Lee Hnetinka

Kyoto

Kyoto, Japan · 2019 - 2025

Four trips to Kyoto, photographed across the years, the Golden Pavilion in autumn, maples and bamboo, cherry blossoms in spring, and dinners with the people who make the city what it is. My own photographs, free to use with credit.

Photographs by Lee Hnetinka, free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Lee Hnetinka / lee-hnetinka.com.

Kyoto 2019

Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion (Golden Temple), mirrored in its pond in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, mirrored in Kyoko-chi pond. Kinkaku-ji ↗
The Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji, framed by autumn maple leaves in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The Golden Pavilion framed by autumn maple. Kinkaku-ji ↗
The Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji seen from the garden overlook amid autumn color in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The pavilion from the upper garden. Kinkaku-ji ↗
Red autumn maple leaves (momiji) at Saihō-ji against the Kyoto sky, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Momiji at peak at Saihō-ji, late November. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
A path beneath autumn maples beside a stone wall at Nanzen-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
A quiet approach under the maples at Nanzen-ji. Nanzen-ji ↗
A weathered stone Jizo statue in the moss garden at Nanzen-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
A mossy Jizo at Nanzen-ji. Nanzen-ji ↗
Lee Hnetinka with friends during an evening in Kyoto, Japan, 2019
An evening out in Kyoto. Lee Hnetinka ↗

Kyoto 2021

Hōkan-ji, the Yasaka Pagoda, a vermilion five-story pagoda in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Hōkan-ji, the Yasaka Pagoda. Hōkan-ji (Yasaka Pagoda) ↗
A traditional tatami room in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
An empty tatami room, mid-morning. Kyoto ↗
A barista making pour-over coffee at a Kyoto cafe, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Pour-over, Kyoto. Kyoto ↗
Fresh pastries in a Kyoto bakery case, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The morning case at a Kyoto bakery. Kyoto ↗
The long approach to the Sanmon gate at Nanzen-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The approach to the Sanmon gate at Nanzen-ji. Nanzen-ji ↗

Kyoto 2024

Lee Hnetinka with a host outside the Yachiyo inn in Kyoto, Japan, 2024
Outside Yachiyo, with one of its hosts. Ryokan Yachiyo ↗
A canopy of red autumn maple at Saihō-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Maple at its reddest at Saihō-ji. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
An autumn garden path under red maples at Saihō-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Saihō-ji in autumn. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
Autumn maples reflected in the pond at Saihō-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The pond garden at Saihō-ji in full color. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
Illuminated autumn maples at night in a Kyoto garden, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The night illumination. Kyoto ↗
A bamboo grove in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Into the bamboo. Kyoto ↗
Lee Hnetinka with a chef at Sushiiwa, the sushi restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, 2024
After dinner at Sushiiwa. Sushiiwa ↗
Lee Hnetinka with head chef Toshiya Onishi and his son at Sushiiwa in Kyoto, Japan, 2024
With head chef Toshiya Onishi and his son at Sushiiwa. Sushiiwa ↗

Kyoto 2025

A weeping cherry tree in bloom at Saihō-ji, the moss temple (Kokedera), in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Weeping cherry at Saihō-ji. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
A weeping cherry tree (shidarezakura) in full bloom at Saihō-ji in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Shidarezakura in full bloom at Saihō-ji. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
Cherry blossoms at Saihō-ji in Kyoto in spring, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Cherry blossom season at Saihō-ji. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
A still canal in Kyoto in spring, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Kyoto ↗
The moss garden and pond at Saihō-ji (Kokedera), the moss temple, in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
The moss garden at Saihō-ji. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗
The pond garden at Saihō-ji (Kokedera) in Kyoto, Japan, photographed by Lee Hnetinka
Still water at Saihō-ji. Saihō-ji (Kokedera) ↗