Zen and the art of . . . well, zen.

We visited a lot of shrines/temples while we were in Kyoto. But without question my favorite was the zen Buddhist beauty that is Daitoku-Ji.  This grouping of gardens and temples was so peaceful, so beautiful that it was impossible not to feel more loved, more connected to the rest of the world, even more charitable.  From the dry gardens with their stories of the circle of life, to the lush green gardens with their calming beauty, I loved this place.  There are few places in my life that have asked me to be a better person.  But after visiting Daitoku-Ji, I want to be a better person.  Here are a few photos that can't begin to express the beauty of Daitoku-Ji.

I seldom felt like a giant Caucasian man in Japan, but this picture makes me feel huge. 

Of shopping and shrines.

Kyoto's Gion district is a strange mashup of modern life and Japanese tradition.  There's plenty of first-rate shopping including a series of covered streets that feature hundreds of shops, most populated by local vendors selling a variety of wares.

That's probably to be expected in a modern Japanese city. What isn't expected is the multitude of shrines that are peppered throughout the same area.  One of our cab drivers informed us that there are more than 1,700 shrines in Kyoto. Every where you turn in the covered shopping streets you find little alleyways that lead you to shrines.  And as you explore those alleyways, you find amazing nooks and crannies that seem completely out of place in a place that is all about capitalism.  Somehow, it makes shopping more enjoyable.  Here are some photos of the shrines I visited while enjoying a little Japanese shopping.