Valley of the Temples

Description:

• This famous cemetery in a cleft of the pali is stalked by wild peacocks and about 700 curious people a day, who pay to see the 9-foot meditation Buddha, 2 acres of ponds full of more than 10,000 Japanese koi carp, and a replica of Japan's 900-year-old Byodo in the Temple of Equality. The original, made of wood, stands in Uji, on the outskirts of Kyoto; the Hawaiian version, made of concrete, was erected in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. It's not the same as seeing the original, but it's worth a detour. A 3-ton brass temple bell brings good luck to those who can ring it -- although the gongs do jar the Zen-like serenity of this little bit of Japan. If you're in a rush, you can sail through here in an hour, but you'll probably want to stay longer.

• © Frommer's 2013