Temple Trips

The history in Kyoto is remarkable, and I set out to experience as much as I can in a couple of days! I met some fun people at the hostel and we have charted a course to the hot temple spots are around town.

Our first stop yesterday was the most famous sight in Japan, the Golden Temple. You view the gold covered temple, another UNESCO site, from across a beautiful pond. It is breath-taking! About a 15 minute walk away was another amazing place, the Ryoanji Temple. The temple was originally an aristocrat's country villa and was converted to a Zen temple. This sounds unremarkable, but it happened in 1450! The most unusual thing about this temple is the rock-and-gravel garden. The garden,which is simply 15 rocks arranged in groups on a bed of raked gravel, is apparently the ultimate example of "Kareansui" or "dry landscape" style rock garden. I sat for almost an hour contemplating the Zen nature statement. However, I must confess I preferred the surrounding mossy, lush wooded areas better. I decided that I like to feel that nature is vibrant and alive and not static. I guess I won't be asked to write a coffee table book on gardens any time soon!

Next stop, Nijo Castle. The Castle and the interior Ninomaru Palace, which was the official residence of the first Shogun (military leader in 1603), was fantastic! The concept of a palace without furniture is tremendous. They valued wonderful art on the screens between rooms and the ceremony of the residents over material objects. It was very special and majestic. We took our shoes off to walk around the palace and we could hear the famous nightingale floors, which squeak with movement so that the Shogun could hear intruders. We also saw the chamber where in 1867 the last Shogun announced the restoration of Imperial rule in Japan, ending 250 years of Shoguns. The gardens were also vast and tranquil although we were in the middle of Kyoto. The Castle, surrounded by a moat seamed a million miles away from the modern day!

I hit one more temple yesterday -- the shrine of shopping. I went to a fabulous store, called Hankyu. I needed a little sushi pick-me up and heard the top floor was a scenic spot. Well, the sushi was great, but the store was marvelous. It was a mix between Fred Siegel and Henry Bendel. I miss my clothes and wanted to buy out the place. They even had a beauty floor where you could get a cut ($45), color ($75) or manicure ($36!). It was my kind of temple!