Located next to the Higashiyama Mountain range, Higashiyama is one of Kyoto's eleven wards. It is also the most traditional, having placed limits on development. Many of the cities ancient shrines and temples are located in this district, as is the Gion entertainment district. It is a section of town dominated by old structures and narrow, somewhat winding thoroughfares. It seems as if every bend in the road offers a new discovery.
This was the center of 15th century Japanese culture and some of that is still evident today. The name means "East Mountain" and there are some great views of Central Kyoto from kiyomizu-Dera, a shrine located on the mountain side. In my mind, a mid morning stroll through this district was one of the highlights of our trip.
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Above: Various views of one of the older neighborhoods in Higashiyama. Kyoto is a thoroughly modern city. But you wouldn't be able to tell from this vantage point. We stumbled upon these geisha, or possibly maiko (geisha in training) getting professional photos taken. We took advantage and snapped some pictures for ourselves. Kara managed to snap the best ones. People pictures are still a problem for me. |
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The streets leading up to kiyomizu-Dera, a famous Buddhist temple, were narrow and crowded. Excellent shopping and food opportunities. This is the only place in Japan where we came upon monks. They were a common sight here. |
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The Yasaka Pagoda is one of the most recognizable sites in Kyoto but difficult to photograph from this vantage point. The pagoda was originally built in 589 but repeatedly destroyed by fire and war. The current structure dates from 1440. There is a nice little website about the Pagoda at artelino.com Below: We never tried it, but this was mode of transport available in the area. |
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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Daren Willden, unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.