Lovely Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Magical colors soothe and calm in northwest Kyoto

Larry Knipfing Jan 13, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Peeking in over the shoulder of a larger grave stone</p>

<p>Upper section of the gate leading into the temple</p>

<p>The temple gate is stone (or perhaps poured concrete) and is quite majestic looking</p>

<p>The temple bell and lovely brown wooden enclosure</p>

<p>A Buddhist statue at peace in the temple grounds</p>

<p>Taking a stroll through the bamboo grove</p>

It's hard to explain why, but the atmosphere here soothed and relaxed me. Perhaps it was the beauty of the autumn foliage. But I was surprised -- perhaps I didn't expect to feel peaceful in a place that was originally an open-air burial site. The temple was established over 1200 years ago by Kobo Daishi. Only accessible by bus (it's a 50-minute ride!) I felt that my time was very well spent. It's quiet here, and not overly crowded, perhaps because it is so far away from central Kyoto. There is a bamboo grove up behind the temple that is also quite nice.

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Larry Knipfing @larry.knipfing

Born on Long Island, New York in 1958, I have spent the last 30 years of my life living in Japan, and enjoying every minute of it! I especially love photography, and Japan is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world to photograph! My other love is fiction writing and I have pub...