Rainy day in Kyoto

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October 4, 2024

We arose from a deep sleep in the Henn na hotel, despite the room’s juvenile dinosaur theme, and headed down to the hotel breakfast in what was described as an Irish Pub, with memorabilia of the Rolling Stones in Kyoto. The woman in charge of the breakfast seemed to be struggling with the pushy and loud behavior of the non-Japanese guests who were not following Japanese social norms of humble patience and keeping their voices down. We had a nice variety of foods and a very satsifactory breakfast.

We decided to get outside and explore the nearby temple and garden.

the Higashi Hongan-ji was a vast wooden temple and people were arriving for an early ceremony.

We removed our shoes, as is the custom, and explored the temple a bit.

Officiants and acolytes were arriving down a hallway to participate in the ceremony.

After exploring and and appreciating the temple, we turned east to a local Shoseien Garden, but as we arrived the rain intensified. We did make it around the temple but decided we would need an umbrella, and also to find some protection from the rain if we could find somewhere.

Shoseien Garden in the middle of Kyoto.
The garden of another very large temple, but could not photograph in side the temple. It is known for having 1200 life sized Rakan statues representing the original followers of Buddha which was meaningful for many visitors, but a bit dark and repetitive for me.

It was only 10 am at this point, our room not available to us due to changing rooms, and we needed a place to hang out and rest before my photography workshop at 2 pm. We found a quiet combined café and art gallery where we were the only visitors and settled in for an extended cup of cappuccino.

A group of students out for a field trip. Gray, white and black figure in most school uniforms, as in work clothes for adults.
A young woman rushing to work through the light rain.
Alice visits a traditional fruit market. These older parts of Kyoto are being rapidly replaces with modern upscale buildings.

We were grateful for our little respite, and while we were inside the rain lessened to a mild drizzle alternating with cloudy. We walked east an north to the gate of the Otani Hyombo temple and garden where I would meet the leader of a photography workshop. The photographer turned out to be Paul Close, a former photographer for the Grand Rapids Press, who left Grand Rapids behind to go teach English in Japan, but ended up marrying and staying there for 30 years.

The entrance to the temple is notable for a large gold lamp and framed blue calligraphy.
I would need much more study to understand all of the statues here.
Shoes or sandals are always left outside of temples.

Paul and I walked through the temple grounds and then into the small streets, still surviving the crush of tourism that is overwhelming this area of Kyoto.

Two girls on bikes on the back streets behind the temple and cemetary.
Many young women visit Kyoto from insied and outside Japan to rent a kimono and have photos taken.
These young women plan a long time to be able to wear a kimono in Kyoto and are pleased to be recognized for their beauty.
An unusual collision of Eastern and Western traditions.
Street announcements in the Gion district.

It was getting late, I said good-bye to Paul and walked back to the hotel, hoping my cell phone would hold it’s charge to help me with directions. I walked by the massive rail yard on the way back.

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