Temples and imps and bears. Oh my! - Southern and Northern Higashiyama

If you weren't aware by now, I've been using Lonely Planet as my guide to Japan. So far, it's worked out - however, most of the cultural things, whoooosh, right over my head because of the language barrier. The second full day in Kyoto, I decide to do the Higashiyama section of Kyoto. LP divides it into a southern and a northern region, but seriously, when you're walking, it all runs together.

So the starting point of the southern walking tour is relatively close to my hostel - well, I guess maybe close to a mile. I think I've kinda gotten used to walking at least a mile here and there to get to things. I am definitely more lazy at home. Anyway, the path to the first temple and shrine on the path was up this slowly increasing grade. 

I left the hostel around 5:30am and it took me close to an hour to get here. 

Like most of the temples and shrines I've gone to so far, this one was also under construction. 

The couple ahead of me were praying to this dude, who looks like a mischievous elf. One that if I was given an option in an RPG, I'd totally pick him. Charisma 18, Dexterity 18 - sweet-talking pickpocket thief. Done!

Looking out from the temple's balcony. It's crazy how telescopic the human eye is - this picture doesn't do that pagoda in the background any justice. But the picture does give you perspective of the distance. 

This was the view from the path connecting the temple to the crazy orange pagoda that is a dot in the previous picture. The temple actually is supported by a series of levels and floors, built up multiple stories, such that the deck from which I had taken the picture was actually overhanging a cliff. Crazy!  

Here is that temple from a distance. I think that's a third of the support structures. Just think, this temple has been around centuries!!! 

The walking path was really serene and dotted with blue hydrangeas. How cool is this? It looks perfect. I think those trees are cherry or plum trees gauging by the bark. 

And boom, around a winding uphill corner, thar she blows. Very striking. 

A close up of the pagoda - I don't think that's an aura, but either lint on my cellphone camera lens or just my poor light metering skills. 

Hey there foxy fox. 

A meandering water garden. I'm really starting love to these kind of gardens - not exactly possible where I live :-(  

I took a right and started exploring a path that went through what seemed to be analogous to a graveyard. Not sure if there were bodies there, but it was pretty astounding the number of memorials stones, etc. 

After the Kiyomizu temple and grounds, I explored the adjacent streets. It seems that these small streets are used prevalently for engagement or wedding photos - as I ran across 3 different couples and photographers. 

How cute! There were a few bystanders taking pictures in addition to the real photographer - so I helped myself to the scene. 

After turning down one street, I see this looming face appear from the trees, so of course I have to check it out. It's a memorial for the unknown Japanese soldier for WW2. Awkward. But I lit an incense and pay my respects 

It's 80m tall!! Impressive. I'll let you do your own conversion. 

Another object you can give money to, touch it with your right hand, and pray, then good luck will come. It kinda seems any kind of large statue or item can bring you fortune, if you give it money and a good rub. :-/

In the courtyard, there was medium sized water feature, where this little guy zoomed right to me. 

Seriously, he came right towards me. 

In a beeline. I think he just wanted his picture taken. I obliged him. 

So here's a sacred cow. I neither gave him money or a petting. 

But these two kiddos are supposed to be harbingers of good luck to marriage. I didn't bribe them, but I did give them a rub with both my hands. Kinda weird. But when in Rome. 

I found this flowering bush in a small lane - I think they're gardenias. Too pretty to not have their picture taken. 

On a side note, I'm currently taking the JR Yamatoji from Nara to Osaka - I uncrossed my legs and totally kicked a guy across from me. I apologized but probably made matters worse by patting his knee. I think the expression on his face was one of horror. Oops. My bad. I guess you can make a bad situation worse. :-/

This is the <Pemma to fill in park name later> park. 

I stalked another couple having their picture professionally taken. j/k. I took a panoramic photo to give me the opportunity to stealthily take their picture. I think it turned out decently. 

Wow! I don't remember why I was so impressed. But let's chalk it up to heat exhaustion. 

Another stealth picture of a kimono-clad lady. All morning I had been practicing "good morning!" in Japanese (o-hay-o gozai-mas). I turned to this particular lady and said this very thing and she was totally shocked. But then, she quickly recovered and started saying a blur back to me in Japanese. I was taken aback because no one ever thought I could speak Japanese up until that point and I must have done a pretty good job on that good morning, but unfortunately I had nothing after that. Poor lady!!

I don't think I was supposed to take this picture, as you can see the no camera or phone sign - BUT I took this from maybe 100 feet away all zoomed in. Haha! I'm not sure I broke your rules. Loophole. 

And now for some more pictures of temples and pathways between temples. 

So at this point in time, I'm getting tired of temples. Luckily, the Japanese understood my predicament and placed an aqueduct next on my walking tour. 

I'm going to have to check the timeline for this aqueduct and compare it to the Roman timeline. 

Rounding out the last part of the walking tour is the Philosopher's Path. This was a nice quiet place to just stroll. 

I did take the opportunity to relax and reflect upon my day. 

Until I got distracted when...

I came upon a harem of cats. 

...and their kitty overlord. 

And this little guy -or- gal? whom I saw everywhere. 

This buxsome brown thing is actually a bear. Yeah. I know. I thought it was some man-beast well-endowed hybrid. But nope. A cross reference with a cafe dedicated to bear objects had these statues everywhere. So. It's a bear. 

BTW, spoiler alert. I get lost soon after this picture.