Uji & Fushimi-Inari Taisha, Japan

Phoenix Hall at Byodo-in Temple, Japan

Torri Gates at Fushimi-Inari Shrine - Japan

Japanese Children Walking the Torri Gates
at Fushimi-Inari Shrine - Japan

Japanese Lunch - Uji, Japan

Traditional Japanese Home - Uji, Japan

School Children - Uji, Japan

Uji & Fushimi-Inari Taisha, Japan (10/15/2009) - We took an amazing day trip outside of Kyoto to visit three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

First, we went to the almost unbelievable (certainly mystical) Fushimi-Inari Shrine where there is a 2 ½ mile long path winding through the woods enclosed with over 10,000 large red torii gates, each 15 feet tall! (see photos). Repeat: 10,000 - Glorious! Founded 13 centuries ago, the Fushimi-Inari Shinto Shrine is dedicated to success and prosperity and merchants. Companies have for centuries donated funds to build the 10,000 torri gates. Fushimi-Inari Shrine is the main shrine for some 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan.

Guided by our Goodwill guide, Megimi Satake, we returned to the train to go to Uji, a small older Japanese city famous for the 950-year-old Byodo-in Buddhist Temple. The Japanese revere this temple so much they put its image on the back of the 10-yen coin. Byodo-in Buddhist Temple houses several Japanese national treasures (i.e. famous statue of Amida (Buddha), 52 11th-century Bodhisattvas, and one of the 3 most famous bells in Japan).

Great travel tip while visiting Japan... An organization called Goodwill Guides from the Japan National Tourism Organization offers free of charge very good volunteer guides to show assist your visits to many places in Japan. You should check this out.

Also located at the Byodo-in Buddhist Temple is the wonderful Phoenix Hall building - one of the last remaining original examples of the graceful Heina-period architecture and it resembles the phoenix bird (see photos). We also crossed one of the oldest stone bridges in Japan to visit Ujigami-jinga Shrine. Not much to look at but really cool when you learn that it is the oldest still standing shrine in Japan built in 794.

Please also see our 9 other blog posts for wonderful Japan:

Japan (Northern) Hakodate Otaru Aomori

Japan Himeji

Japan Hiroshima

Japan Kyoto Famous Temples Shrines Palaces Castles

Japan Kyoto Gardens

Japan Kyoto Japanese Food

Japan Kyoto Living and Impressions

Japan Nara

Japan Osaka

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Write by: AN - Friday, October 16, 2009