Sunday, August 12, 2012

Kyoto II, 2008

December 3, 2008 - Kyoto - Tuesday

Today was the day I had scheduled to meet the “volunteer” guide who would show me around Kyoto. I pay only for his expenses and lunch. Tokano-san met in the lobby this morning at 8:45 – yesterday he dropped off a packet of materials about the sights we had discussed in a series of emails over the last few weeks. Tokano-san is about 70 and has retired to Kyoto. He’s been a member of the volunteer guide service for several years. Really nice guy.



I had told him I was interested in gardens so he added the Imperial Garden tour to our itinerary. Hence the early start – you have to apply in advance, actual passport in hand to get in. We got a spot in the ju-ichy ( 11 o’clock ) tour.

Once that was set we went across town to the Nijo Castle – this is one site I had really looked forward to as it was the castle of the Tokugowa Shogun – a feudal war lord. The castle has several moats and stone walls by the inner buildings are built of wood (esp. cypress and cedar ) and beautiful. No photographs allowed inside – so I can only show the exterior. Here’s the roof and then a detail from over the door.





The palace was designed with floors that squeaked so the shogun could hear someone approaching. They are known as nightingale floors and when you walk on them they do sound like the quiet cries of birds. There are many rooms where vassal war-lords were made to wait, sliding screens with exquisite murals painted on them. All the good Japanese symbols are there, Takano called them the happy plants : the pine, bamboo and the plum. And the cranes – good luck. All very cool.

We just made it back across town to the Imperial Garden tour before they locked the gate on us. The spaces around the Imperial palaces are immense. Here are a few shots from within. Maples are still in bloom. The odd looking stone object is a stone lantern.







Then it was time for lunch. Takano-san took me to a place where they made their soba-wheat noodles from scratch and in front of us. We had noodles in miso with two pieces of shrimp tempura and the inevitable cups of green tea.

After lunch we rode the bus for about half an hour to the NW part of Kyoto where there were some other Buddhist temples I had wanted to see. On the way we talked about the different Japanese scripts, how they differ from one anth and Chinese and he showed me his little had held English-Japanese dictionary.

Kyoto is about ten times larger than I expected. These first sites I described are green islands in an urban environment. To get to the palace from my hotel, e.g., we took a subway, changed to another subway line and walked.

Next stop - the famous Zen Buddhist Ryoanji temple and garden – this is known for its dry raked garden. First here are Takano-san and I outside, the entrance steps and then some garden detail. He gave me one explanation of the meaning of the garden – there are 15 stones in arranged so that no matter where you sit you cannot see them all at once. This means you cannot see the entire world at once by yourself.









The garden was build in the 1500’s. The wall at the rear is made of clay baked in oil.


On our way to the last sight – The Golden Pavilion we were stopped by a group of school kids who wanted to “interview” me … i.e., practice their English.



The Golden Pavilion in afternoon light.



Tomorrow I have a morning train reservation to Nagasaki. There for 2 days, then on to see the volcano at Aso and stay near there Saturday night.

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