The Rokuonji Temple was first built from 1185 – 1332 as an aristocrat’s house. It became a Buddhist temple in 1422. The Golden Pavillion, pictured above, was burned to the ground in 1950 and rebuilt in 1955.
The Kiyomizudera Temple was founded in 778 on the side of a hill and is comprised of 30 structures.
People leave their wishes on small wood tablets, provided by the temples.
Everyone must remove his shoes to enter the temple.
And cleanse hands.
Even the little ones!
Volunteer temples sweepers
A narrow passage in Kyoto
The preparations for the sixtieth anniversary of the People’s Republic of China reminded me of the days I lived in the Soviet Union. Anticipation of the celebration to commemorate the anniversary of the Great October Revolution dominated Moscow for weeks leading up to the big day, as we students debated whether the government’s plan to manipulate the weather to ensure a beautiful day would work (it did).
In August, shortly after we arrived in Beijing, we went to the Great Wall, where we watched in awe as the police completely shut down the highway traffic leading into the city to allow busloads of parade performers to enter – uninterrupted – for a dress rehearsal. For a whole hour, we watched hundreds of shiny buses barrel their way into the city center and Tiananmen Square.
For many Beijing residents, the week leading up to the holiday was defined by transportation chaos. My daughter’s school sent out notices saying that students who lived in central neighborhoods would be let out early to avoid road closures. Many others (myself included) stayed close to home, not daring to venture into the traffic jams, detours, and road blocks that marked the city’s center. And of course, we discussed whether the government’s plan to maniplulate the weather to ensure a sunny day would work (it did).
Unlike the Soviet Union, China’s national day parade on October 1 was not open to the general public. In my days as a Russian language student in Moscow, my friends and I had arrived at the parade route early to get a good spot to view the militaristic procession. Not in Beijing. Our driver told us hopefully that the government had reserved some seats for foreign business people, but somehow Erik and I knew we would not be on their list.
And so, like many others, we decided to leave town. My first thought was Tibet, but Erik reminded me that – based on past experience – the government would probably not give foreigners visas to this troubled region during this so-called “sensitive time.” Instead, we decided to visit Japan and mapped out an itinerary for Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka.
Situated in a picturesque valley, Kyoto, the capital of Japan between 794 and 1868, was our first stop. There are so many beautiful temples in Kyoto that it is hard to know where to begin. We more or less focused on those that in 1994 were added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites, but we were soon distracted by other beautiful spots along the way. With more temples and ancient structures than one can count, Kyoto should be on everyone’s must see list.