Kyoto: Day 2

After putting in some good mileage on foot yesterday, and getting my previous sleep on a bus, to say I was delighted to lay down in that bed may be the understatement of the year. It was crazy. As I laid down I heard a mysterious "Ahhhhh" resound through the room. I looked at my brother and asked him..."Did you say that?" He said, "Nah, Dogg..That was your back!" Indeed it was.
The hotel rang us at 11:00, "Leave now Negroes," was the loose translation of what they said. But, as you know, my Japanese is a work in progress. It's actually been pretty interesting for me to have my brother visitting. I had not realized just how much Japanese I'd picked up until I found myself translating the brief gestures and inuendo's I could make out. The greatest dynamic I've become aware of is how comfortable I've become in a situation where a person is rattling off high speed sentences which make absolutely no sense to me whatsoever, yet I'm still attempting to pull a word or two out of it to (at the very least,) give a good guess at what he's trying to convey. This as opposed to my initial mindstate, which was "What the hell is this guy saying to me?" On repeat, from beginning to end of sentences.

After breakfast, if you call it that at 11:30 AM. (Which I do) We headed off to c. This was the one that had the most hype surrounding it, so we were both real intrigued to see what it amounted to in actuality. Let it be known, it did not disappoint, by any means. Set in the middle of a pond, the entire temple is made of GOLD! It is stoic. And the setting was tranquil to boot, creating just the right setting and mindset to take in the majestic feel of the place.

Unfortunately, guests are not allowed inside, but from the brochures we could see there is a pool on the 3rd floor of the temple. The layout of which appeared to have a real Divine feel to it. Wish we could have gone in, but I certainly understand why they keep the parade of tourists out of such pristine territory.

From Kinka (Gold) to Ginkakuji, the Silver temple. As we entered, we were handed an apology that stated, the temple is currently under construction. Yet we still had to pay to get in, so I was like, "Yo, there better be something in here worth seeing!" And let me tell you, the temple wan afterthought at this place.

By now we'd seen so many temples and shrines, it was gonna take something extraordinary to make an impression. And initially, when we walked up on the construction site, it was very anti-climactic. No silver in sight. And just the shell of a temple really. HOWEVER, as we continued along the path, we were guided through some truly sanctified grounds. The 1st of which was the sand, zen garden. Bubba had been longing to see one and he'd said so just moments before we entered, so we both smiled when we caught a glimpse of that one.

As I close my eyes, I revisit this very distinct feeling that emanated from the land. It's extremely difficult to bring this to words. Primarily because the feeling itself was unprecedented. But also, even the greatest of superlatives seem to fall short in terms of describing this. Attention to detail seemed to illuminate the entire setting. Yet, somehow amidst the "Wow factor" I found a great sense of peace. It struck me on a chord that resonated just right.

As the path continued, that energy continued to rise, as we stepped into higher and higher elevations. Soon offering a view from above the temple, and even greater, the city. Bubba and I spent a nice little while up there and just sponged the view. No talking, just breathing and acknowledging that we were really living these moments. As movie-esque as it all felt, we were really standing right there breathing that air. It was special. To say the least.
And thank God/Buddha it was! Cause when we left there, we ran into some tough luck! The next move was to check out a village which was old school and real traditional. A friend of mine from Kyoto, who was meeting us there, called me and told me we would not be allowed to enter because village entry requires a reservation. "Jenkies!"

With a look of despair, I looked at Bubba and said.."That's alright! I didn't wanna see that anyway!!" And just like that we were off to see a castle. That's the beauty of Kyoto, there are over 1,500 temples and shrines there, so you don't have time to get caught up feeling sorry for yourself. You gotta keep it moving and get as much in as you can...(if you're in that mindset.) Well, I guess we should've shifted gears a little earlier, cause by the time we got to the castle, it was closed. UNBELIEVABLE.

And just like any troopers, who set out on a spiritual journey and got denied twice, we decided it was time to DRINK!! Bub had found a nice restaurant up on a hillside which had a view that was ridiculous. It was there that the Sake began to flow, and the spirits got to getting lively! As is always the case, when I'm in a place where the scenery is moving, I can't help but wish my mother is there to share it with me. This was no different. But based on the prices on that menu, it was probably best she didn't make it!!

All in all, Kyoto definitely lived up to the hype. It's a place I hope to visit again, early and often. From the good natured people, to the refreshing natural scenery, Kyoto provided a much needed shift in gears. That being said, there's so much to take in there, that it feels like our 2 day adventure was merely the tip of the iceburg. I am truly appreciative of having the opportunity to actually feel that place. And I will be doing my best to preserve that image and feeling that I connect with when I close my eyes...and return to Ginkakuji.

Bless

The Japan I've been longing to see..KYOTO!

My brother just flew in from DC the other day. He arrived with 2 goals. See a Tokyo Giants game...and see Kyoto. 3 days into his stay...we've fought half the battle. (G.I. Joooooe) But doing so is much easier said than done.

We left from Shinjuku station on the "Night Bus" at midnight. I was bright eyed and bushy tailed for the first 20 minutes. Proclaiming, "I'm not the least bit tired." As I had taken a nice lil 20 minute nap on the train, just 2 hours prior. Those proved to be famous last words, as I passed out something serious. Not awakening until 7AM as we'd just entered Kyoto City Limits. I swore I slept lightly, until my brother informed me we stopped 4 times as opposed to the 2 I'd remembered.

As our bus neared Kyoto station, we got a glimpse of the incredible sights to come. There was a HUGE temple to our right, that stretched for at least 3 blocks. It was enormous. I had no idea temples could reach such size. This crushed all previous expectations as I prepared myself to be blown away by the rich history that is Kyoto.

Traveling with Bub (Greg,) is always a treat. He's the type to research the hell out of every nook and crany of the city, then map out a plan of action. For those of you that know me, you know that is quite a contrast to my approach to any and everything in life, let alone traveling. But to his credit, researchers discover things like the 2000 yen (that$20) unlimited 2-day subway and bus pass. Not to mention, the rankings of each temple and shrine according to tourists' revenue. I busted his chops about the latter, but by the 3rd temple, I was like..."What's this one ranked? What's this one ranked!?!"

After a Japanese portioned breakfast. (So small I had to order 2.) We headed straight for Higashi Honganji Temple the one we'd seen from the bus. Although under construction, it did not disappoint whatsoever. As I said, Massive. However, the amazing part was, the construction that was going on. It turns out, it was to build a retractable roof over the entire temple. I've heard of stadiums with this feature..but a Temple?!? Impressive.

From there we hopped on the subway and made our way to Jujo station where a little walk guided us to Fushimi Inari Shrine which was full of bright orange gates. They were any and everywhere. Most of which had divine looking kanji on them, which frustrated both of us, because we had no idea what they said. It's an interesting dichotomy to be simultaneously Wowwed by a relic, while acknowledging only half it's significance can be percieved on account of illiteracy. Still gorgeous, nonetheless.

As we were making our way out of the temple, we crossed paths with a Turtle (Go Terps!) This may have been an omen of sorts as Buddha was attempting to tell us to move slowly and don't rush. Unfortunately, only hindsight would provide such vision.

When we left the temple we strolled back down to the main drag with plans to catch the bus. Enroute, we came across some school kids who looked to be on their "School Trip."

In Japan, most Middle School aged kids take a 2-3 day trip where they go to Kyoto and or Nara and go see the Temples and Shrines and such. They stay in nice hotels, and from what my older students share with me, it's one of the more memorable trips of their lives.

This being my 1st trip outside of Tokyo since my arrival 8 months ago, I finally got a glimpse of the dynamics I'd expected upon departure from the States. I don't know if they were just small town kids, or if even in the rest of the metropolitan areas in Japan there's not really that many black people. But these kids were oooooing and aaaahhhing all day. Stopping taking pictures with me. Testing their English, asking all kinds of questions...it was too cute. Bub was cracking up the entire time.... and I just sponged it up, like "Hey...I'll be a Star for a day. Why Not?!?"

When we arrived at the bus stop, we actually saw the bus we wanted pull away just as it was in sight. This put us in a predicament, as we now had 30 minutes before the next bus would come. Our choices were, wait, or venture off on foot and soak in more sights along the way.

The map showed a couple more temples not too far away, so we opted for the latter. Remember the turtle? Yeah...well, we scurried off. But our map but a bit vague. Hence, we walked..and we walked...and we walked...right on by BOTH temples and didn't even know it. Well that is UNTIL, we both gave each other that look and said.."DAMN! I'm exhausted!" Of course, I'd been the beneficiary of all Bubba's hard work and preparation. But all that walking in the heat, gave me a serious case of amnesia as I had no choice but to question his abilities as a navigator! For the record, I was that guy....talking all types of trash, but not once considering taking the map and attempting to get our bearings!! But that's what little brother's are for. Bicker and Bitch. Be a downright nuisance. But not help!!

Eventually, we staggered into the next cluster of temples and shrines. Just when we appeared to be on our last legs, we entered Sanjusangendo Temple. Talk about a rebirth! From the outside, it looked like all the rest. Perhaps a little on the long side, but still nothing overly impressive. Unlike the others, when we entered, they requested that we remove our shoes immediately. As we began walking in Bub said, I think you're gonna like this, this is the one that has....just as I turned the corner he said 1,001 Kannan Statues.... A-MAZING! My entire state of being shifted immediately. This was the first time I felt as if I was in the presence of something greater. Each statue has it's own individual style. And some of the more formidable deities stood before them. All of this was tied together by one enormous (I believe it was) Buddha who sat in the middle. I wish I had photos to share, but pictures were not allowed. Even that was a blessing, because this place had such a strong feeling to it, that picture taking would have disrupted the energy entirely. I can tell you now, at the end of Day 1, that was my favorite so far.

From there, we went in and out of about 4 more temples. Taking it in and snapping away photo after photo. And eventually, we made our way to the #4 ranked temple in Kyoto, Kyomizu-dera Temple. The setting alone, separated this from the others. All the previous temples were pretty much in neighborhoods. But this one was atop a hill, overlooking the entire city. Not to mention a (dare I say) beautiful graveyard, which led Bub to ask..."Is it OK to take a picture of a Graveyard?"

"Yyyyeah, if not, I'm sure you'll figure it out by the time you wake up tomorrow morning!"

Not only were the structures ornate but their color schemes caught my eye more than any of the other temples had. There was also the LOVE STONES! This one lit up Bubba's life! Appartently, if you can walk from one stone to the other with your eyes closed, you will receive the blessings of Love from Buddha and good karma will surround that area of your life. He made it! Perhaps I offered a lil guidance, but isn't that often the case with Love. The cool part was, everyone in the vicinity was cheering for whoever was attempting to walk the walk. So when they touched all the school kids and even grown folks in the area shouted out, "Heeeeeyy!" It was fun.

We checked out a couple more spots before hunger kicked in. I'd received a tip, to try the udon in Kyoto cause it's apparently different than that of Tokyo. I don't really remember the Tokyo taste too tough, but the one I had today was Deee-licious. And Bub was happy with his eel, so the sometimes difficult task of finding a place to eat in a foreign city, worked out just right for us this round.

As we left the restaurant, we got an unexpected treat. 5 Geisha's walked by, captivating the attention of all in the vicinity. There was one main girl who was telling them what to do, when to stop and let people take pictures and such. She looked at me, smiled and winked, then asked me for my number. I said, "Sorry Love, I don't do the whole Geisha thing, I'm into girls with booties and breast! But my brother here's pretty hard up!!" No dice..and we kept it moving!! :)

The only disappointment of the day came as we took a rather extended bus ride across the city to get to Kinkakuji Temple. This, the only one I had starred on my list as all of my students proclaimed its' excellence. It is also #1 in Bub's rankings. As the anticipation rose with each nearing footstep, we got slain in our tracks by the security guard at the front gate. "Clos-ee." We're closed. Just wasn't meant to be. However, we now know exactly where tomorrow will begin!

Can't wait!

Also visited: Ryozen Museum of History, Kodaiji Temple, Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, and Gion Corner (Geisha Headquarters!)