Beneath the uppermost church lies a 4th-century church, and beneath this lies the dark, dank temple, with its altar bearing a carving of the god Mithras slaying a bull.

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From there, you can rest from the unrelenting slow bake of southern India in the cool, dark stone of the underground temple.

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Kodai-ji is a historic Zen temple located in the scenic Higashiyama area and was one of the first temples to kick off after-dark illuminations (when the gardens are lit by multicoloured spotlights), allowing cherry blossom viewing to continue well into the night.

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