🌸SAKURA STROLLS👣
A whirlwind tour of some well-known Kyōto spots we've talked about before, this time with added cherry blossoms🙌
on one road
all the way to Kyōto-
blossom-viewing hats
京迄は一筋道ぞ花見笠
-Kobayashi Issa, 1822.
Trans. David Lanoue.
#Kyoto #京都 #sakura #桜 #blossoms #Japan #cherryblossoms #temple #shrine
1) Honpō-ji (本法寺)🥘🌸
Founded by Nisshin (日親) in 1436, over the years the temple would clash many times with the authorities. More than a little outspoken, Nisshin eventually found himself punished by the shōgun in a cruel and most unusual way....
Arrested in 1439 for accusing the shōgunate of poor government, Nisshin was imprisoned for 2 years. In 1440 Honpō-ji was demolished.
And here it gets nasty.
Nisshin was tortured with a metal pot, heated and rammed down on his head!🔥
2) Shinshōgokuraku-ji (真正極楽寺)👭🌸
At a time when many temples, and even whole mountains, were off limits to women, Shinshōgokuraku-ji (aka Shinnyo-dō 真如堂) offered them a refuge.
Special services were held for women, aiding them to rebirth. The temple was created in 992 from the villa of Fujiwara-no-Senshi (藤原詮子), mother of Emperor Ichijō.
3) Ryōan-ji (竜安寺)🪨🌸
Just across the road from Garden Teahouse is Japan's most famous zen garden...a riddle written in gravel and rocks.
Intended to focus the mind, over the years many have tried to unravel the garden's meaning.
The 'karesansui' garden is a 248 square metre rectangle of carefully raked gravel and 15 rocks. Some of the rocks sit on small islands of moss, the only greenery to be seen.
Only 14 are visible at any one time.
The rocks are gathered into 5 groupings (5/3/3/2/2)🪨
4) The Incline🛤️🌸
Keage (蹴上 lit. 'rise' or 'riser') is one of the most popular places to see cherry blossoms in Kyōto.
It was here that boats were once carried a short distance by rail down a steep incline from the Lake Biwa Canal (琵琶湖疏水) into the city's canal network.
Camellia Tea Ceremony