Kyoto is famous for the beautiful temple gardens that we explore in this series. We've arrived at Ginkaku-ji which is one of the prettiest of all of the temples and gardens in Kyoto. It's in the tsukiyama style of hillside garden.
A dramatic entry lined by tall hedges leads into another world, a lyrical dreamscape of ponds surrounded by gardens, dotted with statues and linked together by exquisite bamboo railings that guide you along the very pleasant and calm foot paths.
Try to arrive when it opens at 9:00am to enjoy its tranquility undisturbed by the busloads that are soon to come.
The Japanese garden is a miniature and idealized view of nature and this style of garden is meant for strolling for moving around from one place to another and as you go there will be scenes revealed and then left behind -- it's hide and reveal, appearing then disappearing.
These gardens are not laid out straight and nor do they have a single focus. Instead the paths are designed with curves and bands and they'll go up and down. It's made to look natural but of course everything here is carefully designed.
And then we're taking a stroll on the Philosophers Path. It's just about 1 mile long and very pleasant. You go along this canal and there are gardens, there are private homes, there's a beautiful hillside and more of these lingering fall colors. There are little benches scattered here and there where you could sit down if you wish.
From Ginkakuji and Honen we're traveling west a few blocks to another great temple with a beautiful garden and pond.
Arriving at Heian-jingo. This is actually one of the newer temples in Kyoto, built at the end of the 19th century, and of course built in a very traditional style. This kind of architecture really dates back 300, 400 or even 500 years.
This reproduction of an Imperial Palace was constructed in 1895, complete with shrines and a vast garden complex with ponds, islands and Chinese-Japanese-style landscaping. Continuing to Nanzen-Ji, a vast complex with numerous subtemples, gardens and shrines sprawling up the hillside, including another pebble garden, hiking trails, waterfalls and a mountain glen.
Nanzen-ji was bestowed the title of “First Temple of the Land‚” and is considered by many to be the most famous and important Zen Temple in the world. It's designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Finally to Chion-in, the main temple of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism which has millions of followers throughout the country and 7000 other temples but Chion-in is the main temple where this branch of Buddhism was created by Honen way back in the 12th century.
This is a longer, combined version of some earlier short movies.
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