...for work purposes
Last Saturday, (29 April), my University hosted a symposium, an opening to the Centenary celebrations in 2024. It formalised the start of the 'Camphor Tree Village' project and included speakers from around the world, discussing life's big questions and potentials. It was held at NishiHonganji, the origin temple, if you will, of the Buddhist sect of our University's founder, Takakusu Junjiro (1866-1945). A pretty big day really.
Of course, it was the opening to the week known as Golden Week, a series of public holidays around this time meaning lots of travel and with the borders re-opening it potentially meant a lot of tourists around the usual spots.
I'm lucky I've been to Kyoto several times over the years, but even so, given I was going there for the day it seemed a shame not to get in a couple of hours of looking around prior to the symposium. The trick was...where to go that was not likely to be too crowded and close enough to the venue to not arrive late...
I am at the moment, working on a project in Tokyo, looking at 'Musashino no Michi', a kind of hinterland / nature-inspired imaginary (more on that later, suffice to say, I have noted it on twitter under the hashtag # MusashinonoMichi), and given that Kyoto has a major famous river, Kamogawa, as part of its landscape, I thought it might be an interesting place to start. It is long, but a part of it is just walking distance from the station, so that was my first stop.
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| A view from a bridge |
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| There is always a bike |
My impression of this stretch, as short as it was, was that there are some interesting similarities with the rivers and streams in Tokyo that I am currently documenting. Oddly enough though, although named for ducks, I didn't see any in this stretch (unlike Tokyo's rivers...).
The other place I thought I might have time to visit was a garden, associated with the temple I was headed to today, well in a way. There is a long history between the NishiHonganji I was going to and the HigashiHonganji, literally the West and East respectively, and they are just a few streets apart in Kyoto (quite near the station). It has to do with a split in the Buddhist teachings centuries ago so the respective sects built their own temples and although there was a reconciliation of sorts...well, that another story.
So the gardens, Shouseien, (渉成園）are located between the river and HigashiHonganji, and more closely association with the Eastern temple, rather than the West (ah, family history can be tricky). Anyway, I decided to have a bit of a look.
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| 'Honganji' |
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| How to tell you are in Kyoto... |
They were interesting, not crowded at all (off the main track) and in spite being in need of a little tlc, I can see they would be a bit of an oasis. One of the main tea rooms was undergoing renovation. ¥500 entry.
A short walk across town then to attend the symposium which focussed on what we can do as future ancestors. Interesting guest speakers including Her Serene Highness Kesang T Choden Wangchuck of Bhutan. It was also a rare opportunity to participate in some Buddhist recitations in the main hall, not something you normally get to do...
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Symposium speaker Lady Marieme Jamme, words of wisdom and improving the lives of
girls and young women. Inspired! |
It started to rain as we finished, back to the station, back on the shinkansen and back to Tokyo. Much to think about and reflect on as my next phase approaches, leaving the university space and embarking on a writing, well, career is a bit overstating it, but looking at time to write about what this kid from the Coast has learned in forty years of Japan-Australia relations, in all its manifestations.(Photos a combination of the Lumix G99-D, 14-140mm and the trusty iPhone 12mini)
