Osaka January 2015 (Day 2) - Kyoto

From Fushimi Inari Shrine, we continued to Kyoto to visit the Kiyozumi-Dera.  From Kyoto Station, we purchased the bus ticket for Bus Service 100 at the Service Centre at the Bus terminal outside the station.  We got off at Gojo-zaka.  Unfortunately as it was Winter, daylight was shorten and by the time we walked up the hill to the destination, it was dark already.  Here are some of the night photographs taken with a "idiot-proof" camera. 

Hopefully, will find another opportunity to visit the temple at another occasion.

Entrance to the supposedly 10-minute walk up the hill to Kiyomizu-Dera

We took a different route and the side lanes hold interesting tea and other shops

Read that you do not need to purchase a ticket to see the vicinity of the temple if you do not intent to see the main shrine.

Before depart from Kyoto back to Osaka, we had dinner at the many restaurants in shopping mall at the Kyoto Station.

Shot of the Osaka Tower

Osaka January 2015 (Day 2) - Fushimi Inari Taisha (Fushimi Inari Shrine)

After lunch in Nara, we made our way to Kyoto for the second half of our itinerary.  But firstly, we decided to make a stopover at Inari to see the famous torii "gate" temple, otherwise known as the Fushimi Inari Taisha (Fushimi Inari Shrine).  

Stopover at one of the small station to switch to a rapid train for Inari Station

The entrance to the shrine is just across Inari Station.  As it was the New Year, the station and its surroundings were packed with a large crowd.  As always, the festival atmosphere was enhanced by the many food stalls lining the footpath to the shrine.

Looking out from exit of Inari Station - Huge Crowd

Crowd control outside the shrine

Looking across from Inari Station to the entrance of the shrine 

Straight ahead the main entrance to the shrine

As this a short stopover, we avoided the main crowd making merits at the main shrine and quickly made our way to the torii which was short walk / climb up.

The main shrine after the main entrance

The famous torii in sight

Close up of the torii

On our way out of the shrine, we decided to use the side exit to avoid the large crowd and used the opportunity to explore the other sights outside the shrine.

Small alley towards Inari Station

Shopping for tidbits to munch