Katsuoji Shrine, Japan

Katsuoji Shrine is located north of Osaka, Japan. In Mino City.

This was the first statue I saw, it was at the entrance behind a wooden gate.

Mist gliding across the entrance bridge.

Surrounded in nature.

I started seeing these little dolls in random places, so neat!

They were everywhere! (They are called Daruma Dolls, and these little ones were unique to this temple) 

People wrote down their goals and hung them up at the temple

The gardens were amazing! 

I bought 2 dolls and discovered not that every doll has a "good" fortune. If you get a bad one, you should leave it at the shrine for blessings. 

Everywhere!

Beautiful!

Greeeeen!

The traditional style dolls. You buy the head with its eyes blank. Once you have created a goal, you color in one eye. Upon completing the goal, you fill in the other eye. Some people bring their dolls back to the temple for blessing.

Kathmandu and Monkey Temple

These are photos from our morning trip in Kathmandu on our way to Monkey Temple, then at the Temple :) 

Inside every temple are rooms full of candles for making prayers.

Prayer wheels

There were stray dogs everywhere, these were just puppies.

I was surprised to find a little boy inside

I wasn't the only one :)

Nepali Souvenirs 

Monkeys! While taking photos, I made a very silly decision to attempt moving one of the flowers.. they all turned at once and growled at me.. since I was looking through the camera lens (I know, even better right >_<?!) I didn't notice how close they got to me...  I guess I was lucky though, I was talking to a lady later on who said she got attacked by them... 

Looks like my prayers were heard! No attack by monkeys this time :D