A footbridge on
the way into Ryoan-ji...August 28th was the day my friend Angie and I had planned to visit Kyoto. Kyoto is about 45 minutes from Osaka by train. It is in many ways the first city of Japan. Tokyo and Osaka are much larger, of course, but Kyoto has a much greater heritage. It was the city of the Imperial court for many centuries and has many buildings dating from that period. Unlike Tokyo and Osaka, Kyoto was undamaged by World War II. Like nowhere else in Japan, tradition has deep roots in Kyoto. It is a beautiful city and is almost overflowing with temples and shrines. A month is not enough time to see everything in Kyoto--certainly a day was much too little time. But with the help of Angie's friend Rumiko Morimoto, who is a licensed tour guide, we selected some of the best places to see. Our tour started off at the Ryoan-ji Temple, home to one of the most famous rock gardens in Japan. The rock garden at Ryoan-ji is a large rectangular area of groomed sand in which 15 rocks have been placed. Supposedly, only 14 of the rocks can ever been seen at one time due to their placement. Rock gardens are an ideal meditation site--the simplicity and elegance of the scene induces a feeling of harmony and peace. I wish I could have stayed there longer.
A footbridge on
the way into Ryoan-ji...
Part of the
Ryoan-ji rock garden...
Another view...
Angie and Rumiko
enjoying the rock garden...
A lake of
lilypads on the grounds of Ryoan-ji...
After Ryoan-ji, we visited Kinkaku-ji. Kinkaku-ji means "Temple of the Golden Pavillion", and is the popular name for this temple which is properly called Rokuon-ji. In the 1220's it was the comfortable villa of Kintsune Saionji. Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of Ashikaga, abdicated his throne in 1394 and retired to the Kinkaku-ji grounds. He make a special effort to make Kinkaku a breath-taking site. After Yoshimitsu's death, Kinkaku was made into a Zen temple in accordance with his will. The Golden Pavillion is truly an amazing sight--the beauty of the scene is hard to describe. The lake is populated with large rocks making it a watery rock garden, and the reflection of the Golden Pavillion off the water is fantastic. After viewing the Golden Pavillion Angie, Rumiko, and I had some Japanese green tea. Not the normal tea, but the type used in the tea ceremony. It is made with a special powdered tea and is very thick and strong. While drinking the tea I thought of people drinking the same tea hundreds of years ago here at Kinkaku-ji. What were they thinking?
A bell inside the
entrance of Kinkaku-ji...
Kinkakuji
buildings...
The Golden
Pavillion on a lake of gold...
Kinkakuji and
it's reflection...
A closer view...
Rumiko and Angie
pose in front of the Golden Pavillion...
The 500-year old
pine...
Angie purifies
herself before having Japanese green tea...
Our last cultural stop of the day was Nijo Castle, located in the center of Kyoto. Construction was started on Nijo Castle by Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1603 after his victory at Sekigahara which united Japan and made him Shogun (supreme military ruler). The castle features elaborate woodwork and many lavishly decorated rooms--each one with a different ceiling style. The most famous room in the castle is the room where the 15th and last Shogun, Yoshinobu, voluntarily relinquished the reins of government to the Imperial court, thus leading to the Meiji Restoration. In the middle of the 19th century, Emperor Meiji formally ended Japan's 250-year self-imposed isolation and the feudal system which had existed in Japan for over 1000 years. With one stroke samurai ceased to exist (formally that is) and Japan entered the modern age. Of course, Japan had a lot of prompting from the United States in the form of Commodore Perry who sailed into Tokyo Bay with his men of war. All the United States really wanted was protection for shipwrecked sailors and the right to buy food and supplies for the whaling fleet, but the power of the U.S. Navy shocked Japan into the 19th century--without a modern navy Japan could not protect her shores, and without ending the isolation Japan could never acquire a modern navy. Of course, in 100 years Japan would use her modern navy to attack Pearl Harbor and start World War II for herself and for the United States. How might history have been changed if the United States had left Japan to her isolation?
The entrance to
Nijo Castle...
The rock garden
and pond on the grounds of Nijo Castle...
One of the unique features of Nijo Castle is the "assassin's floor" which surrounds the main rooms. The floor is designed to chirp like a cricket whenever pressure is applied, signalling the presence of intruders to the guards. This was a necessary precaution in feudal Japan--assassination was a common occurance. Unfortunately, taking photographs is not allowed inside Nijo Castle due to the fragility of the artwork. Here are some postcards which show the inside of the castle:
Detail of the
Karamon Gate (inner gate to the Ninomaru palace)... [postcard]
Third Chamber and
Willow Room, viewed from the Second Chamber... [postcard]
General view of
the Fourth Chamber... [postcard]
Imperial
Messenger's Chamber, dais at east end... [postcard]
Carriage
Entrance, wood carving over the central lintel... [postcard]
Finally, after being on our feet all day, we decided that we had seen enough. Now it was time to shop! Rumiko suggested we visit the Kyoto Handicraft Center which has a great selection of authentic Japanese souvenirs (of course, all souvenirs in Japan are authentic Japanese souvenirs, but the ones at the handicraft center are really made by hand). Another hour standing and I was ready to collapse. As we walked to the train station we passed by Gion corner where, if you are lucky, you can see a Gion girl. Gion girls are Geishas in training and they are very popular. They are often seen making their way to the various eating and drinking establishments in the area to entertain men. This entertainment does not involve sex, but instead consists of singing, dancing, telling jokes, being beautiful, and being happy. Some say that the Geisha is a dying art form in Japan, but in Kyoto at least it is still surviving. By the way, an evening with a Gion girl can cost several hundred dollars so it's only for those who can afford to be entertained.