Japan 2002 - Kyoto

Kyoto

Kyoto was once the capital of Japan, and is definitely the most Japanese city of Japan. More than 2000 temples and shrines can be visited, and historical monuments are almost everywhere.

The following pictures show Kiyomizu-dera, one of the most famous temples of Japan which dates back to 798. I visited this temple during the Buddhist O-Bon celebrations, and it was beautifully decorated and illuminated.

View the pictures below, and grasp at least some of the dignity and the breath-taking ambience of Kiyomizu-dera.

One of the outer temple buidlings.

The temple complex near the entrance of Kiyomizu-dera.

One of the outer temple buildings near the main square of the temple complex.

Some trees of the temple garden reflect in one of the temple lakes.

I also visited Daisen-in, a subtemple of the Daitoku-ji which is famous for its small gardens. In the temple, I met the noted Zen master abbot of the temple, Soen Ozeki, a very famous Buddhist. He is the author of the well-known "Words for Each Day".

Soen Ozeki is interpreting a garden for the visitors.

Another garden. Please keep in mind that everything is planned and every detail has a special meaning!

A stone garden that is mainly used for meditations.

Here you can see me standing next to Soen Ozeki. He's a very cool guy!

The "Words for Each Day" by Soen Ozeki.

After Daisen-in, I went to Ryoan-ji. Its main attraction is the garden in the kare-sansui (dry landscape) style, whose harmony and well-balanced proportions keep visitors busy and architects thoughtful even today.

This is the mysterious garden of Ryoan-ji.

The Kyoyo-chi pond.

I stayed over night in the Yachiyo Ryokan, which is only a minute away from the big Nanzen-ji temple. The Yachiyo Ryokan is famous for its beautiful Japanese garden, which you can see in the background of the picture.

Me sitting in my room and studying a map of Kyoto. In the background you can see the beautiful traditional garden of the Yachiyo Ryokan.

On the pictures below you can see Kinkaku-ji, the famous Golden Temple. The original building was constructed in 1397, originally as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. His son converted it into a temple. The whole building except the basement floor is covered with pure gold, thus making the temple extremely valuable.

Here I'm standing in front of the Kinkaku-ji. You can see the temple from the front-side.

This is a close-up of the temple from its side.

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