Kyoto in Autumn, 2012.

Waking up at 3:00 a.m. in the morning, I prepared for leaving my home to Kyoto. (You don't have to wake up so early, just I'm a early person ;))

I forgot to bring a guide book this time....Only I'd got was a flyer of Kyoto which Japan Railway published, haha...

So....Let's take a walk ;)

I started with walking around Arashiyama ("yama" means a mountain), where is located western Kyoto, takes about 25 minutes from Kyoto station by local bus. It was first time for me to visit there.

I had longed for visiting Kyoto in the autumn for many years. What made me so hard to make this real was a rumor that Autumn in Kyoto is a number of, or numerous, people gathering for sightseeing.

Since I'm a person who detest crowded places (you know that!), I had avoided to go there such a long time. But this year, many people told me that autumn leaves in this year will be surprising ever, probably once a few decade, some said to me.
Well, I suppose it could be nice if I would go to the finest place to see the finest autumn leaves.

I went to Hogo-in temple at first. As it turned out, this place has an astonishing garden.

I tend to take a glance or two when I see something, not seeing carefully. That's what I usually do. However, this temple was tremendous, beautiful, you can't miss it when you go to Arashiyama, especially when it is Autumn.

I had taken pictures nearly an hour there. I can't believe my ability to concentrate is that good, haha.

This kind of man-made garden, such as this, such as gardens I told you before usually have some meanings. Every single stone has sometime its own meaning. I studied this stone carefully, but nothing come across to me ;)

Even a bench which is usual aspect looks beautiful...!

Look up to see foliage, then turn my face to down, and up, then down.... My neck was tired by then :D

It's a tea house, I think. they require additional fee to be inside, I gave up :(

How come this season is soooooo beautiful in my country! :D

 

An old gate which is not used any more.

Leaving Hogoin temple, I went around Arashiyama again.

Red foliage, yellowish foliage. Everything is beautiful for the time being in Kyoto :)

It's not exactly a gate, but close to it. It's a symbol of a religion as well.

I'm sick of taking photograph by then, I put my SLR in my bag, just enjoy watching autumn begin to change into the winter.

I'm terrible with winter. Cold, everywhere seems in silence, I don't like silent place neither :( And talking about snow, I like snow, but I don't like lots of them.

I consider autumn leaves as gifts from autumn. This thought may be odd, but I like to think that way :)

Last place I visited was Daikaku-ji. Before I arrived there, I ate lunch nearby and a chef in there told me Daikak-ji is a must to see. But after I left the gate of this temple and walking to a bus stop, I couldn't help thinking whether it's such a great place to visit.

Probably that's because the first one (Hogo-in temple) was so overwhelming that rest of temples looked less attractive to me.

Well, that's all for today. I put so many pictures on this post, you may be tired of reading it. Hopefully you enjoyed to see it! :)