Bamboo, Flea Market and Good-byes

Seems odd but we head out to the same place we visited yesterday only this time we take the subway and streetcar to the other side of Arashiyama. Entering the small but lovely Tenryuji Buddhist Temple, famous for its beautiful gardens, our first sight is a "sea" of white stones raked in "waves". A Buddhist garden has meaning everywhere with each stone, tree, waterway and path creating harmony, tranquility and serenity. We slowly wander and take in budding trees, mossy rocks, a few flowering azaleas. There is a tiny pond with un-Buddhist like frog statues where coins are thrown to bring you safe travels to return. I toss a penny and wonder if I will really be back.

Just above this garden is another very different garden , accessed by walking through a forest of enormous bamboo! Makes my backyard bamboo look rather feeble in comparison. There are crowds of people and then, when we pay to enter the next garden we are magically alone. I ask Saeko and she says the garden we have entered is very expensive so few people pay---ah, peace and quiet! 

The Okochi Garden was the creation of Denjiro Okochi, a famous Japanese silent screen star. He bought 5 acres in the 1930's and proceeded to build a house, guest house, meditation hut, a moon viewing platform and surrounded it all with beautiful plants, trees, wandering paths and quiet spaces. The property climbs to a vista of the Oi River and we are able to see the Temple building we visited yesterday. The view must be spectacular in the fall when all the maples turn colors! 

 We rest for a bit and have some green tea in the garden, then back through the bamboo, the shops and eateries and on the streetcar. We go directly to the monthly flea market at the Kitano Shrine. Seems like I have temporarily returned to the USA as it really is a typical flea market. There are artists, antiques, tools, dishes, junk, knick knacks, food and much more. The only thing different is they sell lots of new and used kimonos and the food is different (I did recognize corn on the cob!). Bought some small souvenirs and a traditional paper cutting from the artist. Fun to see the sights and smells of a typical Japanese Saturday outing.

Back at the hotel I get a snack at the grocery store and wander the neighborhood observing and photographing. Seems like a typical urban lifestyle with high rise apartments, small homes with non existent yards, one car and a few bicycles but close to bus and train, grocery, restaurants and other essential shops. My one observation about restaurants is don't eat Italian---the food looks like Japanese noodles with red sauce!

Final dinner in Kyoto is a small place overlooking the Kamo River as the sun sets---lovely. Bento box with the usual, a nice glass of wine and, what else, ice cream for dessert. We take a pleasant walk around this upscale and delightful neighborhood, window shopping and people watching. There are more "white" tourists here then most of the places we have been. Wonder why---nicer area? Taxi back to the hotel and say goodbye to 7 of our group who are not continuing to Hiroshima. Packing, writing and ready to head to our final destination tomorrow.