Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社)

I have been to Kyoto half a dozen times over the years. I have my preferred walks around the city, places to visit, and mountains to climb.

I start with Fushimi Inari Taisha. I climb the back side of Mount Inari (稲荷山), which is about 233 meters high. The path is easy, but the slope is steeper than on the other side, where most tourists climb under the long row of torii.

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺)

Next stop is Kiyomizu-dera, another of the most visited places in Kyoto, if not all of Japan. Each year, there are more people than the previous one. Even though it is December, I think there are as many tourists as the first time I visited the temple during the summer. It’s hard to imagine how hot and crowded it is during that same season now. Many trees still have their flaming red leaves, creating a beautiful view to enjoy and take some pictures.

Heian Jingu Shrine 平安神宮

I have a rough idea of how to get from place to place. But since I'm not that good with directions, from time to time I check the map on my watch. It even shows the path I walked in previous years. So, I am literally walking in my own footsteps.

Each year, I try to visit something new or do something different. This year, I visited Heian Jingu Shrine (平安神宮) at night. The exhibition takes place after the usual hours, when the sun has already set.