Comments on: 2007/07/27 Ryoan-ji rock garden

By: Pierreo

Pierreo — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:03:35 +0000

The rock garden is a surreal experience. I never thought that a bunch of rocks and gravel could have such an effect on me.
I am sorry that you did not get to see the nearby “Golden Pagda” – it is to me one of the highlights of Kyoto.
I can also congratulate you for doing just what I tend to do in foreign places: leave one really good thing to do ro see, so that you just have to come back to complete the visit. I can sense that you will be back in Japan. WHen you do, just make sure you go back to Ryona-Ji, but also visit the “Golden Pagoda”, if possible in spring when the weather is not so hot and the cherry blossomes are in bloom – I still have to do that too…

By: » 2007/07/27 Nijo Castle, Ninomaru Palace -- Distractions, reflections -- Blog Archive -- David Ing, at large … Sometimes, my mind wanders

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 02:47:57 +0000

[...] In the northeast corner of the castle, there’s a rock garden, somewhat less spectacular than Ryoan-ji. [...]

By: KarenB

KarenB — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 12:49:14 +0000

When I was in Kyoto, visiting with another friend from Toronto, we were met by a Japanese friend from Nagano, who is a monk married to a German woman. Together, the three of us visited Ryoan-ji. We sat at the edge of the Zen garden, enjoying the serenity of the place, engaging in conversation. At the opposite end of the garden sat the only other visitors in that rather expansive space, a pair of western tourists. Suddenly, they indignantly and vociferously yelled at us to be quiet!! We were evidently ruining the zen experience that they had travelled an incredible distance to achieve. Without missing a beat, our Japanese host said, “My wife and I call these people stinky!”