New Year's-more Kyoto, return to host Mom's house--12/29-1/2

Kyoto and Hirakata-City, 12/29-1/2
so after the flight back into Japan, it was time to return to Kyoto and settle into my room for the next couple of days while I explored Kyoto again. So got settled in, went out for some ramen, and then got up bright and early for the next day's sightseeing mission, which was supposed to have begun at Ni-jo castle except for one little hitch--it was closed for the new year's holidays. So, straight from there it was time to take a bus up to the Golden Pavillion in the foothills Northwest of the City, near Ritsumeikan University, and after that a pleasant stroll over to Ryoan-ji, or Dragon peace temple.
First was the Golden Pavillion, Kinkakuji. It was first built in the 1379 during the time of the Ashikaga shoguns' reign, by the great Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, shogunate ruler of Japan at that time. Instead of responding to the multiple plagues and famines and disasters of the people, he elected instead to build this golden pavilion 'outside' of Kyoto in the mountains (in that time it would have been completely removed from the town, even now it lies on the outskirts.) He retired and spent the rest of his life at this idyllic retreat. However, the original building burnt in the 1950s, this past century. The current building is an exact reconstruction. This is a problem of authenticity for foreigners, but not for the Japanese--Shinto shrines, the indigenous religion of Japan--often tear down and rebuild their main shrines several times a century, keeping the plans the same but restoring the buildings. So, the fact that the current Golden Pavillion is a reconcstruction provides almost no problem for those that come to view it. I have to say, on that clear wintry day, it was impressive, reflected in the water like that. Also on the grounds was a fertility stone, in a little patch of grass leaving the viewing area of the pavillion, a tea house where I paused and had a little tea and snack combination, and the original thatched roof house, one of the original teahouses of Japan, so tiny with only one room in it! Finally, on my way out, I bought new charms--one for good fortune, one for money!--for myself for the coming year.
...Next, it was time to move on to Ryoan-ji, Dragon Temple. About a 25 minute walk down, then up, hill and to the east of Kinkakuji is a hermetic Zen temple known as Ryoan-ji. It remained an obscure little temple until its Zen rock garden (called karesansui, meaning a dry rock garden with no water,) was suddenly 'discovered' and became well known. The walk over from Kinkakuji bisected the Ritsumeikan campus, and while there were people along the way, the cold weather assured that it was nowhere near crowded. First upon entering Ryoanji, you encounter the wide pond, that seems to resemble a sea more than just the small lake it is. There are two islands, one pretty tiny, and one a good size, containing a tiny Shinto shrine to Benten, the Japanese goddess. On this island is an ancient pine tree, a cloud descending down to the lake. Beyond the lake is the main building of the Zen temple, including the famous rock garden. Not only was there the rock garden, but the dragon paintings on the walls of the main audience chamber were especially beautifully done. Walking up the grounds to the side of the main building was a monument to a monk who was killed helping the Burmese people resist the government during their war in the 1970s, and countless trees on either side of a silent rocky path, which took me back around to the lake, on the other side from the islands. Having made the full circle, it was time to exit. The rest of the day was spent wandering the shopping arcades of Kyoto, eventually deciding on a place to eat dinner and then going through the maze of streets that is the Gion district in Kyoto. By then, it was getting cold, so it was time for me to return home to get ready for the next day's sightseeing...
...which led me off to a trail famous in Kyoto as the Philosopher's Path, trailing up the Northwest corner of Kyoto from Nanzen-ji temple, by several smaller sub-temples, then up along a small creek to the famous Ginkaku-ji, or Silver Pavillion.Starting at Nanzen-ji, which was the most peaceful temple that I almost didn't go to, the most famous attribute of this temple is, in fact, not something Japanese at all. Look at the picture down and to the right. I think this is the farthest away the Romans managed to build aqueducts! Except that, of course, it wasn't built by the Romans, but by the Japanese during the Meiji era when they were borrowing architectural motifs from the West. This was apparently built to carry ships and/or water from nearby Biwa Lake to Kyoto, depending on who you talk to. Either way, it was quite a surprise! Then of course, it was off to the famous Silver Pavillion, which was built by the grandson of the Ashikaga shogun that built the Golden Pavillion. As it would have been rude to outdo his grandfather, he originally planned to coat his entire retreat house in silver. However, this never took place. Despite this setback, the very elegant pension and associated landscape garden (Japanese landscape gardens are famous for utilizing borrowed scenery techniques, incorporating elements of the view from the garden itself to distant mountains, etc. to add to the beauty o the garden) is worth a visit in its own right! After a frigid (but uncrowded! Winter's a great season for solitary contemplative walks in Kyoto that's for sure!) walk along the Philosophers Path (哲学の道ーtetsugaku no michi）led me to a crowded narrow street filled with shops and stalls leading up to the entrance for the Silver Pavillion. There was a front mantle auspicious decoration for welcoming the New Year, and the entrance to the Pavillion grounds itself is guided along by large hedges on either side, in a rather Alice in Wonderland-esque entryway to the open view of the building and its wonderful garden. Like his grandfather before him, this building too became a Zen Buddhist temple upon his demise, and the associated buildings of the Zen sect are to the right as you are led away from the initial building. (As you can see they are doing construction, but in March it will be over, so you better believe I'll be back in May!)
Finally, time for my final field trip of the day before heading to my home away from home, to visit Kazuyo in Hirakata City for New Year's: Off to the top of Kyoto in the South at Fushimi Inari shrine, the main shrine in Japan to the Shinto fox deity. There I got to see an altar featuring New Year's offerings including ridiculous amounts of Japanese sake! and a smaller altar with mochi, a traditional household New Year's tradition. I got to participate in a New Year's Eve warding off the evil spirits hay-throwing shindig. Below are the priests and shrine maidens holding the ancient rites of the New Year's Eve rituals, then they are moving the god's shrine, then it was up the hill for the hike through the famous red wooden torii, donated by businesses in Japan for good luck and blessings from the traditional Japanese gods. Finally, we have the New Year's Day food (osecchi ryori) traditional in New Year's festivities, and a feast with my host mom Kazuyo and her family in nearby Kuzuha.... enjoy!