Despite being just a few blocks from Kyoto Station, we actually took taxis a few times in Kyoto. The public transportation was good, but did not always stop close to where we were going. Or close enough for Zoe's preference anyway. The taxis in Japan are lovely -- seats covered with the equivalent of lace doilies, and doors that open automatically when the driver stops to pick you up. We were barely legit enough to ride in one.
Our first stop was to Kinkaku-Ji, a.k.a. The Golden Pavilion, a stunning Zen Buddhist temple. The history of the temple dates to the late 14th century. The pavilion has been rebuilt and restored, most recently in the 1950s after it was set on fire.
The pavilion is covered in gold leaf, and the setting is perfect. When I see iconic places like this, they hardly seem real.
I asked Maddox to take a photo of John and me so we could prove we were actually on this sabbatical. Zoe was all about the photobomb. That girl is going to have wrinkles along her browline before she's 6. (The furrowed brow is a Sy family trait that I think my siblings and I all inherited.)
It's hard to know which of these photos (above or below) is the better Christmas card photo. Maddox certainly makes a case for the one below. We didn't really have enough layers and jackets for the weather we experienced in Kyoto, so John kindly gave his jacket to Maddox. Doesn't she look grateful?
Once through the main area of the temple grounds, there are souvenir shops and a shrine to light prayer candles. I wish I had written down the exact sentiments for each of our candles. The girls chose something like "everything your heart desires" which they translated to "Santa will bring us everything on our Christmas lists". I think I chose something for stress and John might have chosen continued health and safety for our family. Or maybe I wished for everything on my Christmas list, too. Or for a flask.
After nearly catching John's jacket on fire, Maddox had to relinquish the oversized coat in order to offer her prayer.
Since Kinkaku-ji is such a popular place and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a common stop for bus tours and school trips. This is what a school group looks like in Japan:
It's a far cry from the "everyone wear your class tie-dye t-shirts to the berry patch". Don't get me wrong, I value the freedom of expression and individuality in our culture, but there is something oddly appealing about scenes like this.
Right outside the entrance to Kinkaku-ji was the Zip Cafe. For some reason, "Zip" and "Zipper" have been nicknames for Zoe since she was an infant. I think my sister started it because she kept thinking of "A Girl Named Zippy". Anyway, clearly we had to eat at the Zip Cafe. Also, because they served pancakes! We ended up inviting a couple from San Francisco to join our table as seats started filling up. It was fun to talk with other Americans about what they had seen and done so far.
The Zip Cafe had good food -- prepared by one lady on a small stove -- but I was most intrigued and impressed by the toilet. The sink drains right into the tank -- no wasted water! And also perfect for Japanese-sized spaces.
After lunch, we headed to another UNESCO World Heritage Site - Tenryu-ji Temple, or the Heavenly Dragon Temple. Although the Zen gardens were beautiful, the main attraction for most visitors here is the bamboo garden.
The entrance to the bamboo garden is near the North Entrance to the temple grounds. Almost immediately, it feels other-wordly. The path is well-groomed dirt/gravel, and there are occasional rickshaws and even motorized vehicles that come through, but most visitors are walking through.
There were several Japanese couples in traditional attire walking the grove. I never did figure out if they had been elsewhere for a ceremony first and then just enjoyed the walk or if there was a reason for their traditional dress in the grove itself. As was often the case, many Japanese on the mainland in particular loved watching our girls. We asked one young couple who seemed to enjoy watching Maddox and Zoe to take our family photo.
In return, I asked if I could take their photo, a request they seemed happy to oblige. Aren't they beautiful? If you look at the young man's shoes, they look like wooden flip-flops. The young woman is also wearing them as they are the main traditional footwear. The socks they wear are designed specifically for these shoes, with a place for the thong of the flip-flop. Although mostly used with traditional dress, you can buy these "flip-flop" socks everywhere. For some reason I didn't buy any - one of my few retail regrets.
After being immersed in these centuries-old temples all day, we headed to the very modern Kyoto Station to find a place for dinner. I think the aesthetic of Kyoto Station is questionable. It is a very modern glass and steel building that dominates the central area, and it seems out of place. It's beautiful in its own modern way, but odd to see in Kyoto!
Although it was just mid-November and although we were in a predominantly non-Christian country, Kyoto Station was ready for Christmas! There was a huge Christmas tree and the stairs were lit up with various designs. The designs changed with the music and showed a Christmas tree, gifts, and other holiday themes.
The places we visited this day were incredibly memorable and worth the treks. I am grateful to have visited places of such beauty and such peace. I am also grateful that there was a McDonald's in Kyoto Station to feed the kids. Both/And. The sabbatical has been full of a lot of both/and experiences and emotions. One of these days, I will accept the fact that this is pretty fundamental to the human experience. One of these days.
On tap for tomorrow: Monkey Park!
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