I can not believe the trip is almost over. In some ways I am sooo anxious to get home. And then another part of me wants to keep this going as long as I can. Let say this to all of you who have been reading. While you are in college you MUST do at least one semester overseas, you learn so much about the place and the people you visit but you learn more about yourself.
Enough blah, blah, from me. We had a really neat day today. We spent the day visiting shrines, temples, and a castle.
Dry rock garden, very Zen Buddhist
The first place we visited was a Zen Buddhist Shrine named Ryoanji Temple. The temple's name is famous for its karesansui (dry landscape) rock garden which is associated with Zen Buddhism. The “garden” has raked gravel and fifteen moss-covered boulders, which arranged, so that only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time. Only people who have attained enlightenment would one be able to see the fifteenth rock. One of the best things about the shrine is the pond. Although it drizzled off and on all day long, I think the light rain added to the enjoyment of the places we visited today.
School (Public) kids in uniforms, they were everywhere we went.
School (Private) kids in uniform, notice the sagging pants!We then paid a visit to the Nijo-Jo Castle. The place was built in 1603 and was used by the Shoguns of the Tokagowa period. One of the cool things about the castle is that the wood floors are designed to make sounds when walked upon so that no one, particularly ninjas, could sneak up on people. The floors were built so that when you walk on them they create a noise that sounds like a nightingale. I did not believe it at first either but it’s true.
The next place we visited was my favorite sight in Japan, besides the school visits. It is a Buddhist garden, called Ginkaku-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion) built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa to escape the troubles of the civil war that was on in Japan at the time. The layout of the garden plus the light rain made the place so calming and serene.
We went to this huge handicrafts place for lunch. The food was great and had seven floors of shopping. I found a lounge with a leather chair and napped for two hours. So awesome!
After that we stopped by the Heian Shrine where we enjoyed yet another garden. Some of my colleagues are understandably sick of temples, shrines, and gardens but I am enjoying them considerably.
Before we watched some traditional Japanese theater at Gion Corner we had a great meal at a place called Shabu Shabu. It is place where you cook your food at the table, it was fun. The Japanese theater had costumes, puppet shows, dance, and some comedy.
Mr. Steph out!
1 comment:
Hey Mr. Stephany,
Were the shrines influential on your faith? When you cooked your own food was it like American hibachi? I mean I know American hibachi doesn't involve cooking your own food but did it resemble the American hibachi ways? The public school kids uniforms are neater than the private school uniforms in my opinon. That is the opposite here in Memphis. With the gardens what do you mean by dry gardens? Do they look different? I have enjoyed every peice of information you have given. See you soon!
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