A Trail of Three Temples

Today's plan was to visit three of Kyoto's many temples and shrines. First up was the  Kinkaku-ji Temple (The Golden Pavilion). It is perhaps the most widely-recognized image of Kyoto. Seen reflected in the adjoining “mirror pond” with its small islands of rock and pine, Kinkaku-ji Temple, “The Golden Pavilion,” is a breathtaking must-see (Kyoto Travel website). 

The building initially served as a retirement home for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. On his death in 1409, it was converted into a Zen temple. The walls are coated with gold leaf both inside and out and as you gaze at it across the water it is amazing to think you are looking at over 600 years of history. Except you aren't, as the original building was burned down by a 'mad' monk in 1950. The temple was rebuilt in 1955 and continues to function as a storehouse of sacred relics.

Just a short walk away is the Zen Temple of Ryōan-ji (the Temple of the Dragon at Peace). Originally the villa of an aristocrat, the site became a Zen temple in 1450. At the centre lies a rectangular rock garden. On the surface it is just 15 stones scattered about on raked gravel but there is a peacefulness sitting here that is far deeper than the silence that surrounds you. It is almost spiritual and healing. The temple grounds include a spacious park area with tree-lined paths and a large lilly pond (or small lake). We enjoyed a quiet stroll through the park and rewarded our efforts with an ice cream.

The third place we visited was in stark contrast to the other 2, with garish rather than peaceful being a useful adjective to describe it. Fushimi Inari Taisha is a shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of prosperity, fertility, agriculture and commerce. The buildings were constructed at a time when bright orange paint was popular, or cheap -it's everywhere. Behind the shrine is a walking trail that leads up the sacred mountain. The entire trail is covered by about 10,000 torii, also painted orange, although the guide books calls it vermilion. We walked up through the first couple of hundred or so before turning back.

We covered a lot of ground today, not only on foot but also using the metro, a bus, a local tram and 2 local trains. I don't think we ever waited more than 5 minutes for a connection.Read more