Kiyomizudera: International Hangout

More foreigners than Japanese here, enjoying the sunset

Larry Knipfing Mar 06, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>This view took everyone's breath away</p>

<p>From the top of the hill, the view of the sunset is gorgeous</p>

<p>In front of the temple, this statue too is enjoying the sunset</p>

<p>I love the shape of the Japanese pine</p>

<p>A small collection of Buddhist statues to the side of the temple building</p>

<p>A very international crowd delighting in the sunset over the city of Kyoto; the woman in kimono is not Japanese!</p>

<p>The same Japanese pine photo in B&W is just as beautiful</p>

<p>These types of silhouettes are beautiful in Japan</p>

On a recent visit to Kyoto, we visited Kiyomizudera. Too late to enter and get to the famous main temple building, we settled for the West Gate. What a surprise and pleasure: Many of the visitors that day (in late December) were not Japanese, and they were LOVING IT! It made me proud and excited to see how excited they were about visiting Japan. I don't know how many different languages I heard, but I felt I was in the United Nation's Japan branch. The sunset that day was lovely, and as dusk settled down over the temple it was pure magic.

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Larry Knipfing @larry.knipfing

Born on Long Island, New York in 1958, I have spent the last 30 years of my life living in Japan, and enjoying every minute of it! I especially love photography, and Japan is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world to photograph! My other love is fiction writing and I have pub...