Japanese Culture - Zen, Sushi and Music

Kyoto Day 3

Today was a wonderful day full of traditional Japanese cultural experiences of various kinds. We started the morning off with a trip to the Senkoji Temple, a Zen temple up in the mountains of the Arashiyama area of Kyoto.  We drove to the Hozu-Gawa river in the Arashiyama district and walked to the riverbank where we got a small boat. We were met at the river by our host, a monk from the Senkoji Zen Temple who accompanied us on the ride down the river to the monastery.  We got off the boat near the monastery and walked the 200+ stone steps up from the river to the monastery which is on the side of the mountain. The Zendo has a wonderful view out over the mountains and the city.  The Senkoji monastery is an active Zen monastery that has been on that mountain for 400 years.  It has fallen on hard times and so the Grand Circle Foundation (the parent company of Overseas Adventure Travel) supports it by bringing groups to visit and raising funds to help in a variety of restoration projects that the monastery needs done.  While we were at the monastery we had a basic introduction to Zen Buddhism, including chanting the shortest sutra (in sanskrit!) accompanied by the monk with bell and drum, a short silent meditation, and a formal tea ceremony, where we prepared and drank matcha in the ceremonial way typical of Zen practice.  After our meditation session (which included the monk rapping us on the back with a bamboo stick to sharpen our meditation practice!) we walked back down the mountain and returned by boat to our bus.  The monk stayed with us on that ride too and continued to explain the process of Zen training that members of his monastery undergo.

After we left the monastery, we went to Kameoka, a small city out in the country, that was once the agricultural capital of Kyoto.  Farming is still the major occupation out there.  In a 400 year old Samurai house, we had lunch that included a lesson in sushi-making taught to us by some local women who are experts at the craft.  We made our own sushi and then enjoyed a full multi-course traditional Japanese lunch with miso soup, tempura, vegetables of various kinds, the sushi that we had made and fruit.  The food was delicious.  We then toured the old house which was really impressive including a lovely garden before returning to Kyoto for brief rest.

A smaller group of us then went on an optional tour where we enjoyed a private concert of traditional Japanese music at the home of a couple who are professional musicians.  The wife played the koto (harp) and shamisen (three stringed instrument that sounds vaguely like a banjo!) and the husband, who is a Zen monk, played the bamboo flute.  Both were in traditional garb, she in her kimono and he in his Zen monk attire.  The music was excellent and we enjoyed a little over an hour of them playing for us.  Then they let us try out the instruments ourselves which was great fun.  Their home was in a residential neighborhood near Kyoto University and we really enjoyed being in someone's home as well as experiencing the beautiful traditional music.  

From there we took a taxi to the Gion district, which is the Geiko/Maiko (Geisha) district of Kyoto, where all the night life happens.  This part of town really comes alive at night and it is very quaint, with cobblestoned streets and old wooden houses and traditional Japanese inns and restaurants.  We ate in a tiny little restaurant tucked away on a side street where we sat on the floor and enjoyed food served in a multi-tiered box, which, when opened revealed three drawers of food - the first had breaded shrimp, chicken and potato with salad, the second had steak and vegetables and the third had rice, in the shape of a fan.  We also got miso soup and ice cream for dessert.  On the walls of the restaurant hung many Japanese fans presented to the restaurant owners by Geikos and Maikos (Geishas in training) who have frequented the restaurant and want to thank the owners for their excellent service.  After supper we walked through the narrow winding streets of this old part of town, enjoying the lights and the sense of old Kyoto.  We finished up walking through the Yasaka Shinto Shrine, which is the shrine which the maikos/geikos go to pray for divine help in their dancing and singing development.  The shrine looked really lovely all lit up for the night.  We took taxis from there back to the hotel. All in all it was a terrific day of Japanese culture.

Pics include shots from the monastery, including me ringing the bell as we got near the Zendo, a shot of the sushi I made at Kemeoka, pics of the musicians including one of me trying out the koto (harp) and a shot of the Yasaka shrine at night.