The garden is the product of the Muromachi period in design, of the height of classical Japanese landscape design.
Photos by me, please credit if you share - thanks!
Showing posts with label Kyoto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kyoto. Show all posts
kinkaku-ji, kyoto
Sunday, August 10, 2014
The "Golden Pavilion" is officially called Rokuon-ji, or the deer garden. It was seriously one of the busiest sites we visited in Kyoto - bananas! But it was worth it, what a gorgeous zen garden and temple. The site dates to as early as 1397. Tragically, the original pavilion was burned down in 1950 and rebuilt in 1955. But really, what a splendid site.
The garden is the product of the Muromachi period in design, of the height of classical Japanese landscape design.
Photos by me, please credit if you share - thanks!
The garden is the product of the Muromachi period in design, of the height of classical Japanese landscape design.
Photos by me, please credit if you share - thanks!
around kyoto, part two
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
More photos, enjoy!
Love the rain chain. Just a stunning garden.
This guy lives at the shrine behind Starbucks, isn't he gorgeous?
The pattern shows when wet - loved these.
Please credit if you share, photos by me, thanks!
Love the rain chain. Just a stunning garden.
This guy lives at the shrine behind Starbucks, isn't he gorgeous?
The pattern shows when wet - loved these.
Please credit if you share, photos by me, thanks!
around kyoto, part one
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
I have been organizing my photos and there were a few more beautiful shots from around town that I wanted to share. Enjoy!
One fancy pup.
Small public park, this has been a park site since the 1500's, if memory serves.
Photos by me, please credit if you share, thanks!!
One fancy pup.
Small public park, this has been a park site since the 1500's, if memory serves.
Photos by me, please credit if you share, thanks!!
tenryu-ji and the bamboo forest
Friday, June 20, 2014
I truly think this was one of my favorite places in Kyoto and from what I gather it can be translated to Temple of the Heavenly Dragon. I mean, it is no wonder that it is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A significant temple of Zen Buddhism founded in 1339 to honor Gautama Buddha. The most recent structure dates as late as 1934.
Such a beautiful indoor-outdoor hall
Beautiful ornamentation
Front courtyard rock and moss garden
I believe this painting is of Da Mo, the Indian Monk.
And of course, the gorgeous Bamboo Forest just beyond the temple's back gate. The light that filters through these towering, protected bamboo trees is just indescribable. It is no wonder I saw several photo shoots happening while we were there... And of course my toddler adored running around as well.
All photos by me, please credit if you share - thanks!!
fushimi inari-taisha
Monday, June 2, 2014
Fushimi Inari-taisha is the head shrine of Inari, or Inari Okami. Not to be confused with inari sushi which was named after the the Shinto Kami of this shrine who is believed to have a fondness for fried tofu. My toddler would agree - it is her favorite snack!
Inari Okami is the Shinto Kami, or spirit, which represents foxes, fertility, agriculture and industry but also general prosperity and wealth. Being the most significant place of worship of this Kami, this Imperial shrine was founded during the Heian Period in 711 and received a boon under Emperor Murakami in 965. While this has been the shrine site since 816, the main shrine structure pictured above was not built until 1499.
This is right about where my toddler had the most epic, traffic-stopping, temper tantrum of all time. She wanted to play with the gravel anchoring the torii gates... I'll never forget that one!
Foxes, or kitsune, are the animal spirit are often found in Inari shrines. There are foxes all about the shrine grounds. You can even take a cuddly stuffed fox home with you from the gift shop! Many of the foxes are holding keys to the rice granary or rice fronds. Real rice is also often tied to the foxes' necks.
Handwashing station
I loved these lanterns and the grounds in general
This woman was nice enough to let me take her photo; I thought her kimono was just beautiful. I see kimonos very often here in Japan (especially since we don't live right in Tokyo which I find more Westernized in a lot of respects), but the fabric of her kimono really caught my eye.
Inari Okami is the Shinto Kami, or spirit, which represents foxes, fertility, agriculture and industry but also general prosperity and wealth. Being the most significant place of worship of this Kami, this Imperial shrine was founded during the Heian Period in 711 and received a boon under Emperor Murakami in 965. While this has been the shrine site since 816, the main shrine structure pictured above was not built until 1499.
This is right about where my toddler had the most epic, traffic-stopping, temper tantrum of all time. She wanted to play with the gravel anchoring the torii gates... I'll never forget that one!
Foxes, or kitsune, are the animal spirit are often found in Inari shrines. There are foxes all about the shrine grounds. You can even take a cuddly stuffed fox home with you from the gift shop! Many of the foxes are holding keys to the rice granary or rice fronds. Real rice is also often tied to the foxes' necks.
Handwashing station
I loved these lanterns and the grounds in general
This woman was nice enough to let me take her photo; I thought her kimono was just beautiful. I see kimonos very often here in Japan (especially since we don't live right in Tokyo which I find more Westernized in a lot of respects), but the fabric of her kimono really caught my eye.
all photos above by me and please credit if you share, thanks!
The shrine famously inspired the NYC Gates (which I well remember but failed to fully understand at the time) from 2005 by Bulgarian artist Christo Yavacheff and French artist Jeanne-Claude.