Kyoto

Lost in Southern Higashiyama

Cycling Higashiyama's back streets in autumn

Cathy Cawood Dec 03, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>This road seems to lead into the mountains</p>

<p>Torii at the entrance to a shrine I couldn't even find on Google Maps!</p>

<p>Red and yellow maple trees side by side on the hill</p>

<p>Row of almost leafless bonsai trees against the wall of a wooden house</p>

<p>A small gully filled with autumn color</p>

<p>Very small Ojizo dwarfed by its large red and white shelter</p>

<p>Red bridge at the entrance to Imakuma-no-Kannonji  </p>

<p>Autumn leaves form a colorful background</p>

<p>Stone lanterns flank the road as it emerges from the shadow of the trees into the sunlight</p>

<p>Baseball players head home after a game</p>

One of my greatest pleasures while living in Kyoto was to take long rambling bicycle rides. One autumn day, after visiting crowded Tofukuji, I headed into the streets on the lower slopes of the Higashiyama Hills, just to see what was there. I found many pretty autumn scenes. Most intriguing was the entrance to Imakuma-no-Kannonji, with it's striking red bridge. I didn't enter the temple that day. I thought I could continue exploring, and return to visit another day. The back streets of Kyoto are full of wonderful surprises. They never disappoint me.

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...