Today we took the Thunderbird Express train to Kyoto. It was, well…disappointing. We had both imagined it would be a super fast bullet train (like the one we took from Tokyo to the mountains) but it wasn’t. It was just a regular JR express train and, it was 20 minutes late. My thinking is that Thunderbirds was an awesome TV show in the 60s - perhaps the train is just a relic of that era? Anyway, we got to Kyoto eventually and that’s what matters.
We also found an English style coffee house within 10 minutes of our Ryoken, which made Phil happy (but didn’t quite make up for the disappointing journey on the not-so-express, Thunderbird express). After a quick pit stop for some lunch we headed off in search of some tourist sites. Kyoto is not a pretty city. It’s a sprawling metropolis built on a grid system. The city has burnt down, flooded and been flattened by earthquakes many times over the centuries and, as such, it’s a bit of a hotchpotch of architectural styles. not very pleasing on the eye. Still, it’s home to most of Japan’s significant temples and tourist sites.
First stop, the Golden Pavilion (Rokuon-ji Temple) which is a Buddhist hall built in the grounds of what was originally a shogun villa. Now, you have to understand, the Golden Pavillion is one of the reasons why I wanted to travel to Japan. I wanted to see it, first hand, and I wasn’t disappointed. Ignoring the hoards of tourists, I found it breathtaking. It was a shining beacon of tranquility on a smooth lake, surrounded by a perfectly manicured Japanese garden. The colours were amazing. I could have watched it for hours, from every angle. Phil was a bit disappointed (compounding his disappointment from earlier) because the guide book says the relics of Buddha are inside but you are not allowed to go in. I pacified him with ice cream.
Next, we went to Ryoan-ji Temple to see the famous Rock Garden. The rock garden is a rectangular Zen garden (25 meters from east to west) built in the 1500’s by a Buddhist monk. It looks like a large version of one of those executive desk toys (the white sand pit with the rake and pebbles). 15 rocks are placed in the white gravel garden but only 14 are visible. The theory is that if you stare at it for long enough you will reach enlightenment. My personal experience is that if you stare at it for too long you will have to stop your husband from attempting to search for/dig up the 15th rock! The Rock Garden is part of a much larger Japanese garden and temple complex with a large lake in the middle. It was beautiful to be there as the sun was going down, watching the breeze stirring the cherry blossom around like confetti. I felt very Zen. Phil felt like he needed another coffee.
- Hippie -
