Kiyomizudera temple

Immediately after settling into my amazing hostel I walked up the street to Kiyozumidera Temple.

It was close to closing and over run with young school children. So I decided not to pay to enter but just walk around the area before the temple.

There was a large tower facing an arch.

In front of the tower facing the arch were small stone towers with lantern like tops. I felt inside one and discovered pebbles. So I placed a marble in with them. 

So mom can look at this.

And some else placing a pebble will find her.

Afterward I walked down some of the old streets of Kyoto.

Gorgeous snail. I pet it.

Came across a young girl in traditional kimono.

A beautiful breaking I the cloudy sky means time for dinner.

 Soba

And a satisfied walk home.

Kyoto

I arrived to Kyoto early. So I went to a coffee shop and ordered and paid successfully in Japanese for this geek tea latte.

The youth hostel I am staying in here is ridiculously beautiful and only $34 a night  with a full western breakfast for $3. It's all wood. It smells amazing! There are only myself and one other Japanese man here. There are to be 2 more women tomorrow. It's very quite and peaceful on a side street right in the Gion district (geisha county). 

Dining room/lounge. They put out go tea and cookies and some super salty thing. There is a small garden in he back, microwave and toaster.

Bathroom door to the right and family room straight. Gorgeous door! The owner told me that it was made from recycles wood more than 60 yrs old.

This is the room. Two bunks. Just me tonight.

In the morning meditation on the backyard porch by dripping water pool.

Kamakura cont....

After Zuisenji I went to another temple called Kenchoji.

In front they had this set up.

To the left were all these little ceramic bowls.

I donated a coin and put some of mom's ashes in the dish.

I then tossed it on the rock with all the others.

I strolled around and down a wooded path and found where they dump all the broken pieces and some other curious forms.

One of them is coming home with me if I don't break it.

There were Japanese letters written on this. Really beautiful.

More interesting stairs.

Now that's a whole lotta copper!

Mom will like it here too.

More about Kamakura can be seen here

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/04/29/environment/kamakuras-historic-flowering-garden/#.UadhB2Qayc3

kamakura

First day in Tokyo and I take a train out of the city to Kamakura to goto Zuisenji Temple and garden. I have to take 3 trains a bus and then walk. When I got off the bus I tagged along with 3 ladies that made me feel tall to navigate to the temple. Everyone here is so helpful and many speak some English.  Zuisenji was excavated and restored in 1970. I was born in 1970 so it seems like it serendipitously turned out perfect.
This is the entrance to the Zuisenji Temple. Ji means temple

This temple is tucked away in the mountains.

It was excavated and restored in 1970, which makes it a perfect spot for the first marble since that is the year I was born.

To the right of this main gate there is a small pool for cleansing your hands before entry.

This seemed like a perfect spot to place one at the bottom. If you look carefully for the red and green you can see it.

A few photos of the inside.

This tree is being braced up with other logs.

I really wanted to ring this bell.

For some reason in an area where the public were not allowed there were a huge number of women in traditional kimono. So beautiful.

This was a shrine where you put some change in the box and lit some incense. I snuck in some of mom's ashes here.

As I was walking away from  the temple I began to cry and feel a sense of loning and that I was leaving my mom behind. I wanted to go back and get her but I knew she was in a beautiful place that she always wanted to see so who was I to not let her be. 

Safe and Successful Arrival

Wow they let me in! Haha Success!  The flight was long but there were many movies to watch for free! And time for me to finally do some research on this crazy island I am going to. Getting to my hostel was easy. The people at the hostel are very nice. I went out for dinner and that was a challenge not knowing any Japanese. So I just found an uncrowded place and struggled through it cause that's better than starving. And it was quite tasty too!

On my way......

OMG I can't believe I am going to Japan! I am so excited! If it wasn't for my mom's desire I'm not sure I would have this same adventurous courage. I am so grateful to her for giving me the strength and impetus. I start in Toyko for two nights, then Kyoto for 3, and then a temple in Mt Koya where I will get to meditate with monks and every morning they have a FIRE ceremony. So Cool!