Lovely Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple

It's hard to explain why, but the atmosphere here soothed and relaxed me. Perhaps it was the beauty of the autumn foliage. But I was surprised -- perhaps I didn't expect to feel peaceful in a place that was originally an open-air burial site. The temple was established over 1200 years ago by Kobo Daishi. Only accessible by bus (it's a 50-minute ride!) I felt that my time was very well spent. It's quiet here, and not overly crowded, perhaps because it is so far away from central Kyoto. There is a bamboo grove up behind the temple that is also quite nice.