All the ginkgo leaves turned yellow

The tall one

Nishi-hongan-ji is one destination that amplifies your impression of Kyoto. You are not asked to pay for your visit and are free to enter their halls. Temple people are kind and helpful. The English brochures and books are available. It's a thriving working temple instead of just being a historical legacy for tourists. Of course, Kyoto's temples are all active including those packed with tourists. Many of them are worth visiting but this spacious open-minded temple will be good for a refreshing change.

The temple now hosts wedding ceremonies. You might be lucky enough to see a couple. I saw an international couple in traditional wedding attire and everybody there were so excited to see the newly-wed. 

There is a free temple tour that you are asked to register in advance. It's free but your contribution will be appreciated so that the temple can use it for the preservation of their cultural assets. During the tour, you are shown the areas off limits to the general public. You will see their important rooms, corridors, paintings, a Noh stage with interesting tricks (you can't see the pine tree painted on the backboard of the stage first but you see it once you moved to some point - let me make this a secret). Photography is not allowed so you just have to see and remember them well. But that would not be so bad, focusing on seeing without being distracted by anything else. It is done in Japanese but a knowledgeable guide can guide you well in accordance with the tour progress. Count me as one of the knowledgeable guides. 

They have two huge ginkgo trees. One is very tall; the other is not tall but unique because its branches look like roots spreading in the air. Ginkgo trees contain lots of water and many anecdotes remain all across the country that they saved the temples and houses behind. Here too it is believed that this shorter tree spewed out water and put out a fire.  

                                                     Here's the one.