Monday, November 17

Another beautiful day. I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been. I’ve been getting recommendations for great gardens from other guests in the hotel. I think I mentioned last year that this is a special hotel. There’s a great atmosphere here and most of the guests are friendly. My visit to Hosen-in was from a recommendation and I was delighted with it. Last night someone else recommended Taizo-in. It was on the way to another area I wanted to visit so happily, I made it my first stop. I got there early enough to be able to spend most of my time alone in the garden. The crowds came only as I was leaving. Many of these gardens give you the feeling you have entered another world, but it doesn’t happen when you are there with hundreds of other people. This was a small garden allowing you to get a sense of it when you first enter, then giving you new views as you move through it. Hosen-in was also like that. It had four or five different heights as you walked through, wiith stone bridges and pathways with stepping stones leading you very close to the sand and gravel man-made mountains.

Garden path - Hosen-in

Taizo-in had a waterfall at different levels running the length of it. After walking down a path with a dry garden on either side you observed, passing a kind of gazebo, I came to a marvelous garden with trees, a pond, and a waterfall. that I observed primarily from one side without walking into the main garden, but the approach took you through variaous changes in plantings and even in sound. Just before reaching the main part of the garden with the waterfall there was a path taking you to a secluded area where a small stream made quiet sounds anticipating the waterfall.

Dry garden entry

The place of quiet sounds

Pond and bridge

Waterfall

Buildings at Myoshin-in

Taizo-in is a subtemple of Myoshin-in, the entire compound occupying a huge area. I walked around and looked at a few other subtemples, but nothing else seemed open to the public. I boarded a nearby train and went to Arashiyama near the mountains northwest of Kyoto. By this time the crowds had gathered and my experience at Tenryuji Temple was not so profound. It’s a very large garden with the main temple building in the center. It’s also on different levels; there was a lot of climbing involved, which I am proud to report I did. As I began climbing the crowds diminished, inspiring me to continue climbing so I could sit and enjoy the view without too much interruption.

Moss Garden at Tenryuji

Path at Tenryuji

Kyoto and mountai

I finished my visit walking through a bamboo forest and noticd the sky turning gray. I decided to head for the hotel. Walking through the forest took me to a different road than where I had entered the temple, and I was lost again. Three older (not as old as me) ladies walking near me began “the conversation.” Where are you from? Are you here alone? And so on. They were very nice, so I asked for help. The truth was they didn’t know how to get me back to the train station, but they walked me to the main street and I got a bus. Again, I’m sure they went well out of their way. People here are really amazing.

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