Ash

It’s so hard to choose just one! My 2020 Japan trip was probably my favorite trip ever, I loved every second of it.

I can’t choose just one memory, but if I had to choose one day it would probably be the 7th of January.

We were in Kyoto that day, so we went to visit 金閣寺 (Kinkaku-ji, “Temple of the Golden Pavilion”), officially 鹿苑寺 (Rokuon-ji, “Deer Garden Temple”). It stood there in a pond, creating a contrast with the garden around it. The gold, the green, the orange - everything was so colorful and just lively. It was raining that day, but somehow it only made the atmosphere even more special. The whole site with the temple, the garden, the souvenir booth, the trees, the pond, the bridges and little wanterfall - everything was so beautiful it took my breath away.

After we went to 東山区 (Higashiyama-ku, "East mountain"), one of the eleven wards in Kyoto. It is a historic neighborhood, basically the old town of Kyoto. We went by 産寧坂 (Sanneizaka), a pedestrian street filled with traditional souvenir shops, towards 清水寺 (Kiyomizudera, “Pure Water Temple”). The sun was already going down, so the views were incredible. The street lanterns and shop’s lights gave the street a nice warm glow. By the time we got there it stopped raining, so we were able to walk around peacefully.

I remember I spent the whole day thinking about how I wish I spent more time there, about how beautiful Kyoto was.