shrine

All photos available for print and licensing >

Right before you enter the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, you can’t help but notice this large pot full of incense and fire. But what’s even more interesting about it is that people stand all around it waving the smoke on to them. Under their hats, in their jackets, anywhere they can pat the smoke onto themselves; they’re all about it. After googling why they do it, I found out that they do it because they believe it’s “healing” and will help them become smarter.

sensoji, asakusa, tokyo, japan, Jokoro, incense, smoke, temple, shrine, tradition, smoke, travel, visit, must see

Obviously, not everyone was a fan of the smoke 😉

All photos available for print and licensing >

We ended up taking the bullet train down to Kyoto and spending a night there. Thanks so much to everyone who recommend we do that because that little trip made such an impact. I loved Kyoto. What a great little city with so much history.

So in the little time that we spent in Kyoto, we got to visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine. It was so cool to walk through these torii gates. My favorite part was seeing all the light peak through the individual gates. I also loved the engravings. It was like a little surprised when you turned around.