Kiyomizudera Temple: Kyoto
Another Ancient Japanese Temple. It was another test of patience as I fought through a relentless mob to get a shot at the right place and time. Founded in 778, Kiyomizu-dera temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (The OG Capital of Japan before it was moved to Edo / Tokyo) and is a Unesco World Heritage site. The name translates to "Pure Water Temple" which comes from the Otowa Waterfall that runs through the temple. Here the pagoda is beautifully illuminated by the golden hour light of the sunset that carve into the traditional Japanese architectural style of sloping tiled roofs and intricate wood carvings.
The temple is dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy, which is an appropriate theme given how little patience I had for others during my time in the Gion district of Kyoto where the temple rests. From Sun up to well past sundown, the area is so slammed with tourists that local officials have had to implement some drastic measures to curb it, and the misbehavior that accompanies crowds of obnoxious people with no regard for customs, rules, and traditions, or the poor shopkeepers and local residents who have to live in the area. The shop itself demonstrates the chaos as you can see the pavilions of the Sanju-no-to pagoda filled to the brim with visitors. If you can manage to find a spot, the views of Kyoto are stunning, especially at dusk.
This shot required an assertive, aggressive approach because the paths on the hill where the Temple sits don't offer many clear views. Most of it is obstructed by trees and bushes. So as you can imagine, a view like this is quite popular and people will just linger and "hog" the spots for hours. I knew setting the tripod down would not be an option, so I had to wait for the light to be exactly as I wanted and impose my will. When the moment came, I wedged myself into the crowd and stayed until I got something I was happy with. I was fortunate enough to be in the city while autumn colors were still in bloom as the scene is enriched by the vibrant foliage in the foreground, with trees displaying shades of red and orange.
Though I will always treasure the memories of my time in Kyoto and would recommend it to anyone visiting Japan, the city isn't built to accommodate the sheer volume of visitors it gets, and that can negatively impact your experience, especially if you're like me and don't like crowds of people. Would I go back? Yes. But there are other cities in Japan full of culture and history I'd probably go to first since they have the opposite problem: not enough tourists.
Another Ancient Japanese Temple. It was another test of patience as I fought through a relentless mob to get a shot at the right place and time. Founded in 778, Kiyomizu-dera temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (The OG Capital of Japan before it was moved to Edo / Tokyo) and is a Unesco World Heritage site. The name translates to "Pure Water Temple" which comes from the Otowa Waterfall that runs through the temple. Here the pagoda is beautifully illuminated by the golden hour light of the sunset that carve into the traditional Japanese architectural style of sloping tiled roofs and intricate wood carvings.
The temple is dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy, which is an appropriate theme given how little patience I had for others during my time in the Gion district of Kyoto where the temple rests. From Sun up to well past sundown, the area is so slammed with tourists that local officials have had to implement some drastic measures to curb it, and the misbehavior that accompanies crowds of obnoxious people with no regard for customs, rules, and traditions, or the poor shopkeepers and local residents who have to live in the area. The shop itself demonstrates the chaos as you can see the pavilions of the Sanju-no-to pagoda filled to the brim with visitors. If you can manage to find a spot, the views of Kyoto are stunning, especially at dusk.
This shot required an assertive, aggressive approach because the paths on the hill where the Temple sits don't offer many clear views. Most of it is obstructed by trees and bushes. So as you can imagine, a view like this is quite popular and people will just linger and "hog" the spots for hours. I knew setting the tripod down would not be an option, so I had to wait for the light to be exactly as I wanted and impose my will. When the moment came, I wedged myself into the crowd and stayed until I got something I was happy with. I was fortunate enough to be in the city while autumn colors were still in bloom as the scene is enriched by the vibrant foliage in the foreground, with trees displaying shades of red and orange.
Though I will always treasure the memories of my time in Kyoto and would recommend it to anyone visiting Japan, the city isn't built to accommodate the sheer volume of visitors it gets, and that can negatively impact your experience, especially if you're like me and don't like crowds of people. Would I go back? Yes. But there are other cities in Japan full of culture and history I'd probably go to first since they have the opposite problem: not enough tourists.
Another Ancient Japanese Temple. It was another test of patience as I fought through a relentless mob to get a shot at the right place and time. Founded in 778, Kiyomizu-dera temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (The OG Capital of Japan before it was moved to Edo / Tokyo) and is a Unesco World Heritage site. The name translates to "Pure Water Temple" which comes from the Otowa Waterfall that runs through the temple. Here the pagoda is beautifully illuminated by the golden hour light of the sunset that carve into the traditional Japanese architectural style of sloping tiled roofs and intricate wood carvings.
The temple is dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy, which is an appropriate theme given how little patience I had for others during my time in the Gion district of Kyoto where the temple rests. From Sun up to well past sundown, the area is so slammed with tourists that local officials have had to implement some drastic measures to curb it, and the misbehavior that accompanies crowds of obnoxious people with no regard for customs, rules, and traditions, or the poor shopkeepers and local residents who have to live in the area. The shop itself demonstrates the chaos as you can see the pavilions of the Sanju-no-to pagoda filled to the brim with visitors. If you can manage to find a spot, the views of Kyoto are stunning, especially at dusk.
This shot required an assertive, aggressive approach because the paths on the hill where the Temple sits don't offer many clear views. Most of it is obstructed by trees and bushes. So as you can imagine, a view like this is quite popular and people will just linger and "hog" the spots for hours. I knew setting the tripod down would not be an option, so I had to wait for the light to be exactly as I wanted and impose my will. When the moment came, I wedged myself into the crowd and stayed until I got something I was happy with. I was fortunate enough to be in the city while autumn colors were still in bloom as the scene is enriched by the vibrant foliage in the foreground, with trees displaying shades of red and orange.
Though I will always treasure the memories of my time in Kyoto and would recommend it to anyone visiting Japan, the city isn't built to accommodate the sheer volume of visitors it gets, and that can negatively impact your experience, especially if you're like me and don't like crowds of people. Would I go back? Yes. But there are other cities in Japan full of culture and history I'd probably go to first since they have the opposite problem: not enough tourists.