Myoshin-ji Temple Complex & Kitano Market

Day 1 (Monday)

 Some beautiful buildings in the Myoshin-ji Temple complex.

 The small red Torii gates are there to prevent people from urinating on the wall. No joke. That is its explicit purpose. So if you see Torii gates on the sides of buildings you must find somewhere else to pee.

 On the 25th of every month there is a massive farmer's/craft/food market at the Kitano Shrine. There's lots of delicious snacks, discount clothing, antique goods, and much more.

Bonsai/Ikebana in old ceiling tiles. This is an excellent example of mitate which is the reuse of materials for new purposes. The symbol on the ceiling tile is common to Shinto shrines and can be seen on the roofs of many temple buildings in Myoshinji and elsewhere around Kyoto. Other symbols I've seen are two cranes kissing (a family crest), or the Chrysanthemum blossom (the crest of the Imperial family).

An incredible stand at the Kitano market. All of the bowls, cups, and saucers were made by a family. These items are all made from very thin pieces of wood that have been charred and waterproofed. They are absolutely beautiful and light-weight.

We intend to visit this stand next month so that we can bring home some gifts.

The Place We Call Home

The gate into Daishin-in. During the week, the gate is locked at 9:30 PM. If we get locked out, we have to sleep somewhere else. This has yet to happen to anyone.

 

The entrance where we remove our outdoor shoes and place them in cubbies. Every time we enter and exit a little chime sounds. This seems to be temple standard issue. Thankfully, it is quiet and melodic. Osho-san, the temple priest, and his family (wife, children, and grandchildren) have living apartments to the right of the giant wood sculpture. We turn left to go to our quarters. 

 A view from one space to the next.

Our tea room where we eat breakfast and hang around a lot. We also have presentations and lectures in there. It's a wonderful corner room with views into two garden areas.

 A view of the building where we sleep. Males on the bottom floor, females above.

 The small room with Naomi-san's flower arrangements. She is the daughter-in-law of the temple priest. She helps manage the temple and keeps the tea room stocked with snacks in the afternoon.

 The large hall where we had our Zen breakfasts.This will also be our studio space.

The garden outside of our instructors' rooms.

In truth, my room was too messy at the time I took these photos, so I will post images later of the private space I share with my classmate and studio project partner. There may even be images of the Japanese bath and etc.

The first day of class was Monday. We were treated to a scrumptious traditional Zen breakfast.

Clockwise beginning on the upper right: Daikon simmered in something (possibly soy sauce or dashi), miso soup, tamago or essentially a thin omlette rolled up (in center), rice in the covered bowl, a slice of watermelon, and pickled daikon.

The following day we also were treated to another delicious Zen breakfast (no photo this time) consisting of more pickled diakon, the remains of tofu processing - it sort of resembles cold, roughly mashed potatoes in texture (absolutely delicious and nutritious), more miso soup, this time with mushrooms, a poached egg, rice, and slices of fruit.

Chasing Dawn: Where West Becomes East

We've arrived in Japan. The 10 hour plane ride was anti-climactic. Delta kept our stomachs full and our eyes occupied with a steady stream of bad movies. Most remarkable was the fact that the sky was never dark.

Japan from the air was incredible: dense cities fill every inch of the valleys between lush wooded mountains.

The Kansai International Airport was very strange. As we disembarked, we saw no one but the people on our plane. The customs hall was a large sterile room with a single long queue, an analog ceiling clock, and a large sign in red letters announcing that careful inspections would take place for the prevention of terrorism. Still, everything was easy and efficient. We didn't have to say a word, simply handed in our custom cards, placed our index fingers on the scanners, and smiled for the camera. By the time we got to the baggage claim, an attendant had pulled our luggage off the conveyor belt and lined them up in  a row.

 

From KIX six of us got into a taxi and were driven to Myoshinji Temple. The highways of Japan, at least in the Osaka-Kyoto area are dismal. Although the highways are surrounded by beautiful landscapes, you can't see them most of the time. There are retaining walls, chain link fences, and massive curved acoustical barriers in the way.

 

 

When we approached the cities, they were far from beautiful. One of my professors had warned me not to expect beauty in everything. He was right. So far, the modern cities are gray, industrial, and slightly dilapidated.

We arrived at Daishin-in, which is one of the many temples within the Myoshinji Temple complex. This will be our home for five weeks. It's a beautiful place with wonderfully preserved architecture and a verdant garden.

After we settled ourselves we decided on dinner. After hearing so much about it last term, we chose Oyaji Ramen for our first meal in Japan. This ramen was superb. If you've not eaten ramen in Japan then forget every ramen you've ever had. They can't possibly compare to the real deal. I don't know whether Oyaji Ramen is the best in Kyoto but it was absolutely delicious: thick, juicy slices of pork each with the layer of fat still attached; rich and dark broth; tender, home-made noodles; and plenty of spring onions. All for 600 Yen (roughly $7.56).