A walk around To-ji - Kyoto Impressions 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan ENG-GER

When you go on a trip, the first question that always comes to mind is: Where should we go this time?

And basically, you have the choice between something new and something you already know. And even at this early point, it’s often hard to decide. Because both have their appeal, and even though it’s always important to discover something new, it’s also so much fun to take a little trip down memory lane. There’s a wonderful expression for this in English: “To walk down memory lane.”

Oh yes, the path of your own memories grows longer and longer over time. And that feeling when you’re walking down it—that sweet, warm melancholy that swirls around you—is something you suddenly don’t want to let go of.

And that’s probably the reason why, in recent years, I’ve been drawn more and more to places I’ve been to before. Sure, I’d love to explore completely new territory again and immerse myself in cities, countries, and cultures that are still entirely unknown to me. But well...in the end it all comes down to time and money. But it’s not just that, because I’m no longer traveling alone and don’t have to decide on my own which direction I want to take. No, I now always have my little team by my side, and of course I’m happy to be a team player.

And since I also enjoy playing tour guide, I end up taking this small but wonderful group to exactly the places I’ve enjoyed in the past. Personal experiences are incredibly helpful when choosing travel destinations, and it feels good to share those experiences with others. Preferably right there on the spot, where I had such a great time back then. And where I have always wanted to return!

And that was probably the main reason we went to Kyoto. Of course, it wasn’t my first visit, but it had been quite a while since I’d last been to the old Japanese imperial city. But with a little preparation, I’d picked out a few great destinations for us, all of which were located on my own “memory lane.” And even though there wasn’t really any new territory to discover this time, I was probably just as excited and full of anticipation as the rest of my little team...

But I’m spending way too much time on the introduction again, so I’d better get started. Let’s just jump back to the first evening, when we went for a short walk just after we arrived. I’d actually thought we’d have a little more time, but that’s just how it always goes.

My plan had actually been to visit Tō-ji Temple, which wasn’t that far from our accommodation and which we could walk to. But like so many sights in Japan, Tō-ji closes at 5 p.m., so we had to settle for a walk around the temple walls. But I still managed to bring back a few atmospheric photos from there.

And while we’re walking around the temple grounds, I’ll tell you a little bit about it...

Tō-ji Temple is located very close to Kyoto Station and is one of Japan’s most significant Buddhist temple complexes. Its name means “Eastern Temple,” as it once guarded the southern entrance to the old imperial city alongside the now-vanished Sai-ji (“Western Temple”). Today, Tō-ji is best known for its impressive five-story pagoda, which, at 55 meters tall, is the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan and is clearly visible from the street.

The temple was founded in 796, just a few years after Kyoto became the capital of feudal Japan. Since 1994, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of “Historic Kyoto” and is today not only an important religious site but also one of Kyoto’s most famous landmarks and a significant witness to Japanese cultural history.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit the interior of the temple that day, but there are several halls filled with numerous historical and religious statues designed to give an impression of the religious art of past centuries.

Many visitors also appreciate the expansive temple grounds with their gardens and ponds. In the spring, it's the cherry blossoms that bloom here, and in the fall, it's the red and golden maple leaves that create a special atmosphere. And every month on the first Sunday, there's a big flea market called “Kōbō-san” that draws thousands of visitors. I went to that flea market many years ago, and it was a really interesting experience back then.

Let’s return once more to the pagoda, which is unquestionably the temple’s landmark and also one of Kyoto’s most famous symbols. It was originally built in 826, but was destroyed by fire on several occasions. The current five-story building, in its present form, was rebuilt in 1644 during the reign of Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.

As you can see from my photos, the pagoda is clearly visible even from a distance, and you can make out its silhouette from many parts of the city. On the day we were leaving, we were at a lookout point in the mountains, and even from there we could spot the pagoda. My camera has a pretty good zoom, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the pagoda in the last photo.

Well, we didn't make it inside the temple complex this time, but luckily Kyoto has plenty of temples to offer. So we didn’t have to be in a bad mood at all; instead, we were looking forward to the next day and everything that was still ahead of us. That’s exactly the state of mind I’d love to return to right now, but for the moment, all I can do is look back on a wonderful trip that, as usual, ended way too quickly. And one that I’d love to repeat as soon as possible...