Kyoto

There are lots of little piggy-shaped treats, and the staff will actively guide them to you. The indoor environment is clean and odorless. The donuts are a bit disappointing.

Unfortunately, the water level was low that day… but the weather was fantastic! The three male staff members were very welcoming~ I was very happy.

This was a special nighttime event limited to early summer. I was fortunate enough to see it before heading to Kyoto, and after checking the official website, I booked it through KKDAY. The night I went was overcast, and I arrived promptly at 7 pm. The first thing that caught my eye was the Tsutenkyo Bridge. The wisps of mist, combined with the warm yellow string lights extending the wooden walkway into the forest, created a secluded atmosphere. The gravel path, illuminated by forest lights, and the evening breeze carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, along with the scattered stone lanterns, made for a very soothing and immersive stroll. The green maples on both sides were bathed in a translucent emerald hue by the ground lights. Standing on the bridge overlooking the entire green maple valley was the best spot for taking photos. Next, warm light strips wrapped around the thousand-year-old wooden buildings, combined with the specially designed mist-generating lights in the abbot's garden. The white sand dry landscape garden, combined with the ethereal mist, and the layered sounds of flowing water, wind, and soothing music, perfectly blended with the tranquil atmosphere of the temple itself. Sitting in the garden, I could feel the flow of the wind and the natural breathing, which brought me into a meditative state. Following this, the giant dragon painting in the Dharma Hall, the standing statue of Shakyamuni Buddha enshrined inside, and the giant dragon painting on the ceiling will be highlighted by lights in the darkness. The solemn aura of the Shakyamuni Buddha statue is particularly awe-inspiring in the night, while the hand-painted giant ink dragon coils on the dome, its texture seemingly ready to leap out at any moment. With the illumination of the lights, the ink dragon patterns appear to burst forth from the wall, creating a powerful and awe-inspiring experience of beauty and grandeur up close. Finally, experience novel music meditation in the ancient meditation hall. First, sit on two sides to experience meditation combined with neuromusic, then move to a seat with a brainwave projection screen. After wearing a brainwave device, your brain state is instantly transformed into sound and images, allowing you to communicate with yourself surrounded by digital images and brainwaves. After the experience, you can receive the generated brainwave visual map as a souvenir, a truly novel meditation experience. Of course, there are also some special lighting designs outdoors. At night, the lights will illuminate the wooden mountain gate from bottom to top, giving it a more profound sense of history in the night, a unique perspective not available during the day. It was a rare experience for me.

I was initially worried that there wouldn't be enough time, but it wasn't a one-way day trip to Katsuo-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, or Arashiyama. The itinerary was great, and the tour guide was excellent.