Last week I scouted out the Higashiyama driveway, a scenic road along the Higashiyama Mountain range in Kyoto. Along the Higashiyama driveway there is the Shogunzuka Mound (青蓮院の飛地境内) and the Dainichi-do (将軍塚大日堂) Temple grounds. Besides the spectacular view from the two observatory’s in the garden of the temple there is the Shogunzuka Mound. The mound, it is approximately 20 meters Continue reading «Shogunzuka Mound and the Dainichi-do Temple!»

Last Thursday I went to the Higashiyama area of Kyoto to visit Kiyomizu dear and Kodai-ji temple garden. I couldn’t resist taking a peak at the Yasaka shrine. As usual it was packed with visitors, one of the reasons being that it is the peak season for viewing the autumn colours. The Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社 Yasaka-jinja), once called Gion Shrine, Continue reading «Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto during autumn 2012!»

While visiting the Kodai-ji temple in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto is saw this quite different looking type of pagoda. It is the Daiun-in temple with the “Gion-kaku” tower (大雲院 祇園閣) dedicated to the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son Nobutada who committed seppuku in 1582 when Akechi forces betrayed the Oda, attacking Honno-ji and then Nijo castle. Continue reading «Gion Kaku in Higashiyama-Kyoto!»