Florida

Western Kyoto

Western Kyoto - December 30th

Gold Pavillion

The Gold Pavillion aka Kinkaku-ji aka Rokuon-ji Temple lives up to the hype.  It is only a short walk fromm the entrance gate and then all the sudden - boom - there it is larger than life.  The day was clear and sunny.  Everyone was very respectful and took turns along the fence line taking pictures.  If needed   people took pictures for couples and families.  Many young couples and 20-somethings had "selfie" sticks.  I don't really know what they are called, but they are a long pole that you attach your phone to so that you can take your own picture.

I went on a clear, sunny day.  The reflection of the temple in the pond is spectacular.  I am glad I went in the winter because the foliage did not detract from the temple.

This is the view from the back side.  The structure was origionally a villa for a statesman named Saionji Kintsune.  It was purchased by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (third shogun of the Muromachi Period) as a guest house for Emperor Gokamatsu (Father of Zen teacher, Ikkyu).  Upon his death it was converted into a temple by Muso-kokushi. (summarized from the brochure)

The path around the grounds winds around and goes up a hill.  Here is the temple from the top of the hill.

Ryoanji Temple

The entrance to Ryoanji Temple is decorated for New Year.  Note the purple cabbage and the green/tan bamboo shoots.

After passing through the entrance there is a short walk around a pond.  I love the little stone bridge and the burnt colors of the fading trees.

Halfway around the pond you go up a hill and into the temple building.  You change out of your street shoes into slippers and go onto the porch by the rock garden.  Everyone was very quiet and meditative.  It is said that no matter where you stand there is at least one rock (of the 15) that you can't see.  The white gravel is neatly combed.  I would love to see them rake it.

The rock garden is said to have been created at the end of the Muromachi Period (around 1500) by a Zen Monk named Tokuho Zenketsu.  It is 25 meters from east to west and 10 meters from north to south. (from tourist brochure)  I must say that I had read it was small, but I still was surprised when I saw it.  It must be from all the wide angle lens photos.

The sun shimmered over the wall casting a glow over the rocks.  It was the perfect time of day to visit.  I had read that it can be very crowded particularly over holidays, but I did not find that to be the case.

This is a little shrine across the stone bridge.

There are statues (I think they look like pigs) in aprons.

I was fascinated by the poles that have been constructed to keep the trees from falling over.  Hmmmm, I wonder if I should share this picture with Dad.

Arashiyama Area

This a little dam across the Kasura River.  It is difficult to see but there are poles sticking up all the way across (stop debris?).

While searching for the bamboo forest I passed a maikko.  She politely stopped and posed with people along the route.  I was surpised to see her because I was not in Gion, the district known for maikko and giesha.  

I love the back side of the kimono.

Tenryu-ji Temple and Garden

This is the Main Hall Entrance to the Tenryu-ji Temple.  It is famous as the oldest Zen temple in Japan. I think it looks like an English Tudor house or a Swiss chalet. I purchased the garden pass, only.

This is a rock garden near the entrance.  I like the neat furrows.

From a 90 degree angle the rows of white rocks look like waves.

This is Sogenchi garden and pond behind the main temple.  It is one of the oldest in Japan (14th century).  It has giant koi swimming in it.

There is bamboo in the Tenryu-ji Temple garden, but it wasn't the bamboo grove I thought I was going to see.  When you pass through the north entrance/exit you enter the bamboo grove.

Bamboo Grove

The bamboo grove was very peaceful.  It is lined by a fence to protect the grove.

At the top of the hill were two young women in kimono.

The sun shimmered between the trees on the walk back down the hill.

This is a New Year's display (2015) outside of the railway station.

Takeda's and Mayu

Takeda's and Mayu - December 28th

On December 28th I had Haru and Sari's family come to my apartment to say good-bye to Mayu (former assistant).  She didn't get a chance to say good-bye properly when she quit so this was a chance to see them again.  In the picture above is Sari, Mayu, Otero, Kanae, dad, and Haru.

In the picture above are Haru, Mayu, Sari, Kanae, me, and Otero.

Sari and Haru dancing to music on their mother's iphone.

Sari looking quizical.  We had a great time together.  I bought pizza and the Takeda's brought a little ($50) sushi.  Haru and Sari played on my old ipad - solitaire and tracing kanji.

Afterwards, I went to Mayu's house for dinner.  She showed me pictures of herself from Japan and her trip to New Zealand.  Her mother made me machi (tea).

Scaling Mt. Fuji for Christmas

Scaling Mt. Fuji for Christmas:  Preparation, preparation, preparation

In order to scale Mt. Fuji you must have the following:

Tickets for the night bus - check

Toiletries - check

Warm clothing and heat packs - check

Food and drinks - ohagi and diet pepsi - check

Medicine - check

Electronics - check

Backpack - check

All my supplies are accounted for.  I arrive at the bus station many hours early so I can find my departure gate.  I finally get through to the ticket saleman what I need.  He walks me out to the gate and says "here."  Then he shows me the bus station waiting room.  I crochet unfinished Christmas bells and listen to an audiobook.  I was only interrupted twice, once by a woman that admired my bells and a secon time by a 20 something boy panhandling.  He said, "I'm hungry give me money."  I said, "No, I can't."  I don't know why I said can't instead of won't, but after a few minutes he left.  I found the right bus and got on.  I was the only one to get on at this location.  The windows are all covered with blackout curtains, I am five rows back from the bus driver, and have two seats to myself.  We make a few more stops and pick up more passengers.  Mostly 20 somethings and a few people my age or older.  We travel so several hours and then park.  I hear the bus driver leave the bus while the bus is still running.  I doze on and off for several hours waking up and wondering if I was going to die from carbon-monoxide posioning.  Then I figure they do this everyday, surely there isn't a problem.  I have a strange dream about rocks of fantastic colors.  They certainly wouldn't look that way in real life.  

Eventually the bus driver comes back and we continue our journey.  I don't mind the bus ride when we are travelling straight, but I can't stand the sensation of turns that I don't know are coming.  We have several stops near our destination, but I get off and the bus driver says it isn't my stop and there is one more to go.  I suddenly see Mt. Fuji from the bus.  It is huge and is just "there."  On one side there is a secondary cone about half way up that looks like a pimple.  Only two of us are left on the bus and we arrive at Fugiyama station.  

I have a disclaimer - I never intended to actually scale Mt. Fuji (1) because it is a very tall mountain and (2) it is only open for climbing in the summer.  That being said I did want to take a bus to 5th station - part way up the mountain.  There are stores and restaurants and in an apres ski kind of way I thought it would be peaceful.  When I go to buy my ticket to get to 5th station the attendent said there is no bus today.  He doesn't say whether it is because of the weather or because of Christmas, but that blew my plan for the day.  I ask what else there is to do and he gets irritated with me and says go to the Information center.  I never did find the information center.  None of the station shops were open yet so I walked around town a bit and took a picture.  

I went back to the station and went up to the observation deck and took some more pictures.

It is huge.  

I did love sitting on the observation deck.  It did give me the apres skiing kind of feeling.

I did some shopping and bought some souveniers - pictures, chopsticks/rests, and a magnet.  I wasn't feeling great because of the bus ride and what I found out later was a thyroid imbalance, so I decided to take the train home.  

New Warping Method