Japan. History and super technologies during the "momiji" red leaves season

Kyoto, Fushimi Inari temple, Golden Temple of Kinkakuji

We go to Kyoto (about 1 hour on the way) and check into a hotel. This city was the capital of Japan for more than a thousand years, until 1869. Fortunately, during the bombing of Japan during the Second World War, Kyoto was spared, so all 2,000 Buddhist and Shinto temples remained intact. 

We will visit the main Shinto temple - Fushimi Inari, known from the photographs of thousands of sacral gates - torii. Let's walk under this bright gate to the top of the mountain, where the temple, known since the 8th century, is located. Next, we head to the main temple of the country, the Golden Temple of Kinkakuji. Yes, it is covered with plates of real gold! One could admire this luminous picture and its reflection in the lake forever. 

It was built in the 14th century as the Fujiwara family estate, but the place fell into disrepair when the head of the family was arrested after the assasionation plot of the emperor was revealed. The temple became a Buddhist monastery. On July 2, 1950, a scandal occurred, described by Yukio Mishima in the famous novel “The Temple of the Golden Pavillion” - a 21-year-old novice monk set the shrine on fire. His mother committed suicide out of shame. The temple was rebuilt according to drawings and photographs only in 2003. 

We explore the Ryoan-ji garden of stones and try to see all 15 stones at once. This is the classic idea of the creators of such gardens - from whatever side you look at the stones, you can see no more than 14 of them. Only the people who have attained enlightenment can see the fifteenth stone hidden from their eyes. But we still try!

Arashiyama bamboo grove, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple, Geisha dances

In the morning we go to the suburb of Arashiyama and discover the Iwatayama wild monkeys park. There is a special place where you can feed the animals and watch cubs play. We reach the famous bamboo grove, familiar from so many photos. Smooth and thin trunks, like spears, tend to the sky, covering the sun with the leaves of their tops and spilling bright green soft light around. Not a single photo will convey these colors! It seems that you are on another planet or in the mythical world of John Tolkien. 

We go out onto the road with traditional shops and restaurants and reach the remote Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple. Years ago, the abbot of the temple-sculptor by profession had an original idea. He began to give lessons to visitors teaching them to carve figures of Buddha's disciple out of stone. The figures remained in the temple as an offering. In just a few years of simple lessons of sculpture, thousands of figures gathered around the temple! Each has his own facial expressions, some have guitars in their hands and even tennis rackets. Few visitors come here, and it’s a real pleasure to wander in silence, looking at the figurine's faces covered with moss. 

We return to the city center and attend a geisha show. We will see dances, which these white-faced, stern beauties study for years!