Japan Day 7, Part 3: The Giant Gate Guardians of Todai-ji Nanai-mon

Todai-ji is an enormous temple, so it is fitting that it have a similarly gigantic gate. 

The guardians in the gatehouse were of a similarly colossal scale. 

These amazing wooden statues were carved about eight hundred years ago and have been recently restored. They are some of the best wood carving I have seen anywhere. The guardian gods are as lifelike as they are huge, and are forever what I'll use for a mental reference when I think of giants.

A single foot was large enough to crush me, and was so detailed you could practically see the muscles flexing under the skin. 

Being around giants causes one to look up, and the rest of the gatehouse was not disappointing. One of the many things I love about Japanese temples is that even the rafters are elegant.

Japan Day 5, Part 5: Kenin-ji Paintings

Kenin-ji is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto, and is an island of peace in its busy surroundings. 

The temple wasn't particularly large, and the buildings were crowded by their neighbors, but the art inside was fantastic.

There were three copies of a painting of the gods of Wind and Thunder. I have no idea which was the original, but the monstrous gods were interesting.

The painting of dragons on the ceiling was definitely new, but it was a based on old wall paintings.

I was hardly the only person enjoying the shady view of the courtyard garden on that hot day. I stopped a while to hydrate and to enjoy the view.

Japan Day 4, Part 4: Arashiyama bamboo forest and surroundings

Seiryo-Ji was conveniently on the way between sites, so I walked my bike through the grounds. The gate was beautiful, and the whole temple was aesthetically pleasing.

I stopped by Arashiyama for some lunch and ice cream to beat the notable heat. As I sat eating my ice cream and planning my next few stops, I admired the old wooden bridge that had been converted to motor vehicle use. 

I also noticed some sand sculptures across the river, and cycled over to check them out. 

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Kyoto is the Arashiyama bamboo forest. 

I'll be honest: it didn't live up to the hype. The grove is not particularly extensive, and the single trail through it is incredibly crowded. It took me lagging behind for a while to get a shot of the trail with so few people in it. 

Vendors line the whole way in, and tourists buy a bunch of nonsense trinkets that they carry through the bamboo. That is to say, it wasn't exactly the peaceful and contemplative area I imagined. It was still rather pretty, even though wasn't not the extraordinary and magical place promised.

Nearby was Tenryu-ji, the temple of the heavenly dragon. 

The gardens were impressive, if crowded.  

I remember being in a rotten mood that afternoon and having to take time to remind myself I was somewhere awesome. I managed to get away from both the press of humanity and the direct heat of the sun in some of the further out trails through the shady forest. Relaxing there helped my state of mind so I was able to appreciate the rest of my time in the temple grounds. 

The top of this (relatively modern) temple building was rather captivating.

The bamboo grove in the temple grounds was smaller, but much more peaceful than its famous neighbor.

I had made much better time than I had anticipated that day, and I didn't want to cycle back on exposed road during the worst heat of the day, so I decided to wander around the area a bit. I cycled on a trail around an island in the river, then started back towards central Kyoto. The fields of rice between rows of houses would have fit in well in my neighborhood in Daejeon Korea.

Japan Day 3, Part 1: Jingo-ji Temple with Bike Ride and Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit

I was up before six so that I could bike to the far North end of Kyoto before the temples all opened. I planned to start with the farthest away sections and work my way back towards my hostel for as long as the sites were open. I had a thoroughly pleasant bicycle ride up the river, during which I saw numerous cranes and herons, and even had to go out of my way to avoid a turtle. 

After forty minutes of cycling, I stopped to eat the lunch box breakfast I had purchased from a Circle K convenience store before leaving. I was surprised at how good it was, even after having been told by my Korean coworkers that Japanese convenience stores were some of their favorite meals in Japan. 

A short ride further upriver and I arrived at Jingo-ji. Outside the gates was a whimsical collection of sculptures, from a twenty-sided kaleidoscope... 

... to a paper dragon or phoenix that looked a lot like the Rebel Alliance's symbol. 

I arrived well before the buildings opened, but I was able to walk around the grounds. A path along and over a small stream lead to the initial structures.

The entrance to the main hall was one of the most aesthetically pleasing views I had in Japan. The gardens, architecture, and colors all worked well together. 

The only other tourists there were happy to take my picture.

I found the way the moss grew on the wooden shingles of a small shrine quite beautiful.

Other buildings also had moss and fern cultivation, along with that old wood exterior that I love. 

Across the street was a building that housed some interesting armor and found wood sculpture.

I retrieved my bike and took off for the an ancient walled community.