TBT: Musings in Japan: Kyoto Pt. 1

 Having now completed the recap on South Korea, I now take you on another three-part series. This time to the refined city of Kyoto with its beautiful shrines and temples. Of course, it would not be complete without pictures of the delectable fare interspersed throughout our visit. I believe we stayed in Kyoto for one weekend, but it's all very fuzzy now so I can't be sure. It was definitely not long enough to all the wonders Kyoto had to offer. We managed a few and they were all so very enchanting. I would dearly love to come back again.

 We first ventured to the Fushimi Inari Shrine as most of us were familiar with the famous torii tunnel and greatly desired to see it. If I've got my facts correct, there is said thousands of torii gates lined up all the way to the heart of the shrine. I was overwhelmed with a sense of awe and reverie as we walked through the tunnel. I think as tourists, when we visit places like these, we often forget that they are first and foremost sacred grounds dedicated to religious gods. Fortunately, most of us innately regard these shrines and temples with its due respect.

The next stop was Ginkaku-ji Temple. I must have been quite tired as I don't have many shots of it in my possession. I am regretful now. I remember the ground was covered with a carpet of lush moss and populated with tall maple trees, which mostly still remained a vibrant green. They dotted our passageway to the temple making for a lovely walk. It almost like a hike but it was so serene and the view from the top was absolutely stunning.

After all that walking, what better way to cool down and re-energize ourselves than to enjoy a light and refreshing meal of zaru soba (cold soba noodles). This particular restaurant served it with green tea soba instead of the typical grey buckwheat soba. Pictured below is authentic kinako dango, which consists of slightly sweet, chewy mochi rice dumplings covered with some kind of syrup and dusted heartily with a roasted soy flour that sort of reminds me of extremely, extremely, mild peanut butter. The taste is hard to pinpoint but a friend and I really loved the flavor so much that we continuously bought these:

They are the best thing ever to exist on the face of the earth. I kid you not. They are dangerously addicting. I am crying right now because I can't have them all the time anymore like I used to.

Well, until next time...!