Kyoto
If only we had realised in advance how important breakfast was - we might have eaten more. Had to have your walking shoes on, your ears tuned in and to have the stamina to be able to battle the crowds today. It was Saturday and we were on a shrine and temple crawl with what felt like half of Japan.
Today's exploations
Kiyomizu-dera - This temple, founded in 778 sits nestled in the hilltop of #Mt Otowa and provides sweeping views over #Kyoto and out to the "west" towards #India. We walked up the sloped streets to gain access and even at this early hour were in a crush of tourists and locals. The temple's verandas jut out of the mountain supported by 13 metre wooden columns.
Look at the people - and we were here early to avoid the crowds
This wooden stage complex, made of 168 pillars makes for an impressive site. This structure was built using a rather special method: these 13-meter-high pillars are made from thick, centuries-old trees and a floor made of 410 cypress boards was assembled and installed without using a single nail, instead relying on locking wooden joints. As a wooden structure, it has been extremely susceptible to fire over the years and its devoted followers have rebuilt and painted the 30 buildings at this site on a constant rotation. The most recent reconstruction here was in 1645.
If maintained, the pillars that hold the wooden stage can last up to 800 years. The monks own a forest where they have grown and continue to grow these giant trees.
The multi tiered welcome to the site is recreated every 20 years - yep, 20 years. This is to prevent 'evil' accumulating in old things and keeps the traditional craftsmanship alive - so this structure has already been rebuilt 60 times! (Check this ???)
Interesting to note that the Japanese happily embrace Shintoism (worshipping the elements in life) and Buddhism (clearing the path to the next life) side by side.
And so many "bits" to see - not only the main hall but the three storey #Pagoda (the tallest of its kind in Japan), the bell tower (repainted in 1999 without the use of mercury and earthquake resistant - single pillar balance on ball shaped foundation) so a different colour and rung 108 times each New Year's Eve to symbolize the 108 earthly desires Buddhism acknowledges must be overcome) and the #Otawa no Taki (the waterfall.)
#Kiyomizu-dera Temple is particularly known for its "granting of wishes” and is well known for its dedication to the deities of love and longevity, and even to boosting your test scores. Lots of students here in the bustle of the morning trying to do just that and it seemed extra busy because, according to @Yasuna, it is a temple that the local #Japanese people visit regularly. I had a go at lifting the weight at the front of the temple - and was successful-- so apparently "for his entire life" my husband has to do my bidding. So many "spots" here where locals are making requests for wishes - finding a partner, safe birth of children, long life, passing exams ... the list goes on.
Just like in the past, this temple has a "party" and "celebration" atmosphere. @Yasuna referred to it as the "Disneyland of the ancients!)
Just below the #Main Hall there is a stream, which divides into three (the waterfall) where you can drink the water for luck in different areas. Need to make wise choices, because drinking from all three, is considered greedy!
A popular stunt during the Edo period was to jump off the veranda here to attain a granted wish. The expression “to jump off the stage of Kiyomizu” still has meaning centuries later as a #Japanese euphemism for risk-taking or ‘taking the plunge.’ More than 200 people risked their lives jumping off the terrace attached to the temple (85% survival rate - and the many armed #Goddess of Mercy was here to protect them) believing that if they survived their wish would come true. Understandably, the practice is banned today!
The magic continues as you exit. Love interest wishes are granted at the #Kubi Furi Jizo (you need to "turn his head" in the direction of the one you love) and even the ascent down the steep #Saneenzaka (used as exercise by heavily pregnant ladies) can herald your passing within three years if you fall over. We all stayed firmly upright!
No slipping here! PLEASE.
What a head spinning start to the day.
Kodai-Ji Temple - This temple was another short stroll and was established in 1605 (oh, it is so new) by the noble woman @Kita-no-Mandokoro (affectionately known as "Nene") in memory of her late husband @Toyotomi Hideyoshi. She became a Buddhist nun after the death of her husband. This temple is known for its fine craftsmanship and its exquisite design and also for a unique form of lacquerware.
Everything here is gentle and serene - beautiful gardens where the individual leaves on the pine trees are trimmed and managed so as not to obstruct the views, rock gardens and ponds with carefully placed boulders Al with significance. Original tea houses, the #Moon Viewing Pavillion, the #Reclining Dragon Corridor and even a pine tree, tamed and pruned into submission to represent the outline of the hull and sails of her husband's ship.
Finished with a wander through the mini bamboo forest. Tall stands of bamboo, with healthy shoots bursting from the ground almost growing before your eyes. They grow at the rate of approximately a metre a day!
A peaceful, uncrowded visit with the enormous landmark statue of Nene in prayer perched in the middle of the cemetery.
Nishiki Market - from the quite calm of #Kodai-Ji we were into the market Street to find some lunch. This ultra busy, covered arcade, spanning, as usual a large number of blocks, was wall to wall people. Dozens of hole in the wall vendors were offering produce in what is billed as #"Kyoto's Kitchen." Now familiar foods that we still can't name were prolifically offered on skewers (thank goodness those bamboo shoots grow a metre a day - skewers everywhere.) Not many seats in the area, the trend is to purchase your food and then you stand outside the vendor and eat it. Loud announcements made on a loop advised you to take your rubbish, and only eat outside your store of purchases. @Mac found the best chicken thighs wrapped around a skewer and I went for the prawns. Absolutely delicious and everyone seems to follow the rules - no-one was "walking and eating" and clusters of customers were in huddles outside the shops.
The market's history spans several centuries, and many shops have been operated by the same families for generations. Originally started as a fish wholesale district, its first shop opened around 1310. A wider variety of shops moved in later, and the area evolved from a wholesale market to the retail hub of today.
Niho-jo Castle - Food taken care of, it was off to the Castle. This was originally built in 1603 and was the property of the powerful #Tokugawa Shogunate and reflects their prosperity and power at the time. Once the #Shogunate fell, it became an imperial palace and eventually passed into the ownership of the Kyoto government.
So much history here, with the signing of treaties, the end of Shogun rule and the return of power to the Emperor.
Shoes off, it was a walk around the creaking "nightingale" floors - no sneaky entrances or exits here. We viewed the first, second and third rooms, the reception room, the Imperial Messenger's rooms, the Willow room and the Shogun's private rooms. All featured wall paintings with different "themes" to portray messages of power and rule or alternately calm and order. Tigers, panthers, peacocks and cherry blossoms- all with special meanings. Absolutely no furniture in the rooms - just the tatami mats. Apparently, sparse was the order of the day. Of course, evidence of "hidden spaces" for the samurai protectors to "hide."
Absolutely no photos in this space- seems to be the order of the day for many venues, so it does make the recollection of all that we saw a little more difficult. Definitely an interesting and absorbing hour of barefoot, squeaking trekking.
Kinkaku-Ji Temple - @Yasuna did do a check here to see if we were up to "just one more" temple for the day. General consensus was that we had travelled this far, so why not!
This "last one" was the Zen Buddhist Temple known as "The Golden Pavillion" so called because its top two floors are lined in gold leaf, which coincidentally was sourced from #Kanazawa. It was originally constructed in 1397 (and reconstructed in 1955 after it was burnt down by a fanatical monk.) Formally known as #Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun @Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will, it became a Zen temple after his death in 1408.
It's 20 kg of gold isn't its only impressive feature as each level is representative of a different style of architecture. There is no access inside buy apparently the top floor is gilded inside as well. We could see the golden winged phoenix that sits atop the roof though.
Could barely put one foot in front of the other at the end of this day and had absolutely no desire to go anywhere. The major task of the evening was to get to the laundry - and what a major logistical exercise that was. No idea how many rooms are in this hotel of seven floors - but I can tell you there are only two machines in the laundry - and they are a combo washer and dryer.
Got on the phone and rang @Mrs_K to co-ordinate access to the machine when their load was finished - and this worked a treat. Greedily nabbed the second one because @Yasuna just happened to be in the laundry emptying her machine. The timer indicated 120 minutes till completion and @Mac was there "on the dot." Unfortunately, neither load was dry and despite the fact that there were four people in waiting mode, complete with overfull laundry bags - there was nothing he could really do other than to set the machines going for another 30 minutes (the maximum allowed)- clean, dry undies were a priority. The assembled co-workers understood his dilemma. There was a marginal improvement when he returned 30 minutes later, but despite the good nature of the assembled waiting group, he didn't have the heart to put it on for another 30 minutes. Armed with coat hangers from the front desk staff we had to creatively convert our little space into a laundry. Thank goodness the staff don't enter your room at all, "for security reasons" because they might have had a heart attack. There's not a spare surface, or hanging hook available. Finishing the night with discussions around what is the better option - wet undies or dirty undies" That might be the choice tomorrow.
PS - @Mac was in charge of laundry - I invoked my right from the temple this morning - he has to do my bidding for life!
That's the TV! Now a drying solution.
Steps: 20 033
KEEP CALM THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. Les Brown
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