Japan pt. 3: Koya-san and Kyoto

Here are some pictures from two-day trips made via train from Osaka. First is Kyoto. This was the city I was most excited to visit, due to the sheer number of old temples and architecture dating back to the feudal era. I had to teach Japan to my world history freshmen, and it usually ended up being a one or two day cursory lesson on the feudal social structure with a comparison to medieval Europe. To actually see and walk among these structures brings the history alive. Also, Kyoto is famed for having many Japanese-style gardens. I am obsessed with these types of gardens. I think they have replaced the pool table as the unrealistic fantasy feature that my future house must have. I was not disappointed by the gardens of Kyoto. Curiously, the temples dot the outside of the modern city bowl (surrounded by mountains on three sides) making them somewhat difficult to reach.


The other trip was to Koya-san, founding center of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. It lies on a table between eight mountains, and was one of the most ethereal and green places I have ever experienced. The highlight was the Oku-no-in cemetary a huge tract of forest with paths winding between cedar trees and moss-covered gravestones. This is one instance where the photos truly do not capture the atmosphere of the place.