This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by @japon: Les temples et le jardin secret du Higashi à Kyoto
As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.
Remember that the person that speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but @japon, a French guy.
My real first day in Kyoto starts after a good night on my futon. It's 8 o'clock, I go out for coffee and start my day visiting. Near the train station there are several large Buddhist temples and a garden that are quite unknown to tourists. I find a cafe where I eat breakfast, then I take the the subway.
Hongan-ji was founded in 1602 by the Tokugawa shogun, and was the seat of the Shin-shu branch of the Jodo Buddhist sect. As this sect became more important and its power increased, the shogun cut it in half. We find Nishi Hongan-ji in the West and Higashi Hong-ji in the East. Physically, these two temples are only a few hundred metres apart.
The temples are surrounded by large walls and moats. The Higashi Hongan-ji is the newest of the two, and like many wooden buildings in Japan, it was destroyed by fire and was completely rebuilt in 1895.
The door and building are impressive in size, decor and dark color. Inside the enclosure, a large courtyard with huge lanterns and a small purification basin.
The central building, 78 meters long, is Japan's largest wooden building. I go in and it takes on a whole new dimension. It's really huge, the floor is completely covered with tatami mats. Unfortunately the photos are forbidden, which can be understood because it is above all a place of worship. There are a few people sitting on the floor, waiting to be recollected. I sit in a corner, and enjoy the fullness of the place.
I then go back to the Nishi Hongan-ji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, just as impressive in size. I am surprised to see so few people in such a place that is a real architectural gem. Especially that the entry is free and the visit of each of these temples requires only half an hour.
But the real little treasure is just a few steps away, the discreet Shosei-en Garden attached to the Nishi Hongan-ji Temple. At this place was an old imperial residence. Ravaged by several fires, the garden was completely built identically at the end of the 19th century and now recognized as a national historic monument.
It is a little secret place in Kyoto, I feel cut off from the world despite the surrounding urbanization. It is not a Japanese garden with its strictly cut trees, the style is much freer.
A path leads to various observation points, including two beautiful wooden bridges. The Kaito-ro is a covered bridge whose architecture does not leave you insensitive.
Central point of the garden, a magnificent tea house on the edge of the lake. Unfortunately it is impossible to enter.
The Shosei-en garden is relatively deserted, most tourists certainly prefer to go to more famous places. At one point, I meet a Japanese woman who tells me: "you are a foreigner". What insight!
We chat a little, she asks me where I come from and she was surprised when I told him that I live in Bordeaux. She knows this city because she has family in Toulouse. We are talking about my trip to Japan, despite my small level of Japanese. But I'm happy and proud to be able to have a conversation. The months spent learning this complicated language have paid off, it's a great reward.
Come the moment to leave, and she holds out her hand. I was very surprised! I thought that in Japanese culture there was no physical contact, I stayed a few seconds to look at his hand. And then I told myself that this Japanese woman knew the European culture, it's a way for her to show it to me. I gently squeeze her fine hand, say goodbye, and finish my visit of Shosei-en. If you come to Kyoto and are looking for a quiet place, do not hesitate to go to this rather secret place in the center of the city.
As for me, I continue my journey towards new discoveries. The weather is gray but nice, I decided to walk to feel the atmosphere of Kyoto.
-- @japon
01: Travel diary in Japan, by @japon
02: Tokyo, overcrowded city? Really? by @japon
03: Are the Japanese too disciplined? by @japon
04: Going to Japan without speaking Japanese? by @japon
05: Ueno, more than just a big park in Tokyo, by @japon
06: Asakusa, diving in the heart of Tokyo's historic district, by @japon
07: Ameyoko, Ueno's colorful market, by @japon
08: Tsukiji, the largest fish market in the world, by @japon
09: Climb the steps of Atago Jinja Shrine in Tokyo, by @japon
10: Hama Rikyu, an exceptional park in the heart of Tokyo, by @japon
11: Jimbocho, old books and tempura, by @japon
12: Shinjuku Gyoen Park and the best burger in the world!, by @japon
13: One night in Shibuya, by @japon
14: Takeshita dori : this little street dedicated to fashion (and good crepes), by @japon
15: They lie to you about Kyoto, by @japon