May 18: Kyoto

They say it’s my birthday. Although with the time difference between here and there I’m tempted to either delay or milk it for 36 hours!

It was delightful to sleep in a western bed and not have a schedule for the day. We found a boulangerie around the corner and had a wonderful American breakfast. Just what I wanted as I mark 60 (!) years on this planet. I wanted to stroll the Philosopher’s Path, so we began the exploration of the NE section of Kyoto by going to the Nanzen-ji Temple complex.

Originally built as a villa for Emperor Kameyama in the 13thC, it was converted to a temple when the emperor became a disciple of a great Buddhist teacher. This temple became the headquarters of the Rinzai sect, whose teachings were introduced to Japan by the Chinese monk Eisai. There’s a triple gate San-mon that it’s possible to climb up into, which has a wonderful view of the main pavilion, the Hojo Seriyo-Den. Its two rooms have been designated a National Treasure due to their sliding panel paintings. The ceiling also had an elaborate painting. There were a couple of lovely gardens to stroll through and a brick aqueduct from the Meiji period (1890).

From this area we found our way to the Tetsugaku no Michi, the Philosopher’s Path, which takes its name from the monks who for centuries walked this way pursuing their meditations. It follows along a canal for about 2km, and there are charming little shops and cafes along the route. We had two encounters with older Japanese men while walking on this path today. One was searching for, and finding, 4-leaf clovers. He pointed one out to Karen for her to pick and when we couldn’t find a second in the growth alongside the canal we gave me one he had found earlier. He said it was a gift. I tried to explain that it was my birthday and a perfect gift, but that message was lost in translation. He had a little packet of tiny envelopes and had me select one to put the clover in. A little further along a man had several small stones that we had painted — one side a temple, the other side some sakura (cherry blossoms). He said (in pretty good English) that he had been doing this for many years and selling them along the path. Given my obsession with stones, I selected one and he had me choose a little colorful envelope in which to put it. Two gifts in one short walk. I felt that my birthday was complete.

At the end of the trail is Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion. Built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa in the 15thC it reflects the most modest lifestyle of the later shoguns. The culture of the Eastern Moutains is rooted in a form of Zen philosophy inspired by wabi-sabi (refinement in simplicity) of which the Tea Ceremony (cha-no-yu) is the fullest expression. It is said that Yoshimasa played a key role in the development of the Tea Ceremony, which was transformed from an everyday activity into a formal ritual. The pagoda-like structure wasn’t silver or very ornate, but the touring route led through the garden which consists of two parts. The first combines cones of sand designed to reflect the moon’s rays, and long strips of alternatively rough and smooth sand. The second part of the garden hugs the hillside with trees, moss, a small lake and waterfall.

That was it for temples for me. I had booked a 90-minute massage and a night at the Ritz-Carlton, so headed out for my evening of complete surrender to hedonism. And the hotel did not disappoint, with a lovely birthday greeting through beautiful macaroons. I tend to prefer solitude on my birthday; no karaoke or dinners or parties. Instead, some quiet reflection, a hot bath and a glass of pinot noir is birthday celebration perfection to me.