Nothing prepares you for the burst of 'wow' you experience when you visit the Kinkaku-ji and its garden in Kyoto, and for this reason we started our tour there. Its entrance, most certainly not the original, is modest and unassuming. Suddenly the kyoko-chi (mirror pond) with its islands, tiny trees and shrubs is revealed, with a glittering gilded pavilion as its centrepiece - the whole framed by larger trees and a backdrop of wooded hills. A heron standing still in the water catches your attention and a wave of serenity overcomes you. The reflections of the autumn colours, which are almost perfect, are so beautiful it is hard to believe you are truly looking at nature.
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