And a famous shrine described to us as honoring the god (or kami, to use the Japanese term) of studying.
I enjoyed these places, particularly the Golden Pavilion. It was incredibly crowded, by far the most crowded place we went to in Kyoto, and that made it very difficult to get a good view of the temple or to stay in one place for very long (the crowds were always shifting with people looking for good shots). Yet despite this, the beauty of the pavilion can't be denied or understated. I get the sense that Kinkaku-ji is one of those places so famous as to be oversaturated with tourists (like myself), but that doesn't make it any less remarkable. Built centuries ago, the original temple was burned down by a monk in the 20th century for unknown reasons, and what currently stands is a painstakingly accurate recreation. Unfortunately, only dignitaries, diplomats, and other such important types are allowed entry into the temple itself, so we had to be content with just pictures.
Just as enjoyable as the tour itself was our tour guide, a small, sprightly man who gave himself the nickname Casey (likely to make it easier for us foreigners to say his name). He walked around with a long carnation attached to a flag so we could see him in crowds, and joked about leaving us behind if we didn't get back to our tour bus in time. Needless to say, we had a very fun tour.
It also started snowing on our tour, so in addition to seeing many beautiful sights, there were snowflakes falling from the sky like sakura petals. I couldn't help thinking of the spring, and what Kyoto will look like when the cherry blossoms bloom, and I have to imagine that it looks something like what we saw that day in Kyoto. It was uncanny how much the snowflakes looked like flower petals, and it's unfortunate that they're too small and lightly colored to be really captured in photos. It kept snowing on and off throughout our day, and it always seemed that, at the moment when we stumbled upon a beautiful temple or garden, the snow would start up again. It created a visual effect that I had not at all expected to see, but added a small touch that made such a big difference in how I perceived the places we went to.
After our tour, we continued our journey by taking a bus down to a small but serene walking trail called the Philosopher's Path. That was yet another sight that begged to be seen in spring. Empty trees stood all along the path, and while they were beautiful in their own way, I felt a longing for the sight of them covered in blooming flowers. The sight of trees covered in cherry blossoms is perhaps one of the most prevalent and oversaturated in all of anime, so it always came to mind whenever I saw the empty winter trees. In this picture, if you look closely, you can make out the snowflakes falling, so I was very happy with it!
Near the Philosopher's Path is Ginkaku-ji, or the Silver Pavilion. I had heard earlier that this was a lesser known sister sight to Kinkaku-ji, but is ultimately more enjoyable because it is far less crowded and just as remarkable. The temple, despite the name's implications, is not actually silver-colored; it got its name because there were plans to coat it in silver, which were never put into action. That isn't so disappointing, however, because the real beauty of the temple lies in the painstakingly maintained garden around it. Moss covers the ground and hills, so rich and green it seems almost too perfect to be real. There is incredibly precise sand art around the path, which leads you slowly but expertly along the garden, giving you the perfect view of all the small details and touches that both humans and nature have made. At the tip of the garden path, you get a sprawling view of the city, which suddenly removes you from the confines of the temple and shows you the landscape beyond, the one large-scale spectacle in an otherwise subdued and self-contained natural environment.
At Ginkaku-ji, it's not just that massive spectacle that awed us, but the culmination of all the little touches and careful design choices that created an incredible viewing experience. Walking through the temple was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before; it wasn't quite as raw as a hike through untouched natural landscapes, but rather than detract from the beauty, the handiwork of the people who maintain the site blended with it to create something incredible, a work of human genius woven into an already stunning natural landscape. I have always admired Japanese art for placing nature at center stage, while adding in touches of humanity's own creativity to bolster rather than overshadow the natural effect of the work. There always seems to be a humble understanding of humanity's subservience to and respect for natural forces, and this understanding allows for an aesthetic that relies on humans working around nature rather than working through it, taking advantage of and preserving the beauty and landscapes that occur naturally in the world. Ginkaku-ji is a testament to this skill and understanding.
Sadly, I didn't get many pictures because my phone died, but I'd have to be a much better photographer to do Gikaku-ji justice anyways.
Overall, a lot of what we enjoyed about Kyoto were the things we didn't quite plan out, but just happened to find through proximity and chance. That's the kind of place Kyoto felt like to me, one where there was so much to see and do that it would take weeks to travel around and do it all. Of course, it has its big famous spots, beloved by the Japanese and tourists alike, but Kyoto also has so much more, all sorts of places and history hidden around every corner that you could easily overlook in the face of everything else the city has to offer. I'm glad we didn't; if it were up to me, I would have just tried to visit the big places, but my family wanted to explore whatever looked interesting, and because of that we were able to find all sorts of places we might otherwise have missed. If there's one regret I have about our travels around Japan, it's that we didn't have at least one more day in Kyoto, because there is so much to discover there.
Ah, your photo captured the magic of the snow! Snowflakes showering down, dark clouds, and then the sun peeking out briefly. I'll remember that place and afternoon for a long time. I hope you get to go back when it's the cherry blossoms swirling..
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