Yesterday I detailed my arrival in Arashiyama, a town on the outskirts of Kyoto. I wandered along the river and made my way to the bamboo forrest.

Immediately outside that canopy of bamboo is Tenryu-ji temple, another structure on the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto list (more on those here and here). It’s an easy walk from the Arashiyama metro station to this site. This is what it looks like during the fall and winter months:

But I’m here a few weeks before the leaves turn. Even without those bright colors, it’s a stunning place.

As I depart Tenryu-ji, I encounter this picturesque bridge:

… and then another one:

There’s a pleasant walking path that meanders around town, passing by lots of temples and points of interest. Many people ride bicycles. A few take rickshaws.

This scene compels me to pause for a photo:

I don’t anticipate stopping at Jojakko-ji temple, but I walk past the entrance and can’t resist its charm.

I climb higher up the hillside and the views continue to impress.

I move on to the next temple. My destination is Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, but I keep getting distracted by other sites along the way. This is Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple. A worthwhile spontaneous stop, right?

There’s a bamboo forrest on the property, not quite as grand as the large bamboo forrest I shared in yesterday’s post, but impressive nonetheless.

Tomorrow I’ll wrap up my Arashiyama coverage with my favorite discovery in the area: hundreds of little stone statues at Otagi Nenbutsu-ji.