Koudai Temple is one those understated gems of Kyoto. From the exterior it looks much like any other of the hundreds of historical sites found within the city; however, upon entry you discover some quite the contrary the norm. It is maintained in a manner that transports you back to a different day, it does not have the feel of being frozen in time but a living breathing organism still thriving amongst the crunch of tour bus tires on gravel and tourists jabbering away just outside its doors.