Goshuincho temple stamp book in hand, we took the Hankyu-Kyoto Line from Karasuma Station near our 7 Keys Apartment Hotel and transferred to the Hankyu-Arashiyama Line at Katsura Station. Unfortunately, our train was not as cute as this Hello Kitty Haruka one (above and below).
We got off at Arashiyama Station and then it was a 14-minute walk to Tenryu-ji, temple of the heavenly dragon, with a stop for a cappuccino and a matcha latte,
followed by a strong desire to buy this pink rabbit fur hat. Against my better judgment, I resisted.
- Tenryu-ji Temple
Lonely Planet says of the temple origins and its garden, designated by the UN as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1994 :
Established in 1339 by Shogun Ashikaga Takauji, Tenryu-ji was built to appease the spirit of Emperor Go-Daigo, an ally of Takauji he had later betrayed. Takauji appointed as founding abbot the Zen master Muso Soseki, a polymath who counted garden design among his talents along with poetry and calligraphy. Though the buildings have been lost to fire many times over the centuries, Sogenchi Teien, Soseki’s pond landscape garden remains faithful to the almost-700-year-old design.
One of the first landscape gardens to employ the technique of shakkei (borrowed scenery), Sogenchi Teien blends the backdrop of Arashiyama’s mountains into a living composition that centers on a pond sculpted to resemble the kanji (Japanese character) for heart. Rocks beyond the water denote a waterfall and mountain stream, and it is said that if a carp climbs it [it] will turn into a dragon: enlightenment achieved.
We bought tickets to the temple and the garden and proceeded to the main hall,
passing this beautiful masonry wall
Here are some views of the interior of the temple, including an image of Daruma Daishi. He was a 5th-6th c. Indian monk credited with founding Zen Buddhism and bringing it to Japan via China. He is said to have sat in front of a wall for nine years until his arms and legs atrophied, leaving him limbless. For some reason, he reminds me of Steve Bannon.
A covered walkway leads into the garden with its stunning pond and the usual suspects playing dress-up.
After getting my goshuin, we exited the north gate and it was on to the bamboo grove.
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Lonely Planet rightly says there is something otherworldly about this 200-meter-long path through a thick grove of bamboo of uniform height and remarkable density. I think it’s the sound, which you can hear in this video.
- Okocho Sanso Garden
Just west of the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is the entrance to Okochi Sanso, a private villa built by the famous Japanese silent-film star, Okochi Denjiro (1898-1962), known for his samurai period dramas. From Lonely Planet:
Set against the steep slope of Ogurasan, it’s the gardens here that are the real star, meticulously crafted over 30 years and navigated by a marked strolling route that teases new vistas at every turn. The ticket price includes a bowl of matcha (frothy green tea) and sweet, taken in the teahouse at the end of the walk.
No goshuin service here because this is not a temple, but I did get a stamp for my sketchbook.
Following the Lonely Planet Pocket Guide itinerary, we took the lane north from Okochi Sanso to reach our next stop, Jojakko-ji Temple.
- Jojakko-ji Temple
As Inside Kyoto says,
Jojakko-ji Temple is a quaint temple on the main Arashiyama tourist route that offers a chance to escape the crowds that plague the rest of the area. Usually deserted, except in the fall foliage season, Jojakko-ji Temple is a fine spot to sit and gather your thoughts while exploring Arashiyama. It’s got a fine little pagoda and is surrounded by soothing greenery. Like nearby Nison-in Temple, it’s not a must-see, but it’s good for those of a solitary mindset.
Although it was fall foliage season, like the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, the temple wasn’t particularly crowded. The hills on which the temple complex is located were thick with hinoki cypress trees, whose bark looks like someone took a curling iron to it.
The steps through the site were planted with some interesting visitors, too, one of whom was carrying a cute accessory.
I would say the most interesting structure in the complex was the pagoda, and the view from there was indeed panoramic.
and we headed off to the next temple.
- Nison-in Temple
Built between 834 and 847, Nison-in was the official temple of the Emperor Saga and a place where acolytes could study all four sects of Buddhism: Tendai, Shingon, Risshu and Jodo. Since the Meiji period, however, Nison-in has been exclusively a Tendai temple. Below is the gate at the top of the long run of steps leading up to the main hall.
According to Japan Travel:
The name Nisonin meaning “two revered images,” derives from the temple’s two standing images, Shaka Nyorai and Amitabha Tathagata. Both are designated as Important Cultural Assets of Japan. The statues have subtle differences, such as the shape of their fingers, which are infused with religious meaning.
The two images are here because Shaka Nyorai sends those who’ve died from this life to the afterlife, while Amitabha Tathagata welcomes them into the Pure Land (Buddhist Heaven).
If you squint really hard, you can see the two images surrounded by a golden ground in the center at the back of the photo. The portrait of Prince Honen, the founder of the Jodo Pure Land Buddhism sect, is in the foreground, lower right. The portrait is also a cultural treasure.
Two
goshuin were available--A and B-- and I got
both.
Below is the goshuin of Shaka Nyorai and Amitabha Tathagata (also known as Amida Nyorai), representing the end of one's life and its new beginning.
And the goshuin of Benzaiten, the goddess of wisdom, longevity, and wealth.
Next stop: lunch. A savory plate of soba noodles with tofu curds, rice balls with sesame, and some pickles and we were refueled for the rest of the afternoon.
Around the bend in the road from our lunch spot and past this intricate woven grass gate
was the entrance to our next stop, Gio-ji Temple.
- Gio-ji Temple
Japan Experience has the backstory on this small, secluded, meticulously maintained temple. Its solitary structure has a thatched roof and is surrounded by a moss garden set deep in a wood of Japanese maple and bamboo. This is the tale of Gio and her temple:
The origins of Gioji Temple date back to the late 12th century, during the tumultuous Heian period. The temple's name and legend are inextricably linked to the tale of Gio, a beautiful dancer who became entangled in a tragic love story. According to the famous epic "History" known as the Tale of the Heike, Gio was a talented shirabyoshi dancer who caught the eye of Taira no Kiyomori, a powerful military leader.
The story goes that Kiyomori was captivated by Gio's beauty and skill, making her his favored consort. However, their relationship took a dark turn when Kiyomori's affections shifted to a younger dancer named Hotoke Gozen. Heartbroken and humiliated, Gio made the decision to retire from her life as a dancer and become a Buddhist nun. She retreated to this very temple, accompanied by her mother and younger sister, Ginyo.
In a twist of fate, Hotoke Gozen eventually joined Gio at the temple, seeking forgiveness and a life of spiritual contemplation. This poignant tale of love, betrayal, and redemption has been immortalized in Japanese history and literature, adding a layer of emotional depth to the serene atmosphere of Gioji Temple.
As there was a goshuin service, I took advantage of getting still another calligraphy stamp.
On our way to the next temple, we stopped at Shoan-in, not on our Lonely Planet itinerary, but beckoning us to enter with its handmade signs.
- Shoan-in Temple
Last stop for the day would be Daikakuji Temple. It was a bit of a hike from Shoan-in, but the route would give us an opportunity to wander through a middle-class Japanese subdivision set in the valley below the hills we had climbed that day. As we passed by fields planted in cover crops, we were surprised to see three luxury automobiles representing the GDP of a small country glittering under a carport.
- Daikaku-ji Temple
From the temple's website:
Daikakuji Temple is one of the very old[est] temples among many in Kyoto. The origin of the temple was Emperor Saga’s Imperial Villa … established on this site in the early Heian period, about 1,200 years ago. [The temple] belongs to the Shingon Buddhism sect founded by Kobo-Daishi Kukai. The head priests of the distinguished monzeki [aristocratic] temple were from the imperial family. Successive emperors and persons of imperial lineage assumed the position of chief priest, and the first among them was Prince Gojaku, the grandson of Emperor Saga.
By using “Walking around the Temple Grounds” you can walk along Daikakuji Temple’s corridors and experience its beauty.
So, that’s what we did and this is what we saw.
The Entrance Hall of Shikedai, with its painting of pine trees and pheasant on gold foil paper in the vestibule.
The Murasame-no-roka Corridor, which links buildings within the complex. Its low ceilings prevented visitors from wielding swords or spears, and its nightingale floors announced enemy intruders.
The Godai-do, the main hall of Daikaku-ji, functions as a sutra-transcription hall. We watched visitors transcribing prayers they then left in a designated box.
and feasted on the extraordinary views of the Osawa-no-ike Pond, Japan’s oldest artificial garden pond.
It was a full and fulfilling day.
Keep it real!
Marilyn
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