Story & photos by Joshua Berida
The flight to Osaka was uneventful; everything I heard about Japan’s technology was true, from the train that took us from the terminal to the arrival area, to the futuristic features of the airport. I even found the heated toilets that played a sound whenever you pressed a button novel.
I was in a rush to get out of the city to discover what Japan was like centuries ago. I bought a train ticket that will take me to the country’s former capital, Kyoto.
Moving through past and present
Boarding the train from the airport to the ancient city of Kyoto was like going into a wormhole. It zipped through skyscrapers, underground tunnels, people came and went; the landscape transformed from concrete to wood, from pavement to farms.
The train stopped at Kyoto station, I tempered my expectations about what I will see and experience. I was expecting an old city, with charming buildings in decay beside restored thousand year-old temples. The train station was only a glimpse of the modern metropolis just a few meters outside.
The maze-like subway was difficult to navigate; people zipped in and out of platforms, boutique stores, restaurants and 7-Elevens. A booming voice in Japanese dictated which trains arrived and which ones are about to leave. Everything was prompt, down to the second; the organized chaos was different from Manila. It took a while for me to take everything in, things happened so quickly, time moved slower back home.
I left the station looking for solace, searching for a place to slow down. The train I boarded zipped through neighborhoods until it stopped at the heart of the city near the old town.
The moment I stepped out of the subway, I felt Kyoto’s paradox; it was an ancient city juxtaposed into the present. Towering office buildings and hotels right next to restored temples and old houses, the branded stores mixed with local shops selling clothes, handicrafts and knick-knacks, McDonald’s, and KFCs side-by-side with izakayas (informal drinking establishments that serve food along with drinks) line the streets. It is normal to see locals wearing kimonos, whether young or old, man or woman walking with people wearing suits, high heels, short skirts and Nikes. Kyoto is a vibrant city with a beating heart that is both old and new.
A walk through narrow alleys will take you to small, charming local restaurants that only fit a handful of people, but nonetheless filled with salary men looking to unwind. The cramped spaces were like intimate hiding places for those seeking to get away from the fast pace of the city. A shot of sake, the crackling of kitchens concocting tempura and katsudon mixed with conversations among friends and colleagues are slow moments that you long and wait for.
Imperial past
As the ancient capital of Japan, the imperial court gathered and discussed political affairs whenever they visited Kyoto.
Nijo Castle, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage Site, was used as a Kyoto residence for the Tokugawa epoch’s shoguns. The complex contained various chambers, offices, and rooms for the shoguns and other guests of the imperial court.
The design of the castle manifested the social control of the shoguns of that time. The outer chambers of the Ninomaru palace were for low-ranking visitors, while the subtle and inner rooms were for high-ranking officials. The entrances to the different quarters that separated the low-ranking guests from their high-ranking counterparts did not have bodyguards. The Tokugawas did this as a show of power to intimidate visitors.
I walked through the castle’s chambers and rooms to get a glimpse of what life was like during the city’s imperial past. The social structure of the shogunate was clear, certain areas of the castle were only for chosen people, and each room had a separate use.
The imperial court had an eye for beauty; the complex had comely gardens where trees towered above the walls. The carefully positioned and placed stones and pine trees were a work of art, exemplifying Japanese simplicity and precision. These pockets of green are ideal spaces for contemplation and solace after exploring the castle.
Serenity in the urban jungle
Despite the frenetic and urban pace of Kyoto, the city has quiet places that locals hold sacred. From ancient temples to Zen gardens, there is solace and a place to slow down in different parts of Kyoto.
Fushimi Inari Taisha is the most famous place of worship in Kyoto, characterized by the towering, orange torii gates. People see Inari, the god of rice, as the patron of business, watching over their companies. The shrine is not only popular with foreign tourists, locals visit to pay their respects and enjoy nature. I took my time exploring, taking in the quietness of early morning and night where few people wandered.
The sight of the gates climbing up the mountain symbolized the spirituality of ancient Kyoto. Visitors had to hike up and cleanse their mind and bodies before they reached different mounds for private worship. With each step and gate passed, they had to shed their former selves.
Stop time at Ryoan-ji Zen Temple, a Unesco Heritage Site in the northwest part of the city. The temple follows the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism. The kare-sansui, or dry landscaped design, features rock formations amid carefully chosen pebbles that facilitate contemplation and meditation.
Kinkaku-ji, or the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is another Zen temple in the city. However, if you are looking for solace, you came to the wrong place. As one of the most famous temples in Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji attracts several tourists every day, snapping photos and walking through the garden. The design of the golden pavilion integrates three styles, which are Zen, samurai and shinden, with each floor following a distinct style.
Ginkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, is similar to Kinkaku-ji. The shogun used the temple grounds as a place of contemplation and rest. Despite the frenetic coming and going of tourists, the temple managed to keep its veil of tranquility. Visitors kept their distance and respected the sacredness of the complex.
The rock compositions and placements, bridges and plants of the gardens in both temples follow a certain arrangement to facilitate meditation and deep thought. Beauty does not have to be grand; contemplation and quietness do not have to be in isolation but is a state of mind. The simplicity of the landscaped gardens show small things and details can be beautiful.
I left Kyoto with a sense of wonder; I watched the city transform, coming to life with its bright lights. I imagined what it was like centuries ago; was it the same? Was it different? The trains and buses darted from place to place, everything moved fast and precise. The paradoxes of the new and old Kyoto exemplifies a country that holds its past close to its heart, cherishes it and looks at it with childlike wonder, using it as a guiding light to map its future.
I headed to Kyoto station trying to catch the next train to Osaka. I was not in a hurry, as I knew it will arrive on time, it always does. Then I figured,-time is a state of mind here. The door of the train opened, I entered the wormhole waiting to arrive in the same place where I started this journey.
Travel tips
- The trains and buses have stations near tourist destinations, such as the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Nijo Castle, making it easy to travel from one place to another. Riding taxis is an unnecessary expense.
- Bring your passport with you when you go shopping, you get discounts and tax exemptions when your purchases reach a certain amount. The best time to visit tourist attractions is as soon as they open; this allows you to explore the area minus the crowd.
1 comment
I have traveled to Japan more than a couple of times, since the early 80’s and will continue to visit as my time and budget allows. It is one place, country, and people that almost have all the qualities of what a peaceful, progressive and discipline populace could ever be. Can the Philippines be like Japan? Seems daunting, but yes, even if it takes a hundred years, especially if we start electing responsible leaders now. Japan is a major ally now, and base on both gov’t pronouncements are more than willing to extend economic and technical assistance to the Phils.