We found our bus and headed north to the Ginkakuji Temple, a Zen Buddhist Temple. We ran into the first of thousands of middle school students out on excursions. We discovered later that this week the week before Golden Week (when all schools and many businesses are out) is traditionally when students take excursions to significant historical locals to learn about their heritage. We ran into this group on the walk up to the Temple. They were delightful. They had an assignment to talk to foreigners and practice their English. They had some set questions to ask. Their English was very impressive, particularly the girl asking Jean the questions.After walking through an impressive entryway of 12' bamboo fence and camellia hedge you walk through a gate and see the sand garden.
The seas...
and Mt. Fuji.Then you past a small pond and come to the Silver Pavilion building.
Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) is a Zen temple built in 1482 by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as his retirement villa. It is modeled after the Golden Pavilion, his grandfather's retirement villa. It was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa's death in 1490.
The Silver Pavilion was originally called Kannon-den. The first floor, Shinku-den is built in Shoin style, traditional Japanese residential architecture and the second floor Cho-onkaku is Chinese temple style having Katoumado (the bell shaped windows) in the panel wall and a Chinese sliding door. The bronze phoenix facing east constantly guards Ginkakuji.
Every group of students had a picture like thisalways with a peace sign wherever we were.
the moon watching fountain...
Despite the hundreds of well behaved students we found a truly spiritual feeling in this place. It was a wonderful beginning of our Kyoto adventure! Out the gate and a walk to the next temple.
