2nd Stop: Kyoto's Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizudera & Yasaka Shrine

 For those who have been reading our blog for a while, you know that we LOVE Kyoto!  So we had to give my dad a glimpse of our favorites!  We started with Sanjusangendo.  It is the longest wooden structure in Japan at 120 m (394 feet) and dates back to 1266.  It houses the a collection of 1001 life-size statues of the Goddess of Mercy, Kannon.  There is one central Kannon which is even larger.  They also hold a famous 24 hr. archery competition where the archers shoot from one end of the building to the target at the other end.   Yes, all 120 m to the target.  The record is held by a 16 yr old boy who in 1688 hit the target 8,132 times!

Here is Auntie trying to keep Holden occupied while Grandpa is checking out the marks from the samurai's arrows that missed the target!

 You can never run a 2 year old too much!  From one end of the complex to the other, Auntie and Holden ran around all the pillars and through every inch of the garden!

Now on to Kiyomizudera.  First you have to climb up to the temple and with grandpa's ankle we decided to take a snack break before we hit the Shrine.

Shave Ice and sweet beans always hit the spot!  Even the Chief was impressed!  Then on to the entrance to the shrine.

 

 Julie, Holden and I with stroller in tote!  I couldn't convince him he could walk, and after the climb up I guess I don't really blame him!

Apparently water from the mouth of a dragon is cleansing- I say let's just call it what it is DROOL!

This is one of the views that brings enlightenment!  This is my kind of treehouse.  The main shrine is the building across the way.  Both of these buildings are held up on HUGE TALL STILTS!  The architecture is amazing, so are the views of KYOTO!

Now the hike up to the shrine is pretty taxing, which makes one hope for an easier route down, and here it is.  One of my favorite streets to stroll, ok actually two streets Ninen-zaka and Sanen-zaka, which mean 20 years street or 30 years street and stand for the time you are cursed with bad luck if you happen to take a tumble.  But the old streets and shops are worth the risk!

To perfectly end our day in Kyoto we entered Yasaka Shrine at dusk and got to see all the lanterns lit up!  Julie & the Chief posed for one last shot (Holden had passed out in his stroller).