So it's been a month and I apologize for leaving you all hanging on for photos of Day 2 in Kyoto! I've got a lot of catching up to do! Here we go!
We started off at Ryoan-ji Temple. They were doing renovations so the scaffolding made for difficult viewing, but we all had a shot at enlightenment! One of the world's smallest famous rock gardens is this little one on the table as you enter the temple. Did I mention that one of Holden's favorite things is rocks? Well he headed straight for the table and we barely snatched his hand in time before he made history of this display!
Now the white sand is usually a respresentation of water, ie. ocean, and the rocks are other elements found in nature, ie. animals, mountains, islands, and sometimes boats. I was just mesmerized by the perfect little circles surrounding these little stones. Then we headed for the main attraction! This is the most famous Rock Garden in Kyoto. There are 15 rocks and if you ponder long enough you are supposed to reach enlightenment!
This is the end that wasn't obstructed by construction scaffolding. Part of me wanted to go back to Marugame and start raking our dirt. I am still envious of the perfect sand lines!
Here are Holden and Hos on the observation platform. This is their version of ENLIGHTENMENT! I was just happy it didn't involve picking up forbidden rocks! After pondering the Rocks until we were all satisfied, we headed for a stroll around the garden.
This is a path from the garden up to one of the temples in the area. Unfortunately my pictures can't do the beauty justice! Hos kept saying, "Mom, it's so green!" Holden was just ecstatic to be walking around and he finally could pick up the ROCKS!
We usually give him a maximum of one rock per walk. But I couldn't enforce the rule with this face!
This is a bamboo fountain to help with the sounds of nature and encourage "Zen Enlightenment".
Here's another natural water element, one of Hos' favorite, full of Koi at a deeper part. Rocks were added to help increase the sounds of the running water.
Once this Zen garden was over we headed to Daitoku-ji. This is like a whole complex of Temples, but usually only about 4 are open to the public.
This is Zack, Hos, and I at the main entrance. Holden is passed out in the stroller. One of the most famous temples here is Daisen-in. The photo below is at the main gate into Daisen-in grounds.
Here is Zack, Hos, and Julie (Holden still in the stroller). The granite stairs and cobblestone walkways were beautiful, just not too stroller friendly.
This is the grounds around the entrance to Daisen-in. All I'm saying is I want a RAKE! This temple was by far our favorite Zen Temple. Inside is the best Zen Garden, Hojo, we have seen thus far! They don't allow you to take photos inside, but it put Ryoan-ji's garden in as second easily! There weren't many people there either, compared to the masses at Ryoan-ji!
This is a shot of the Daisen-in Temple from the main gate.
After basking in the glow of Zen we headed to Kinkaku-ji Temple. This was once a summer home for one of the Shoguns. Here is Hos at the entrance to the temple grounds.
Yes, that is a mask on the face of the person behind Hos. Unfortunately, the mask didn't prevent the outbreak of Swine Flu in the area 10 to 14 days later, but there still was a massive shortage of masks at all the drugstores!
I had to get a photo of this tree. Japan is famous for training and supporting their trees to grow into the shapes they want. This tree had to be hundreds of years old, but even more amazing is how the bottom limbs are supported so they can grow like that!
Here is Zack, Holden, Hos, and I and some random tourist who snuck in, hahaha! So, have you figured out what "Kinkaku" means yet? Yep, "Golden". This temple is covered in gold leaf inside and outside on the second and third floors. You would think it would look really out of place, but it's actually really beautiful with the surrounding pond and garden.
Here's auntie Goober and Hos tying Hos' wish on the line at the exit of the temple. Wishes are tied here are said to come true...we'll let you know if it does!
Here's the Kinkaku-ji Temple from the overlook point, see what I mean about not looking out of place!
We were off to our last temple of the day, but Holden was not going further. He wanted Starbucks (just as auntie had trained him) and his jacket was too hot! Zack was just trying to find Starbucks to get the little monster a "juice"!
And here is Holden in his "happy place", a soft chair with his favorite juice at Starbucks! Yes, auntie Goober is in big trouble for this little habit!
After our little juice break, we finally made it to Toji! This is me, Hos, Zack, and Holden standing in front of the tallest wooden structure in Japan, the 5 storey Pagoda at Toji! We were even luckier because the pagoda is only open a couple times a year and this happened to be one of those times. So we were able to go inside and see the paintings and statues!
Toji is actually a whole complex of old wooden buildings with more beautiful gardens. This shot is across the pond towards the main hall.
I had to get a photo of this Japanese maple. They're my favorite! So, a great ending to a fantastic trip to Kyoto! I thought I would save my favorite photo for the end! This is Zack, Holden and Hos walking along the wooden lecture hall at Toji!
