Garden at Jakko-in Temple, near Ohara

Jakko-in is a sad place, for its recent history as well as the ancient one. As the story goes, when the Tiara clan were defeated in a sea battle in the year 1185, only Lady Kenrei Mon-in and her infant son (the emperor) were still alive among clan members. She threw herself and the child into the sea, but she was later pulled out and became the sole survivor. She became a nun in Kyoto, and was accepted to stay at Jakko-in where she lived her remaining 27 years in prayer. Her tomb is on the hillside behind the temple.

The more recent tragedy was the senseless destruction of the temple itself by an arsonist in 1999. The current temple is a recently finished, and well accomplished, reconstruction. There is also a nice, little museum. Reaching this peaceful and bittersweet spot requires a hike up the hill from Ohara station, but the walk is lovely.

Warabe-Jizo

Warabe-Jizo (Child God) Statue, Sanzen-in Temple, Ohara

Ohara is located in the coutryside near Kyoto.

Going to Work, Gion, Kyoto

Maiko-san in Traffic, Gion, Kyoto

Beneath the Aqueduct, Nanzen-ji, Kyoto

In addition to the unexpected find of a real aqueduct, one of the treats at Nanzen-ji is a small sub-temple nestled on the wooded mountainside in back, called Saisho-in. There, on a sign, is written the following poem.

The evening bell, solemn and bronze
in the grandfather temple down the hill,
sounds dimly here.
Slow beat of the mountain's heart, perhaps,
or determined pulse of pine tree (gift of the birds)
growing out of a crotch of the slippery monkey tree.
All one, perhaps --
bell, mountain, tree...
and steady cicada vibratto
and little white dog
and quiet artist-priest, carver of Noh masks,
fashioning a bamboo crutch for the ancient peach tree --
symbol of strength, symbol of concern.
All cool under the nodding crowns of the vertical forest,
all seeking in this place,
all finding in this place --
hidden yet open to all --
the spirit in the cedar's heart.

Aqueduct, Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto

Gate at Chion-in, Kyoto

Tofuku-ji, Kyoto

Memorial Stone, Koto-in, Kyoto

Koto-in, Kyoto

The serene, moss-covered Zen garden signals we're making an early Summer visit to Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital. This is Koto-in, a small part of the large temple complex of Daitoku-ji in northern Kyoto and part of the Rinzai sect. Behind the tea house are the graves of Koto-in's founder, the warrior Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563-1645) and his wife.