Discovering the Zen in Ninnaji Temple
After my overwhelming visit to the splendid Kinkakuji temple, famously known as the Golden Pavilion. (I had the spelling right this time, ha ha!) I had Ninnaji on my list for the same day.
Now this was not in the list of temples recommended by the host from the ryokan hotel I was staying from, or maybe it was. However, it still made my final list even after removing many others. I guess sometimes, you just feel a certain "connection" to a place even before you see it.
According to my notes, I needed to hop on a certain bus number. It was difficult to find the bus stop though from the exit of Kinkakuji. It was such a pain having to ask around because all around me are mostly tourists like me and speak a different language.
To tell the story short, I just found myself walking, trying to follow the map. Yes, I remember I was holding a map, though not as detailed as it is a bit zoomed out. And also according to my notes, it was just a short ride from the Golden Pavilion going to the Ninnaji Temple, yeah, yeah -- yeah right.
So I walked to the right of the temple. At first, whenever I ask people "Ninnaji?", they would just act like they did not hear me or see me. They probably had no idea what I am talking about.
I walked beside a narrow main road. I was relaxed at first as I see other groups, rather small groups walk that way so I thought they, too, were heading to Ninnaji. Most of the time it was only me though, because for some reason, the people ahead of me gets lost in the way -- probably eat in quaint boutiques which were really actually numbered. I see residential houses and small condominiums along the way, too. The houses have minimal style architecture, and most of the time, I cannot help but just point my camera and click.
So it's just me and sometimes the squeal of the crows along the road -- I always had to stop to look around and above the trees when I hear I have company. I like the scenery though it was somewhat spooky.
What I am glad seeing was the fascinating autumn leaves on the streets -- well, not a lot. It is already winter at late December in Kyoto but there are still remnants of autumnal colors.
My feet started to hurt again. It's been a long walk but my destination is not yet in sight. I asked some people again -- I actually feel more human whenever I see people. There are moments I feel I was just dreaming or inside a Japanese anime.
Actually, walking is really nice, especially if the weather is nice. It's nice to feel your blood pumping and leaving some warmth on your cheeks. But when your feet is aching because you're wearing a wrong pair of shoes, it's just so tragic.
I was really glad to see the entrance arc, the vast open grounds of Ninnaji, the map -- I have arrived! Never in my life that I've felt the joy of having arrived at the destination. It was a sweet (really, all sweaty) 30-or-so minutes of walking.
It was and it wasn't what I expected at all. I expected it to be beautiful as it took me so much agony prior to arriving. I expected it to be just a normal "temple" because well, in proximity, it is just very close to one of the most famous one that is Kinkakuji -- and once you've seen one, you've seen all, they say? Not quite.
The energy of this one is strong. Do you believe that everything in this world, living or non-living has energy? It is a different, higher, I may say, vibration -- at least in how I perceive it.
The halls are surrounded by beautiful ponds and rock gardens in the great Heian style. Inside the halls are timeless poetry of arts in different forms and textures. I found it very difficult to capture all of it. Walang maitapon. It is the same with words. It is just difficult to describe. All I know is that I felt like "I could live here", and "I feel so at home", "I am at home", "I've been here before", "I have beautiful memories here" -- these sort of stuff.
Ninnaji is simply a physical manifestation of the word "zen". Yes, that's the word. I just thought of it now. I first associated it with words such as: "pretty", "stunning", "personal", "warm", "happy", "contentment", "nirvana", "simple", "balance", "peace", and "abode'. These words, though they closely describe Ninnaji, I can now confidently say that the word is "zen". It is the most "zen" of all places I visited so far.
Lastly, you should not miss the San-nom gate (below). I think it is the entrance but I exited here because I made my entrance from the back side of the temple. San-mon is very impressive for its size.
Now this was not in the list of temples recommended by the host from the ryokan hotel I was staying from, or maybe it was. However, it still made my final list even after removing many others. I guess sometimes, you just feel a certain "connection" to a place even before you see it.
According to my notes, I needed to hop on a certain bus number. It was difficult to find the bus stop though from the exit of Kinkakuji. It was such a pain having to ask around because all around me are mostly tourists like me and speak a different language.
To tell the story short, I just found myself walking, trying to follow the map. Yes, I remember I was holding a map, though not as detailed as it is a bit zoomed out. And also according to my notes, it was just a short ride from the Golden Pavilion going to the Ninnaji Temple, yeah, yeah -- yeah right.
So I walked to the right of the temple. At first, whenever I ask people "Ninnaji?", they would just act like they did not hear me or see me. They probably had no idea what I am talking about.
I walked beside a narrow main road. I was relaxed at first as I see other groups, rather small groups walk that way so I thought they, too, were heading to Ninnaji. Most of the time it was only me though, because for some reason, the people ahead of me gets lost in the way -- probably eat in quaint boutiques which were really actually numbered. I see residential houses and small condominiums along the way, too. The houses have minimal style architecture, and most of the time, I cannot help but just point my camera and click.
So it's just me and sometimes the squeal of the crows along the road -- I always had to stop to look around and above the trees when I hear I have company. I like the scenery though it was somewhat spooky.
What I am glad seeing was the fascinating autumn leaves on the streets -- well, not a lot. It is already winter at late December in Kyoto but there are still remnants of autumnal colors.
My feet started to hurt again. It's been a long walk but my destination is not yet in sight. I asked some people again -- I actually feel more human whenever I see people. There are moments I feel I was just dreaming or inside a Japanese anime.
Actually, walking is really nice, especially if the weather is nice. It's nice to feel your blood pumping and leaving some warmth on your cheeks. But when your feet is aching because you're wearing a wrong pair of shoes, it's just so tragic.
I was really glad to see the entrance arc, the vast open grounds of Ninnaji, the map -- I have arrived! Never in my life that I've felt the joy of having arrived at the destination. It was a sweet (really, all sweaty) 30-or-so minutes of walking.
It was and it wasn't what I expected at all. I expected it to be beautiful as it took me so much agony prior to arriving. I expected it to be just a normal "temple" because well, in proximity, it is just very close to one of the most famous one that is Kinkakuji -- and once you've seen one, you've seen all, they say? Not quite.
The energy of this one is strong. Do you believe that everything in this world, living or non-living has energy? It is a different, higher, I may say, vibration -- at least in how I perceive it.
The halls are surrounded by beautiful ponds and rock gardens in the great Heian style. Inside the halls are timeless poetry of arts in different forms and textures. I found it very difficult to capture all of it. Walang maitapon. It is the same with words. It is just difficult to describe. All I know is that I felt like "I could live here", and "I feel so at home", "I am at home", "I've been here before", "I have beautiful memories here" -- these sort of stuff.
Ninnaji is simply a physical manifestation of the word "zen". Yes, that's the word. I just thought of it now. I first associated it with words such as: "pretty", "stunning", "personal", "warm", "happy", "contentment", "nirvana", "simple", "balance", "peace", and "abode'. These words, though they closely describe Ninnaji, I can now confidently say that the word is "zen". It is the most "zen" of all places I visited so far.
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