On my way to Kyoto, I am so excited!
Not everyone is as thrilled as I am, but surely they will perk up when they see the lovely views
Ah yes, bask in the autumnal hills of Kyoto!
From Koyasan to Kyoto
Category Archives: Photography
Tiny Hippo Stays at a Temple
If you are spending the night on Mount Koya, you will need a place to rest your Tiny Hippo
While there aren’t any hotels on the mountain, there are shukubos which are temple lodgings run by monks. This was our shukubo: Koyasan Onsen Fukuchiin
We enjoyed the tradition architecture complete with tatami mats and shoji doors
The meticulously designed gardens were a thing of beauty
Just be careful where you tread, only the leaves are allowed to venture onto the intricate patterns
Koyasan Onsen Fukuchiin was the only lodging on the mountain that had its own hot spring for bathing, as it would be indecent for me to photograph such things, here is the koi pond
As evening falls, you may wish to expand your mind with the teachings of the enlightened one
The vegetarian feast provided by the monks is served in your room. Some of the dishes come with their own fire to keep them toasty warm
Each dish holds new surprises for the adventurous Tiny Hippo
Don’t worry though, it is all delicious!
I left my wonderful temple lodging in Koyason relaxed and rejuvenated. Onward to Kyoto!
Rock Courtyard
Railing Detail
Tiny Path in the Garden
Courtyard
Hallway
Front of Temple
Tiny Hippo Playing in the Leaves
Front of Koyasan Onsen Fukuchiin
Koi Pond
Tasty Soup
Koyasan Onsen Fukuchiin
Dinner at Koyasan Onsen Fukuchiin
Garden at Night
Courtyard at Night
Secret Staircase
Stone Garden Courtyard
Welcome to Koyasan
The next stop on my tour of Japan is Koyasan!
Koyasan is a small temple town atop Mount Koya, it is the center of Shingon Buddhism.
Koyasan welcomes pilgrims and visitors alike.
This mountain top sanctuary is full of hidden gems just off the beaten trail. We found this building hidden at the end of an old path.
The giant cemetery of Koyasan is a mixture of old and new, this Buddha seemed fairly new…
while these stone lanterns seem to be disappearing into the mountain.
We were lucky enough to witness a chanting meditation taking place in the extremely cold river. It was an awe-inspiring experience. Onlookers joined in the chanting, I only wish that I had known the words.
Koyasan is a wonderful place where centuries of religious devotion can be witnessed and honored.
Particularly fine cedar trees are given number to record their history.
Johnny’s Take Away, Nara
There is a tiny restaurant in Nara, Japan called Johnny’s Take Away. This place is a gem, they make the BEST karaage (Japanese fried chicken).
Not only is the chicken amazing but there is also this wee dog who sleeps in a baby stroller!
This little guy will wait in his stroller until something of note happens, then he will emerge in his finest jumper to investigate (note he has easy access to all his toys, stored in the bottom of the stroller).
This little Papillon is eager to please and has a wide variety of flawless tricks that he will perform under the careful watch of his owner.
The food at Johnny’s is amazing the company even better, you will be happy you went.
So when you are in Nara, check out Johnny’s you will take away new friends and full tummies!
Tiny Hippo Makes a Friend in Yoshikien Garden
Yoshikien Garden in Nara was my favorite garden in Japan.
This garden is so peaceful, as an added plus, it is free to all foreign visitors!
Despite being in such a beautiful garden, even a Tiny Hippo can get lonely…
Don’t worry though, you are bound to make friends anywhere! While posing for this picture I heard people giggling and chattering behind me. That is to be expected, you know, I am often a great source of interest.
What i didn’t realize was that I was about to meet someone just like me! This is a mouse from Singapore.
He travels the world just like I do, acting as a travel companion for his human friend.
The mouse travel companion also tends to be rather clumsy, just like a certain Tiny Hippo.
We made sure to get a photo with our humans so no one felt left out. It was a glorious chance meeting.
Even after the mouse and I parted ways I took the joy of meeting a kindred spirit in such an unlikely place with me for the rest of my visit.
My one regret about my meeting the mouse and his human was that I did not get their contact info, it was all too exciting to think of such a trivial thing! If you know the mouse traveling companion or even his human please let them know I am looking for them!
Meanderings Abound 