Two days after visiting Kodaji-ji Temple to see the complex and colorful trees illuminated at night, Mika, Pasi, Tamaki and I went to Sanzen-in for the daytime view! It was a great day to visit, and not too chilly until later in the evening. It was a bit further than most of the other places I've been to in Kyoto. The train was about a 40minute ride, then we took a bus that was another forty minutes or so. Once the bus dropped us at the bottom of hill the temple sat on, we made the rest of our adventure on foot.
As we were walking to the temple, we found a small trail off the main path, and of course checked it out. It lead to a giant field of flowers that overlooked the mountains. Even though it was the end of November, flowers were still bright and colorful. Actually, it's now almost the end of December and flowers are still blooming!
The walk from the bus to the temple complex wasn't too far--about 600 meters. After seeing the field of flowers and walking past many many shops, we made it to the temple.
The moss gardens were absolutely beautiful, and it was late-afternoon so the sun was beaming down, making for even better pictures.
Most Japanese look at these rocks and say "kawai!!" meaning cute, adorable! I personally think they are a bit more like kawai's fraternal word, "Kowai!!" meaning creepy, or scary!
Nice views through the trees =)
This bridge lead to another small shrine in the complex, smaller than the one in the picture above.
TOFUKU-JI
A few weeks after Sanzen-in, I went to Tofuku-ji with Bonien and Tamaki. Bonien is another foreign member working at NPC, but from Taiwan! We actually planned to go to nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto, but we got to the station and it was raining. We wanted to choose somewhere that had more things to see under a roof...but as you can see, kinda failed and just chose a different temple haha. But Ito-san, another friend from work had recommended Tofuku-ji earlier in the fall, so I figured we'd give it a shot. Luckily once we got there the rain had stopped!
There are a total of 24 temples in this complex, and we walked around and looked at many, but paid to enter only two. To the right is a pic of the walk to the complex and above is one of the gravel landscaped gardens in the first temple.
As you can see in some of the pictures, the leaves were really starting to fall, and not quite as vibrant as just a couple weeks before, but still certainly have some favorites from our visit to Tofuku-ji!
Even though the leaves have fallen, it still is pretty because the ground is covered!
I like how this sole tree with no leaves sort of stands out from all the shorter trees and bushes behind it, which are still hanging on to their color.
I think this rock garden was "Dragon Garden"
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| One of my favorites =) I really liked the architecture on this last temple, too! |
Well, that's all for Tofuku-ji and temples in Kyoto in the fall! I guess it's officially time for winter =).
Here's the randoms:
It is extremely unfortunate that I don't have a photo to go with this, but I have to share the story, and I'm sure everyone will be able to create their own image. Back in November, I went to a weekend of badminton with some co-workers. Badminton is a pretty big sport here, and it was kind of weird how many YOUNG people were reeeaally good at and reeeeaaally enthusiastic about badminton. I was no doubt the worst badminton player there, and after the first night's drinking activities, certainly the least enthusiastic on day 2 ;-). haha So, I want everyone reading to get an image in their minds of a bunch of people (some athletic, some not) in a gym in the 90's--swishy suits, matching athletic jackets and pants and shirts--the whole shebang. Voila! You've got your picture. I'm telling you, all of our old swishy suits and sport suits we donated or trashed at the millenium, actually got shipped to Japan, and are a huge hit 15 years later. Disclaimer to my Japanese friends reading this: please don't take offense, it is just one of many examples of how our cultures and fashion differ--you all have probably thought "Emily looks ridiculous" at some point in the past 8 months--if not, go to America and you will see plenty of ridiculous looking people =). Japan I love you. America I love you.
 Had a Christmas party with Shuhei, Yamasaki-san, and Enomoto-san! Cranberry cocktails, Bailey's hot chocolate, gift exchange...complete with cosplay... |
 Had our "Forget the Year" work party, which also was to celebrate Togo-san's retirement, and happened to fall the day after his birthday! The dinner/party was on the top floor (33rd) of the largest and busiest station in Osaka. Had a fabulous night view and the most delicious food. Here I had BLOWFISH!!! Soooo delicious, and happy I can say I got to try it while I was in Japan! |
Osaka <3
Kakii-san hosted an okonomiyaki party with all of us foreigners =). Myself, Nantawat, Bonien, and Chang (non-Japanese)...and then Inazumi-san, Sasaki-san, Ishihara-san, Mika, Pasi! Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of the group, so chef Kakii-san has to represent, makin' his Hiroshima-style okinomiyaki! Oishi desne!
The second festival was KYOKA festival. A giant tree torch was lit and marched through the town as it burned. The ashes and palms remaining on the street would be picked up by everyone walking through, and are kept near the kitchen to protect from fire! 
