#danrinji

[drmanuscript]

[alempe]

Day 16: in the garden of Danrinji Temple, Kyoto #inktober2017 #inktober #kyoto #danrinjitemple #ink

[foggyinjapan-blog]

30th Oct. Arshiyama

I actually set my alarm last night to get up early... ish. I'm going to ride about 40 minutes to Arashiyama where the bamboo grove is. Very excited! This was one of the things I wanted to do at the start of the year but we didn't have enough time.

I have breakfast and head off on my journey. It's not that I got lost but it was really hard to find even though I pretty much only had to follow 1 road. I had to turn around a couple of times and I probably looked like the biggest punter! I almost crashed my bike on the way over. My heart almost came out of my chest. I thought I'd go from the road to the footpath (because everyone rides on the footpath here) and the ledge was too big or something and I almost ended up in the gutter... close call. I’m scared of ledges now.

So finally, the bamboo grove is in sight! I have to push my bike through the long passageway instead of riding because is just too many people. “Oh great, I've joined a school group and I'm literally in the middle of It!” How did this happen? Their tour guide seemed really into explaining it as well but seriously, I have no idea, I can’t understand you! I reach Nonomiya Shrine which is the first stop on the passage. It's small and beautiful and it has something to do with purifying princesses back in the day... the princesses has to go there for over a year and... be purified? What were they doing for a whole year I wonder? Tenryu-ji Temple was next. Only the gardens are open today because the temple is occupied with a private ceremony. It's so beautiful and the building overlooks a lake, amazing! And of course there’s bloody tourists everywhere!!! Urgh where is my Zen?! It’s really nice being able to explore by myself, it means I can go at my own pace and move on when I want. In this case, I wanted to move on, pretty fast. I’m learning that I do not like large groups of tourists!! I head back into the grove and there's more people. I'm trying not to hit anyone with my bike but it's really hard. There's a few casualties but I’m sorry, there’s actually nothing I can do about it!! Looking past the people and this place truly is amazing! I get some photos and ride on, ride on. I love being able to ride everywhere, so much more efficient!

Next I try and find Goi-ji Temple, I found some photos online yesterday and it looks like magic. I get there by going the longest way possible because I really have no idea where I’m going... I don’t really know where to park my bike so I set up my own parking spot... oops. I walk in to what I thought was Goi-ji temple but really it’s the temple next door called Danrin-ji Temple. I wonder around and there are a lot of gardeners around. This temple isn't as well taken care of as the others but it still is beautiful in it’s own way. I'm literally the only the only one in here as well which makes it very special. I sit down and read the information I was given. Ahhh zen! The temple of Danrinji was established between 786-850. Shit this is old! Around the corner there's a building and the man standing out the front invites me in. He explains to me the sculptures and the art work around the room; in English! I am mesmerized! There was a god with 18 hands, wooden dragons which apparently is quite rare and 2 paintings pinned high on the roof; a mountain eagle and an ocean eagle. There's a museum as well and I'm invited in. Stunning! Breathless! I really wish I knew what the descriptions said though. I can't read kanji. Also I can't believe no-one else is here, this is a gold mine!! After, I head next door to Goi-ji temple. It is beautiful and very unique, kind of like a fairy garden. I think my heart belongs next door though! That was very impressive.

I'm hungry and I need caffeine. I stop at a store on the side of the road and order myself a vanilla soft serve and coffee! They give me mochi soft serve instead of vanilla. Ok sure I cant be bothered trying to swap it. It’s ok, I’m not a huge fan of mochi though The lady is so nice and we chatted for ages. She gave me cookie as a gift which was oishii!!! I have a quick look on google maps and apparently there’s a monkey garden close by!!! Bless, I want to be friend with a monkey! I get there and there's no monkeys... just a bunch of kids climbing around the place and causing a ruckus. I guess that's close enough haha!! Or maybe I’m in the wrong place...

For lunch I enter a Japanese restaurant. I order a set dish of Nishin fish with soba noodles,  prawn tempura and rice. A lot of the locals were eating it so I thought I would too. I don’t think I’ve eaten anything like it before, it was very delicious! quite fishy. When I arrived I had to take my shoes off to sit down, which meant I had to put them back on when I finished. No worries! Then afterwards I had to use the bathroom. You also have to take your shoes off when using the lavatory in this restaurant. Great, take them off and put them on again aahhhhhh!!! I barely even fit in the bloody room as well because I’m so tall! I now know why Japanese have slip on shoes... these laces are not cutting It! Maybe I should cut them off...

On my self guided bike tour I head up towards Osawa-no-Ike Pond. I don't know why I'm drawn here but I just have to go. I park my bike and start walking over. It is so stunning! It’s like climbing to the top of a mountain and looking down for the first time. Breathtaking! There is a temple next door which I can see in so I'm not inclined to go in - I've done enough today. I go for a walk and take some beautiful photos!!! Take some deep breaths and just chill out for a bit. I need this zen.

I head home and I can now feel the downhill bits I had on the way here. It is so steep and this electric shit means nothing right now! Hahaha what a tourist! In the common area back home I'm doing some Japanese and having a coffee. Someone starts cutting wood and I can smell it. I don't mind the smell of chipped wood. Koji comes around and apologises for the noise. He explains that his neighbour makes hand made Brazilian percussion instruments and people come from everywhere in the country just to buy one from him. This is very cool! I like!