Kyoto (day 5 in Japan) - Fushimi Inari-taisha

What a day!

 First stop was coffee at a really good place on the way to the metro station. Then, on the way to our train, we smelled something SO amazing we had to stop. It was a tiny shop in the station that sells Belgian waffles. Maybe the best waffle  I've ever had. So already a great day!

Our destination: Fushimi Inari-taisha, one of the most famous sites in Kyoto.

I believe this was built in 1499? Pretty impressive 

This is the "main shrine" - close up of the details

The famous gates (confession: this is the real reason I wanted to visit)

Little paper kimonos

We decided to hike to the mountain top, the trail took us through

a beautiful forest with tall bamboo

spare rocks? 

Now we can see the tops of the bamboo. Fluffy!

When you can't read Japanese

But then you find another sign in English

Ok, so the mountain top was a little disappointing, it wasn't views from the top but rather a flat area with stone foxes and etc. and places to pray and light candles. But at least it was a good hike! 

Post-hike treat at another coffee place (not as good as the 

first though)

We then went to the famous bamboo forest, but I actually preferred the one we had hiked through earlier!

Off to dinner....

xo
M