The Clear and Simple Way

On the shiny white bullet train on the way to Kobe, Yoshi, Hirth's promoter and our constant guide and companion, suggested I get off in Kyoto for awhile and enjoy the old city. So I did!

I walked through rain along narrow streets getting wet, looking for a particular temple. I saw a small shop selling umbrellas, so I stopped to buy one. I asked the lady if she knew where this temple was, showing her the map I had with me. She gestured for me to follow her through her tiny shop to the back. She opened the back door and there, like magic, was the temple! I felt like Alice through the rabbit hole.

The temple was Higashi Honganji, officially know as Ahinshu Honbyo. It is the mother temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhism), whose founder is Shinran (1173-1262). It is one of the largest Buddhist denominations in Japan. It is the largest wooden temple in Japan. I felt transformed just walking through the doors. So far it has been my best Japanese experience because it was so spiritually transforming. 

The architecture is amazing, with wide open spaces. Wherever you stand, you can see the exquisite lines and arches of the the pagoda structure. I fell into meditation as soon as I sat down in the shrine.

I walked back through the rain with my clear plastic umbrellas, feeling quite at home with all the other umbrellas.

When I got back Yoshi was visibly relieved. I think he had 2nd thoughts about leaving me alone and riding away on the train. Hirth said he kept saying things like, "She travel a lot, right?" "She very independent, right?" then he was silent awhile and said, "Japan very safe country."

Yoshi told me he saw on the news that the river in Kyoto was flooding and you should stay away from it, so he was hoping I would not go near it (I didn't!). I of course did manage to buy a train ticket and end up in the right place.

It is freeing though to walk through the streets with a feeling of safety...unlike of course in the USA where you always have to have an awareness of where you are in the country. On the streets of Kyoto people left items out, even little things, in their gardens (tiny gardens) or porches (tiny ones) that would disappear if it in was many places in the USA.