Shrines/temples/castle lit up at night?

My husband is a hobby photographer, and we%26#39;re headed to Kyoto at the end of April. Are any of the major sites lit up at night for pictures? (Even if it%26#39;s not open to go inside the building, looking for nice views from the outside?) I%26#39;ve found night pictures of Heian Shrine, Yasaka-Jinga, and Kiyomizudera around the internet, but some seem to be from specific illumination festivals. Any recommendations for night pictures on a typical Friday/Saturday in Kyoto?

Domo!

Shrines/temples/castle lit up at night?

A lot of places have special light-ups during cherry blossom season. Once you arrive at Kyoto station, head to the tourist information center and they will have all the information on this.

Shrines/temples/castle lit up at night?

Osaka and Himeji castles both light up at night, and both are visible. There are some nice shots of Himeji castle at the end of the main street, with the shops and neon lights of the city leading to the lit castle. There are several other spots in the city that are good for views of the castle.

John W.

Wish you could come in the sakura season. The end of April is a bit too late for that, but even then by hitting Gion Shirakawa during late evening/early night hours you will be amply rewarded. In the peak time of the pinkish white petals, sakura fans (inluding various nationalities) gather nightly around to get superb views on the canal-like river in here.

One night in mid-April last year, languid music notes on shamisen was borne on the soft April breeze from a nearby ryokan(called Shiraume) and I spotted a dancing geisha in silhouette through the bamboo shade hung on the window. It was

a fortuitous event, a windfall really, but even for a semi-local that was a case of out-of-this-world, enchanting scene.

Maybe you do not care a hang about it happening anywhere in Kyoto, but somewhere in this whole neighborhood a maiko or two can often be spotted walking on the cobble-stone street. Yes, I got one on one evening last November, but the moment I accosted her for the opportunity I was tring to get just to have a shot at her in, she looked down and walked off cutting me dead. On a hindsight, though, I shouldn%26#39;t have done this, but I couldn%26#39;t resist. Yes, I got her from the distance of a 30-foot pole catching her back, the excuse being I could be using the blurring photo to share with other TA%26#39;s on the photo link...