Phoenix Hall, with few visitors

　The sweltering heat continues in Kyoto as ever. The Phoenix Hall at Byōdō-in is usually crowded with people taking souvenir photos. As the Phoenix Hall is depicted on the obverse of the 10-yen coin, you often see people taking selfies with a 10-yen coin in one hand.

　This is the scene we’ve been seeing recently. As the gravel reflects the sunlight and is quite dazzling, although this is the prime spot for photos, there is no one here at all.

　That said, the air-conditioned Hōshōkan Museum is packed with visitors. A must-see is the National Treasure, the ‘Bodhisattva in the Clouds’. The sight of the Bodhisattva riding on a cloud, playing an instrument and dancing, brings an involuntary smile to visitors’ faces.