit Japan with the weather cooling down and humidity dropping and of course the autumn leaves brightening every scene Now back on the path towards the temple The path is lined with various shops and restaurants to check out Look at the size of these turnips… It is lightly raining, but still lovely weather for the temple visit The temple grounds are quite large with multiple buildings and gardens Love how the gentle rain is creating ripples on the pond Sanzen-in is named after the Buddhist concept of “ichinen sanzen” which means experiencing three thousands realms within a single moment It was founded in 804 by the monk Saicho who introduced Tendai Buddhism to Japan It also stands out as one of the rare temples whose head priests used to be members of the imperial family Seeing a moss garden is always a clear reminder that we’re in Japan and it leaves a lasting impression of this temple These small stone statues are called jizo statues which are created in the image of Jizo Bosatsu the guardian deity of children and travelers Aside from protecting travelers it is also to protect the spirit of children who have passed away It is said that those who have died before their parents are unable to cross the mythical Sanzu River to the afterlife as they have not accumulated enough good deeds to compensate for the suffering their death caused to their parents So they spend their days stacking stone towers as a penance to help gain merits for their parents But evil yokai (demons) knock down these stone towers each day and the children have to start stacking all over again Travelers over the years have helped build these stone towers in front of jizo statues to lessen the burden of these children Now on our way out from the temple It wasn’t the easiest getting to this temple but really glad we made the visit Did somebody say dango? These dumplings made from rice flour are grilled for a smokey flavor They’re often covered in a sweet and savory soy sauce glaze but this plain dango highlights their chewy texture Back in downtown Kyoto I think Mario might be as hungry as we are This is one of our favorite ramen shops The menu is relatively simple with different broths to choose from but what makes it iconic is the chashu pork that line the edges of the bowl You can choose up to 5 slices per bowl at no additional cost Of course we chose 5 slices each and also got the noodle refill which is free You can also try pressing fresh garlic into the broth to change things up Does it matter who won the war if everyone leaves happy and full? Another day, another boba And now for the gachapon roll of the day Which one did we get?!? It’s the pink bunny Mofusand! The exact one we wanted! Tokyo Banana snack in a brulee tart form?! Who can resist trying this one? Caramelized sugar covering a creamy banana custard So delicious This udon restaurant is highly rated and right across from our hotel It was recognized as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2020 The tempura is a great pairing with the udon With good portions and reasonable pricing this is a great place to have lunch when in Kyoto Stopping at a cute little coffee shop whose owner has been interviewed on TV before and is regarded as a living national treasure in her neighborhood Not exactly sure on the backstory but the coffee and matcha latte are delicious There’s always a rainbow after the rain Right now we are heading to the first of three temples we will be visiting today There are quite a few options for goshuin collectors here Reigen-in is one of the sub-temples of Kennin-ji the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto It’s usually closed to the public but has special viewings several times a year Its garden is small but quite lovely What a beautiful meditation room Tofuku-ji is one of the five great Zen temples in Kyoto and currently includes 24 sub-temples It is a very popular place to visit for viewing autumn foliage and its garden area can be visited after paying an admission fee It includes 4 distinct gardens that face different directions The temple is only a 15 minute walk away from the popular Fushimi Inari Taisha There’s a viewing spot of the Tsutenkyo Bridge The bridge can also be visited for a separate fee As you can see, a lot of people like viewing the fall leaves from the bridge The north garden is known for its moss checkerboard pattern After being destroyed in a fire, Sanmon gate was rebuilt in 1425 and is now the oldest Zen gate in Japan This is one of Tofuku-ji’s sub-temples and is a relatively hidden gem in Kyoto The highlight of this temple is this dry landscape garden which arranges rocks, water, moss, and pruned trees and bushes with the raked sand representing ripples in the water Such a nice place to sit down and meditate Dragons are commonly seen in paintings within temples as they are symbols of protection, wisdom, and power Now walking towards the Fushimi Inari Shrine but first a stop at this local Uji tea specialty shop This place sells all sorts of tea products at affordable prices The soft serve matcha ice cream is only 280 yen with free to add brown rice toppings The owners here are incredibly friendly If we lived in Kyoto, this would probably be our most frequent stop for dessert and to purchase matcha powder or tea leaves There’s a few food vendors before entering the shrine Making a quick stop at Fushimi Inari at night as the atmosphere is completely different than during the daytime The feeling of walking through these torii gates in the darkness is a surreal experience to be savored as long as we don’t run into any wild boars that is Not a lot of people at nighttime either but we’ll be back tomorrow afternoon to see how it is during the daytime This store has Fushimi Inari Chiikawa merch! Now time to head back downtown to the Gion district Getting a bit hungry so we stopped at a takoyaki stand which is pretty good considering the location Check out the hundreds of lit up lanterns at the dance stage Local businesses make donations to have their company names displayed on these lanterns Now heading to the main event for tonight a short 7 minute walk away from Yasaka Shrine Kodaiji Temple was originally established in 1606 by the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi after he passed away Hideyoshi is a great historical figure known for unifying Japan We are visiting this temple at nighttime for the special Autumn illumination event This is the light show that recurs in the dry rock garden There’s no official description of the narrative but it appears to tell the story of Hideyoshi “To pray” – Hope for better days ahead for Japan or perhaps for Hideyoshi himself, as he came from a peasant background “To like” – Hideyoshi married his wife Nene around 1561 “Anger” – Symbolic of the wars in his campaign to unite Japan “Happiness” – Successful unification of Japan finally bringing peace to the war-torn nation Signifying the start of a new era “Empty” – With Hideyoshi’s passing, he transcends the physical world Really enjoyable show that sets the ambience nicely for this temple under the night sky Loving the tree reflections in the pond due to the illumination View from the top of the Garyuro (reclining dragon corridor) The bamboo forest looks absolutely enchanting with the illumination creating the beautiful interplay of light and shadow A sight to remember Before leaving we made sure to make it in time to add to our goshuin collection A goshuin is a stamp that you can obtain from most temples and shrines that features hand-brushed calligraphy created by a monk or priest as well as stamped images in red ink Each one contains the name of the temple or shrine and date of visit and sometimes a short message or prayer This serves as a record of your spiritual journey in Japan Lets take a walk through the nearby famous pedestrian roads This is a statue of Marishi-ten, God of the Sun and the Moon, riding a boar but honestly it looks like the boar is getting crushed Had no idea that Peter Rabbit was popular in Japan Unfortunately the store was already closed This area is popular for photoshoots due to the cobblestone streets Hungry and late at night that calls for a quick trip to Saizeriya to stuff our bellies Goodnight! Today we’re heading back to Fushimi Inari again to see how different it is in the daytime This coffee float is delicious with the heaping portion of soft serve ice cream on top Same goes for this matcha float Om nom nom We came for this beef bowl containing wagyu beef and fried tofu simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce topped with salmon roe It’s a good option for a meal close to the shrine entrance Fushimi Inari Taisha is extremely popular for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that line the trails up the mountain It is the head shrine of ~30,000 shrines dedicated to Inari the Shinto god of rice, agriculture, and prosperity There are many fox statues located all over the shrine grounds as foxes are seen as the messengers of Inari Definitely much more crowded than our nighttime visit yesterday The walk up and down the mountain can take up to 3 hours However as a lot of people like taking pictures of the torii gates at the start of the path even if you are not planning on reaching the summit it is well worth it to hike a bit to get shots without the crowds and enjoy the atmosphere of the shrine Each torii gate at the shrine is donated by a person, family, or business as donating a gate is thought to bring prosperity and protection You can see writing on each of the gates listing the donor and date of donation The cost of a donation depends on the size of the gate ranging from 300k yen to close to 2M yen for the largest A little ways off the main path there is a bamboo forest unfortunately not everyone treats the natural beauty with respect Back to hiking up the mountain Here’s a viewpoint of the city right on the main path Finally made it to the highest viewpoint of the city which is our final destination on this trip up the mountain We have summited the mountain before and from the perspective of enjoying the scenery there is no need to continue the path all the way to the summit as there isn’t a lot to see at the top Either way, it’s more about the journey than the destination Not a bad place to catch the sunset Stopping on the way back to obtain a separate goshuin Fushimi Inari has 3 places to obtain different goshuins and a 4th nearby that is connected to a different shrine This goshuin has a clean and simple design The place is just starting to light up as we leave Of course we have to make another stop at our favorite tea shop Good selection of matcha at different qualities and price points A cold treat after a good amount of hiking today This matcha drink is also very refreshing We then head back to the downtown area for one final boba on this trip and some browsing of holiday goods I think one of them definitely needs to take a chill pill Now heading to another special night illumination Kiyomizu-dera extends its visiting hours into the night time during special events such as this Autumn Illumination This temple was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall and its name literally means “Pure Water Temple” The main hall features a large veranda that juts out over the hillside and offers a spectacular view of the trees and the city Having the opportunity to enjoy the red autumn leaves even at night is such a blessing This temple is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the most popular temple in Kyoto so it’ s often extremely crowded It’s also featured in multiple anime series, including Detective Conan The starting point of the crazy beam of light in the night sky Isn’t it fascinating how the light bends as it stretches across the night sky One final goshuin added to the collection on this trip to Kyoto Check out the view with Kyoto Tower in the background Here’s the three-storied Koyasu Pagoda peeking out of the trees Pregnant women visiting are blessed to have a safe and easy childbirth Here at Otowa Waterfall, drinking from each of the 3 separate streams is believed to grant a different benefit Only drink from one though as it is considered greedy to drink from all of them One final bowl of ramen to end our Kyoto adventures This shop is open late and features ramen with a thick chicken and pork soup broth Really delicious finish to our trip Thanks for joining us and please subscribe to take part in future adventures Also check out the first part of our fall Kyoto trip here

Come along for the second part of a 7 day trip to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. We’ll be visiting some incredible temples that are not as commonly visited, experience the special Autumn night illuminations at Kodai-ji Temple and Kiyomizu-dera, and make a trip to Fushimi Inari Taisha during the day and night to compare the difference. On the way, we’ll enjoy a hearty bowl of ramen, a Michelin Bib Gourmand udon restaurant, and a cheap eats Japanese Italian chain.

For all languages other than English, please turn on subtitles under “CC”.

See the first part of our Kyoto trip here: https://youtu.be/a3LhSF03E2Y

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:28 Day 1 Start – Saizeriya Lunch and Travel to Ohara
02:30 Sanzen-in Temple
06:08 Day 2 Start – Udon, Reigen-in Temple
08:05 Tofuku-ji and Komyo-in Temples
10:29 Uji Matcha, Fushimi Inari at Night, Yasaka Shrine
12:24 Kodai-ji Temple Autumn Night Illumination
17:06 Ninenzaka
17:57 Day 3 Start – Fushimi Inari Taisha at Daytime
23:24 Kiyomizu-dera Autumn Night Illumination

Places Visited:
Saizeriya – Shijo Teramachi
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WF1HxF8nJWvHNqk59
Sanzen-in Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PChx8DZiiu59eicPA
The Ramen War
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KS5Nw1kBMWN7nScS7
Moxi Moxi Kyoto
https://maps.app.goo.gl/VUvWes8af44hhBG29
Udon Sanshiki
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GXKMP4H3uxK9X8n67
Hana’s Coffee
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bC84NzS1RZ3CmDf26
Reigen-in Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kfB4aw6nM6LssyEx5
Tofuku-ji Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8HVdPntKZRrFLzC6
Komyo-in Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wP1d2YbNQ4P5ysLE6
宇治茶の大谷茶園 (Uji tea shop)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fsQCrLo2oj1WNDnx7
Fushimi Inari Taisha
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uopFNdCkJoQY6TMZA
Yasaka Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/72vAKLtixZJfG62L8
Kodai-ji Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jY9BTPgF4CtRdSWf7
Ninenzaka
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qnGx1JaUxuodXtE39
Saizeriya Shijo Kawaramachi Branch
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YQxrRaqGxLrN7L8F7
Niku No Odakichi Fushimiinari
https://maps.app.goo.gl/q1gvvrKT5kWLABhk9
Kiyomizu-dera
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WXo2paTjzbMtWZe28
Ramen no Bombo – Shichijo Main Shop
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wxoRkMYda6QhWryT9

Music Credits:
Echoes of Childhood Summers by 松浦洋介
君を待つ春 by のる
naked heart by ゆうり(from Yuli Audio Craft)
Waves of Silence by 松浦洋介
ここは羽を休める場所 by ゆうきわたる
せせらぎに耳を澄まして by ゆうきわたる
Slow Steps Together by Yosuke Matsuura
sakura by yuhei komatsu
始まりの歌 by ゆうきわたる
Moonlit Café by Yosuke Matsuura
愛して嫌 by 龍崎一

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