Kyoto: Higashi Hongan-Ji and Shosei-En

Aside from the modernity of Tokyo, we also wanted to experience old world Japan. Kyoto has always been in the plans to go visit but we never settled on a date till this morning when I had an epiphany. Kyoto should happen today or never. So I did a very uncharacteristic thing and decided to go on an adventure with no planning. I like my plans. I like planning. The stress of it has a relieving effect on me.  Very luckily for me, I am married to the bestest sport and trooper of all. I woke Thad up at 5 AM and told him what was going to happen for us today. Now, we had to be quick about it because  Kyoto is a long way from where we are in Tokyo. About the same distance as Dallas from New Orleans. Imagine going to Dallas in the morning and come home in the afternoon. That was however, possible with riding on the shinkansen (bullet train) that went up to 300 mph. The ride roughly took three hours. Now we had to make sure to make it back before the last train leaves from Tokyo to our hotel in Asakusabashi or we'll be stuck in Tokyo for the night. 

I did say I didn't plan anything but it wasn't from lack of wanting. I did try but we really had nothing to work with. We had no Kyoto maps for the subway or bus system, there's a brief commentary on places on our Lonely Planet book, some of which didn't help us on how to get to where we wanted to be, heck, aside from Gion, we didn't even know where exactly we wanted to be. 

   

We almost missed our train because the website where we have been plotting our routes, for some reason got the platform number wrong. We just stood on the wrong platform for a bit, wondering what to do or who to ask. It is hard asking for any help from people here because even though they are very polite and very, very nice, they hardly speak English. Essentially, when you are in Japan and all you know is English, you are on your own. I spied the conductor from the train that just arrived and he promptly and courteously directed us in broken English to the right platform. We got to the platform just as our train was boarding passengers. Since we didn't have reserved seats, we had to go to the 1-5 cars that were on the butt end of the train. We had to run the ENTIRE length of the train. Thank God, I started running the track weeks before coming to Japan otherwise that sprint would've killed me. So we finally found some vacant seats, settled down, caught our breaths and took that photo above. Not even 5 minutes, the train started to depart. 

                                                   and we finally got to Kyoto Station! 

Since this temple was a walking distance from the station, we checked it out. Higashi Hongan-Ji is massive! Built by the shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1602. The Goei-do main hall is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. We weren't able to take a photo but inside, encased in a glass shell is  a curious object of a huge coil of rope made from human hair all donated by female devotees to help haul the massive timbers used for the reconstruction of the temple after its destruction in the 1880s.

Tremendous ornate door at the entrance

Thad at the purifying fountain having a face-off with the mythical ryu (dragon)

About 5 minutes walk from this temple is the Shosei-En. One can hardly believe this is nestled right in the heart of bustling Kyoto. The well kept grounds were completed in 1657 and still maintained meticulously to this day. 

Ceremonial Gate (Boka-kaku)

The Sochinkyo (Tea House) on the brim of Ingetsu-chi (pond)

Gosho-u (The North Island)

Shinsetsu-kyo (Snow-capped Bridge)

O-genkan Porch

The Kaito-ro Bridge is my favorite part of this garden. 

Thad, the pensive philospher

The Corridor Where Minds Meet

Xiomara, the forlorn Chibi-Hime ( Child-like Princess)

The Shiogama (Brine pit-like spring)

Thad in front of the Rofu-tei

A line of old traditional shops along the street off of the exit...

Next installment is Gion which is known as the Geisha district. For now, I can't barely keep my eyes open. I also don't want to promote ocular sensory overload :-) See you guys, next post!