Before entering temple.
Japanese student's practiced their English with us! Redheads (leah) were totally favored for this. And given gifts for talking and taking pictures.
The long hall.
Temple grounds.
This temple is known for it's long temple hall (120 meters) which is filled with 1001 statues of Kannon (Buddhist deity). Pictures inside the hall weren't allowed, so
click here to see what I'm talking about. This was the first place we stopped at while in Kyoto, and it really set the mood of what was to come. Many of us bought a temple book here, which is much like a passport. At every temple we pay 300 yen for a 'temple stamp' which is hand painted. The book folds out so each stamp is side by side in an accordion style. It is turning out to be quite an expensive gift for myself (and probably the only one now) but the memories/stories it holds are totally worth it. Plus, it hold bragging rights :) Have you been to this many temples? Didn't think so....Poor James forgot his temple book on our second day, but I have a feeling he'll be back.....
