Walk around the veranda a bit, and you'll come across a "tsukubai" near the tea room, this is for washing our hands and mouth out before going into take tea.

This tsukubai has 4 kanji on it, which represent contentment with what you have, and not to desire more.

So, freshend up,we (well not me or as far as I know anyone anymore) can go inside, and sit on the tateme and relax. The hand painted and gilded paper doors provide a nice atmoshpere, and the intelligent high ceilings and open cavity help move out that sweltering summer heat.

perfect ...

o-cha kudasai

Up the road a bit is the Temple Honen-in, we can see more of how the monks make a big effort to make this artwork. This pile of granite is about 50cm high and the geometreic accruacy of just the mound is a work of art. Here the patterns escribed onto the top of the pebbles is something that changes weely. It is an interesting fusion of art and religion. But really, where does one end and the other begin?

This garden is in the monks residence at Honen-in, the water that fills the pond, comes from a spring which is one of the reasons that this temple was built. The garden was constructed more than 350 years ago. The water is shaped into the Kanji which represents the Heart. Behind you can see the open doors of prayer rooms. I was very lucky to be taken into the residence, and to see this garden. Inside there was a camelia bush that was 300 years old, and may other fascinating things that link us back to the 16th Century. This is a living museum, where the monks are at once students of budda, and curators of a living museum.

This place is symbolic of the conjunction of the modern and ancient world that is Japan.
From Honen-in we walked along testsugaku no michi, where Nishida Ikutaro the famous philosopher walked and formed his philosophys. In this place we can look at the same stream of water, cross the same bridges, and get to the same temples.
Nandaimon at Nanzen-ji is huge, this is a "gate" to the temple, and as you can just see at the top, there are people up there. Each of the huge wooden pillars is seated on it's own piece of granite (which perhaps you can see at the base of them). Off to the right, there's a place where you can pay some money and go up to the upper section.

Up here you can walk around the top and survey the temple grounds, you may notice that the wooden flooring seems rather shinny, well centurys of footsteps (no shoes allowed) have polished the wood giving is a wonderful luster. Inside the mon, there are some statues that are like a temple, but since its a gate, its obviously not a temple. Looking in the middle of the open doorway you can see a slot to look inside. Since the sign said "do not take a photo inside" I didn't, so I can't share this with you.

But the quality of the wood, the textures of the doors, and the huge wooden hinges which the doors hang on was truly beautiful craftsman ship.

Kyoto is a nice city, calm, low stress pace, and steeped in history. If you can make it here, I suggest you do. Don't come here on a whirlwind trip, as that really does defeat the purpose.

Take your time, and take in the feelings of the gardens, and temples.

For me there was not mystical religous experience, but it sure teaches you how in the past people had a slower pace, and a longer term view of the world.

Its nice to be able to be part of this, even if only for a little while.

Kyoto really is an interesting place, if a more relaxed pace, nice food, and hospitality is what your after then Kyoto is the place for you more so than Tokyo.

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