Higashiyama Hanami: Kiyomizu Bound

Kyoto Rewind: April 2, 2008


Sanju-no-to, the three story padgoda of Kyoto's Kiyomizu Temple, pierces a powder blue sky through a veil of cherry blossoms.

Just as the cherry blossoms began to reach their height in Higashiyama, the scenic eastern mountain distict nestled between the historic Gion district and growing waves of verdant hills climbing slowly to the sky, my friend Abbey, my brother and I were joined by the very lucky Londoner who ascended the Ena ALT throne, along with my favorite JLT (Japanese language teacher) and her adorable son for a bit of hanami and a brief Kyoto Cultural Heritage Tour a la me!

Since London P had never been to Kyoto, our first stop, after breaking the fast at Starbucks in Gion, was Kiyomizu-dera, the Temple of Pure Waters. I am a firm believer that it's not the destination, but the journey that matters. Half the fun is getting there! So instead of heading straight for the temple or hopping a bus, I led our little group through Yasaka Shrine to the Ishibei-kouji, or Stone Wall Lane.

The narrow, covered wooden entrance to the Ishibei-kouji is cleverly hidden and hard to find, if you don't know where to look. Most tourists walk right by without giving it a second glance.

A curious couple snuck a peek up the dimly lit alley way, then turned around a left without exploring its well-kept secret.

Emerging from the darkened tunnel, you are greeted by wonderfully aged wooden walls and traditional architecture.

The stone paved path leads through traditional Japanese inns, or ryokan, restaurants and residences. The classic Kyoto atmosphere of the Ishibei-kouji makes it a popular spot for tourists dressed as maiko and geisha to have there photographs taken.

Like elsewhere in Kyoto, traditional and modern co-exist.


The lane leads to Nene no Michi, near Kodaji Temple. This is where the ascent to Kiyomizu begins, along with the hanami.

Holding out his bowl with his eyes humbly lowered, a monk from Kiyomizu begs for alms, chanting silently along the ascent to the temple.

UNESCO World Heritage designated Kiyomizu-dera, the Temple of Pure Waters, is one of Kyoto's most popular tourist destinations.


As the main temple of the Hosso sect of Buddhism, it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times in its twelve centuries of history, most recently in 1633.

Kiyomizudera is said to have been constructed from 778 by Enchin, a buddhist priest, in honor of the Kannon Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of Mercy and Compassion).

According to the legend, Enchin received a vision that said he would find at the source of the Yodo river, a clear source of water. During his search Enchin came across a hermit named Gyoei. Gyoei, an old ascetic priest gave Enchin a piece of wood inhabited by the spirit of Kannon, the lord of compassion and goddess of mercy. Carving it into the likeness of the boddhisatva, Enchin enshired it in a small thatched roofed hut, the humble beginnings of the now impressive temple complex dominating the verdant Eastern hills of Kyoto.

The legend says that the hermit disappeared, and when Enchin later discovered his sandals on top of the mountain, he realized that he had actually been speaking with a manifestation of the Kannon.


A young foreign couple poses for wedding pictures beneath the cherry blossoms.


Hundreds of ancient-looking Jizo statues spring from the lush moss carpeting the slope. One of the most beloved of all Japanese divinities, Jizo intercedes to ease the suffering and shorten the sentence of those serving time in hell. In Japan, Jizo is popularly known as the guardian of unborn, aborted, miscarried, and stillborn babies, as well as patron saint of expectant mothers, children, firemen, travelers, and pilgrims.


Women in kimono snap photos of one another on their ketai (cell phones).


Looking up at the cherry blossoms surrounding the three story pagoda.

Garbage removal the old fashioned way. Sights like this are common elsewhere in Asia, but very rare in Japan.


Nestled in the hills of Higashiyama, Kiyomizu's famous stage offers an excellent view of the city and surrounding green.


Enjoying the cherry-blossom-veiled view.


Visitors often rub icons of the Buddha or other religious figures for good luck or healing powers.


A young monk happily helps a boy get his taste of the Otowa no Taki, Feather Sound Waterfall, the three streams of which are said to promise love, longevity and wisdom. The visitor must choose one.

This author of this enma, or wooden prayer plaque, is hoping for a championship showdown between my hometown Hanshin Tigers and Chunichi Dragons.

I'm wishing that next spring will find me back in Kyoto, surrounded by sakura.


The pagoda peeks over heavy clouds of sakura, dripping with silken petals which flutter to the surface of the reflective pond, blanketing it like freshly fallen snow.

A view of the main stage of Kiyomizu-dera, floating in clouds of sakura ( and supported by 139 timber pillars). The unique Edo period tradition of jumping off the stage in hopes that one's wishes would come true was attempted by 234 people, each documented in the temples records. Surprisingly, 85.4 percent survived! The Japanese equivalent of the English expression, "to take the plunge", is actually "to jump off the stage of Kiyomizu."

I love Kyoto!

They love Kyoto!

Kiyomizu-dera is just one of many reasons why!

ALTS Can Make a Difference!

A Letter From A Student


I recently received this email from one of my old students who graduated from junior high on March 11th.

Dear Melissa,

Hello,Melissa!¡¡How are you?¡¡Of course I'm fine!
Tank you for giving a e-mail. I was very glad!

I graduated from Kita Chuu,but I'll nevre forget a lot of things that I learnd from you.

I came to like learning English since you came to Kita Chuu. It is very interesteing for me to read, listen, and speak English.

You were always cheeful and kind. You always talked me kindly. I was glad to talked with you. And you tought me a lot. About songs, foods, places, and world problems... All was interesting for me. I always looked forward your English class. You came to Kita Chuu as ALT, so I was interested in International Relations. You gave me an oppotunity that I want to know many more things.

I don't have specal talent(*_*;) But I want to know a lot, so I studied hard.Only this.

Through studying English,I learned language. But I learned much more.
If I use only Japanese, I can't communicate wiht English-Speaking people. Now I can speak English a little, so I can communicate with many more people. I'm glad of it! So I want to study foreign language and culture more.

I'll enter Chukyo high school's International course. I can study English more. And I can go to Canada to study. I look forward to it very much!
My dream is to help people who suffer from war, hunger and ill... Therefore I must study more. I do my best for my dream!


May I send an e-mail again? You are my best teacher! I want you to teach me many things! And I want to teach you recent situation(^^)

Thank you for reading. See you again!

Love,
Mari

See! ALT's can make a difference!

Sakura Forecast 2008

Japan's Meterological Agency just released it's predictions for the upcoming Hanami season!

According to their website:

JMA's prediction of cherry blossom blooming dates is conducted by applying the relationships between temperatures and blooming dates in previous years to the temperatures observed since last fall and those predicted in weekly, monthly and three-monthly forecasts.

After the crazy Cleveland winter I've been 'enjoying', I'm really looking forward to some good old hanami! Can I get an amen?

Ah, the joys of winter in Cleveland.

Ah, the joys of being the lucky JET who gets to visit the Beautiful Mountain School in spring.

Okoshiyasu!

Naosuzu (geiko) and Katsue(maiko)welcome a customer to the an outdoor tea ceremony beneath the cherry blossoms in Kyoto. Okoshiyasu is Kyoto dialect for welcome.

Sakura Forecast!

The Japanese Meteorological Agency has announced it's cherry blossom forecast, just in time to start planning for the upcoming hanami (blossom veiwing) season. As I've said before, the Japanese take their sakura very seriously.

Hanami, Kyoto Style! 花見, 京風！

Play of light. Kyoto, April 9th.

As sakura season got into full swing, I decided if I was going to do hanami (literally flowering viewing, in reference to the Japanese passtime of looking at flowers, while drinking sake ofcourse!), I had better do it right! My friend LINZ got me tickets to see sumo for my birthday, so I hopped on the Shink and headed for Kansai, my home away from home. Osaka is only 2 stops from Nagoya, but the first stop is Kyoto, which means I never take the train directly to O-town. I envisioned myself alighting in Kyoto and strolling beneath the shade of the sakura canopy long before ever reaching Osaka, so I texted Lindz, who was due to work for the evil spawn of Satan that is NOVA. Needless to say, after a little peer pressuring, I persuaded her to call in sick at meet me for a springtime sakura extravaganza!

The morning was rich with the promise of spring, sunny and warm. Warm? I mean I was hot! I couldn't remember the last time I felt warm without 5 layers of clothes on! It was a vast diffference from the winter chill that still hung in the air beneath the snow-capped summit of Mt. Ena. Although Lindz and I have been Japanified for sometime now (we met while studying abroad at Kansai Gaidai), neither of us had ever experienced sakura.

I don't think I can articualte the feeling I got when I walked down a street near a small river, lined with cherry trees in full bloom. It was so beautiful, it didn't seem real. The sakura blossoms diffused the gems of sunight that gathered in tiny droplets on their petals, creating a soft white glow that transformed everything into an magical dreamscape. It was as if delicate clouds of sweet smelling flowers had floated down to earth from a heavenly garden and were captured by the trees, whose branches reached up to heaven to catch them as they dance in the breeze. Rivers of light flowed through the loosely woven lace of flowers, cutting through the soft white mist, and the splatters of light that dripped through the blossoms formed flower-shaped puddles of sunlight on the ground beneath.

A family enjoys a picinic on the bank of the Kamo River.

As we walked through Gion with the myriads of flower-happy tourists, were inspired to take full advantage of the season by dressing up like maiko, venuturing around the photogenic Higashiyama district and taking pictures of the sakura. Lindz, who is an old pro at this Maiko wannabe thing, had Studio Shiki's number in her Ketai (cell phone). We figured they'd be booked, but Suprisingly they were free at 1 PM, which gave us just enough time to wind our way up towards Kiyomizudera, taking a slight detour through Maruyama Koen. Luckily I know the way by heart!

As we began the transformation from Gaijin to Geisha-in-training, I watched in a brightly lit mirror as my face disappeared behind a thin veneer of Oshiroi, white makeup. The artist used an array of brushes of all shapes and sizes to spread the snowly linen canvas smoothly across my face, and then began to brush highlights of pinks and reds around my eyes, dipping her brush in a bright crimson before carefully drawing in my lips, like rose petals curled on the surface of freshly fallen snow. I wore a thin linen robe with a deep neck line that hung low from my shoulders, exposing my neck, shoulders and back. She dipped a large, cresent shaped brush in the Oshiroi before I felt the cool, wet hairs slide down my back, sending shivers down my spine. I wondered how any woman would have the patience to go through this ritual every day, but it felt invigorating to be transformed so vivdly.The application of the makeup alone had awakened every one of my senses.

When she was finished we were sent off to choose kimonos, though they were so busy there were very few to choose from. Teams of women wrapped us in layers of fabric as we stood side by side, hypnotized by our own image in the mirror as we fought to keep our balance. When we had survived the worst, the women secured our katsura, or maiko style wigs, tightly in place (or so it seemed), and rushed us into a tiny studio for a few professional photos. As I struck each pose a chorus of "kawaii!" rose up from the trio of Japanese maiko-wannabes next in line. When the shoot was over, we fled the crowded studio, slowly sliding into the only peice of our wardrobe that had not been wrapped around us and tied into place- the Pokkuri. Pokkuri are thick, platformed, wooden clog sandals that make walking a hazard to one's health. After gingerly desending the three steps outside the studios door (it seemed more like 30) we slowly scuttled down the alleyway towards the corner. Our debut on the main thoroughfare of tourists enroute to Kiyomizudera did not go unnoticed. From a distance I could hear people point us out, comment on how cute or beautiful we looked, and then become quite shocked when they realized we were gaijin! We were like rockstars! We couldnt take 5 steps without being asked to take a picture, which was until we realized we werent taking any of our own!

I think I was actually posing for someone who had asked to take my picture. Yeah, thats my excuse for being the biggest dork of all time.



Slowly we made our way towards Maruyama Koen, the most famous hanami spot in Kyoto. On the way, a Japanese boy dressed up in kimono with his girlfriend, stopped to watch as Lindz took my picutre beneath a sakura tree. Finally he worked up the courage to ask if he could have his picture taken with me. How could I say no? He was wearing kimono! "Beautiful!" he said as he bowed to me "Meccha kirei!"

We hiked all the way to Maruyama Koen, famous for its cherry blossoms and Hanami parties.

The park was packed. In Japan, any reason to drink is a good one, and they really like looking at trees. In the fall, its the changing leaves, and in the spring, its sakura. So what better way to celebrate than to camp out under a sakura tree and get drank? I will say one thing for them...Their fortitude is amazing. They get up at 7 AM, go to wherever the cherry trees are and set out a tarp. Then they start eating and drinking. By noon everyone is passed out under the cherry trees, but before the clock strikes 2 they regain consciouness and commence drinking again! So much fun, and no one ver fights or starts trouble. Gotta love Japan!

Blue skies, cherry blossoms, wannabe maiko and squid on a stick! Nothing beats Maruyama Koen in the spring!

Alas, nothing gold can stay. The heat of the spring sun, combined with the 10 extra pound of silk we were burried under as we hiked across Kyoto, was taking its toll. The Katsura wigs we thought were tightly in place could not take the pace of our race to the park. Lindz`s wig began to slide back past her hairline, so every few steps we would casually disappear into the nook of an old, forgotten shrine as i tried to slide it back into place. Mine began its treachorus decent as well, as we hurried like Cinderella to make it back to the studio before we turned into pumpkins. By this time I felt like an old pro in my Pokkuri, speeding right along as we were being admired by a few tourists who I had heard comment on how well were waking in the medieval tourture devices. Thats when Lindz turned her head to say something and saw me float like a petal in the wind, down to the cobblestone road, where I began to burst out laughing. I was back up on my feet and fleeing the scene at an even quicker pace than before as Lindz, good friend that she is, tried to convince me that atleast I hadden fallen gracefully. We spent the rest of the time composing Haiku about ourselves as maiko, and about the fall.

Stopping for a chat in Nene No Michi.

We also composed a scheme to get more time in the limelight. Since Lindz wig really had come undone, I figured she should just let it come off, walk in holding it and ask that they secure it again so we could go out and take pictures. Though it was a less than nobel effort, we were out of luck. It was still an awesome adventure, and I can't think of anyone I would rather do it with than Takahana hereself!

Lindz could so be Japanese!

A famous alleyway in Kyoto.