Kyoto Sept 2019 : Fun Shrines Inside Kiyomizudera

Continuing on my post on Kyoto, I have just entered the World Heritage Site of Kiyomizudera temple, and it is a large ground inside to cover without even first setting eyes on the famous 3 waterfall that this place is famous for. And for some reason, after passing through the great halls, there seems to be a small plot of higher ground where all the youthful shrines are located. 

The entrance to this place is via a beautifully decorated stone steps up. I was pretty sure I was there in the early morning, but somehow the photo above looks like it was taken at sunset, where the lights reflecting from the wooden signs looking like lanterns instead of wood planks. 

Here is where it feels like anything goes. There are all sorts of deity to pray to, and it seems like a popular place for the more youthful crowds of teenager if anything. So let me explain below on why this is so.

So there is a conner call the "Love Stone". And there are signs to explain to you in case you are wondering what this is. If you can't read, its ok. There are guards around to help explain it to you, and they did so to some teenage girl on how to use the "Love Stone".

So there are two love stones. And you are supposed to walk from one to the other in a straight line with your eyes close. No peeping! You friend can guide you along if you want. And if you can touch the stone at the other end, then apparently your true love will come true or something like that. As you can imagine, this was very popular with the young girls! And it's fun to watch too with lots of giggling and laughter. 

If testing your blindfold sense are not your thing, there are other tonnes of tiny shrines everywhere for you to pray to and make your wishes known to the gods. There were many for studying and passing exams for the school going kids and youth too. 

There was also one alley full of rabbit figurines. Bronze one as shown above looks like something out of Alice in Wonderland. And if you follow him, it leads to more shrines with rabbits in them. 

I don't know if this may look scary to some, but a giant furry rabbit with red eyes anyone?

I spend more time than I thought here. Just watching all the Japanese kids going around excited here was one of the most fun things to do. But I will this post with a nice wooden torii gate I found hung at an ancient tree. It is as if the spirits can just walk into the tree and live there. It was obviously a sacred tree by the rope tied around it. And these are the things I love most about Japan. That spiritual feel of everything of nature.