Kyoto Station Area

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.

The owner is very welcoming and speaks fluent Chinese, making communication easy. Seating is also easy to find.

I highly recommend climbing to the top of the mountain on your last night in Kyoto to see the night view and relive this perfect trip! It will create unforgettable memories 🥳

Trip was well paced from Kyoto. However, I thought it would be too much bus time for those from Osaka. Weather was a bit of a let down so if there were some sale of daiso raincoat , it would have felt more thoughtful. In terms of food recommendation at Amanohasidate, more could be said on the bus trip before orders were taken for the ‘convenient’ katsu restaurant at gathering point. For example , the hilltop restaurant was lovely. Guides were kind and polite. Locations are nice with great nature/air but slightly off by gloomy weather and off season energy of closed shops. Cruise is a must - feeding eagles were energizing.