Nanzen-ji

Nanzenji Temple is one of the most important Zen temples in all of Japan. The history of Nanzenji dates back to the mid 13th century, when the Emperor Kameyama built his retirement villa at the temple’s present location and later converted it into a Zen temple. The massive Sanmon entrance gate was constructed in 1628 by the ruling Tokugawa clan for soldiers who died in the siege of Osaka Castle in 1615. We climbed up to the gate’s balcony, from where the view extends across the city. A striking feature is the large brick aqueduct that passes through the temple grounds. Built during the Meiji Period (1868-1912), the aqueduct is part of a canal system that was constructed to carry water and goods between Kyoto and Lake Biwa.

The massive Sanmon entrance gate

Nanzen-ji – seems to be a popular spot for photo shoots.

Lunch

By this time it was raining fairly heavily, and we spotted a nice-looking restaurant and decided lunch was next on the agenda. Kanou Shoujuan started out in 1958 as a traditional Japanese confectionery shop and is known for their tea ceremonies. The shop name consists of four Japanese characters representing their values; “叶”: wishes coming true, “匠”: artisanal skills, “壽”: celebrating happiness, and “庵”: hermitage/retreat.

Otoyo Jinja

Otoyo Shrine is not as well-known as the big-name shrines in Kyoto, but it has one unique feature that makes the visit worthwhile. Where regal lion-dogs who stand guard at the gates of shrines and temples are a common sight, Otoyo has a pair of mice. The shrine is dedicated to Okuninushi, a hero who made the mistake of falling in love with the daughter of a storm God. The ancient story goes that while seeking her father’s approval, he was tricked into a field in search of an arrow but soon found himself surrounded by flames. In his moment of need, a mouse guided him to a hiding place and even brought him the arrow when it was safe to retrieve it. His relationship with mice was set in stone (literally) and the two mice guard his shrine. You can still ask the mice for blessings in relationships, childbirth and child-rearing. One of the mice holds a scroll signifying scholarship and learning, while the other embraces a ball signifying abundance and health. Amongst other guardian animals to be found at the shrine are a hawk, a monkey, a pair of white and black snakes, and guardian foxes.

Here are the mice statues, in case you had trouble spotting them.

Honen-in Temple

Honen-in is a small Bhuddist temple known for its scenic moss-covered gate, autumn leaf display and a pair of rectangular sand mounds that are said to purify the visitor. The sand mounds are raked by the monks, using designs symbolizing the season on one side, or offering abstract symbols of a religious nature, such as water, symbolizing impermanence, on the other.

GinkakUjI Temple

Ginkakuji (“Silver Pavilion”) is a Zen temple. In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of today’s temple, modelled after Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, his grandfather’s retirement villa. The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa’s death in 1490. Despite its name, the Silver Pavilion was never covered in silver. Instead, it is believed that the name arose as a nickname more than a century after the building’s construction to contrast it with the Golden Pavilion. Alternatively, it is explained that moon light reflecting on the building’s dark exterior (which used to be covered in black lacquer) gave it a silvery appearance. The extensive gardens were bursting with colour – we were there at the perfect time.

Shabu-Shabu

As you may be able to tell from the photos, the sun was setting and we headed for dinner. We found a shabu-shabu restaurant and enjoyed a delicious meal. Every meal on this trip was a cultural experience. Shabu-shabu is a classic Japanese hot pot dish where diners cook paper-thin slices of meat and vegetables piece by piece in a communal pot of light kelp broth (dashi) right at the table. The name is an onomatopoeia for the “swish-swish” sound the ingredients make when swirled through the boiling water. As far as I can tell, the paper-lined pot is not typical.