June 2008: Japan

At our hotel, overlooking the "Raging Devil" River

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Shinji-ku at night.

Daibutsuden, the Great Buddha Hall, is the largest wooden building in the world. The colossal building houses a colossal statue to match - a 45 foot tall bronze Buddha Vairocana.

A bicyclist detours around the 4 km of protective walls encompassing Kyoto's Imperial Palace.

 

Sri Lankan monks pose in front of a bronze Buddha statue, taking pictures of their own on their i-phones.

Kiyomizu-dera, Pure Water, takes its name from the lacey waterfalls trickling down the rugged hills on which the temple complex is perched.

Ryoan-ji, the Temple of the Peaceful Dragon, is a Zen temple located in Kyoto. It is known primarily for its rock garden.

Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion Temple, takes its name from the gold leaf which covers its exterior. The rocky islands jutting out of the "mirror pond" represent the Buddhist creation story.