Arrival at Tokyo
I have been crazily busy for almost one week, and went to Yilan for the institute a retreat before I left for Japan. Almost unbelievably, a typhoon hit Taipei and brought heavy rain at the time when I was leaving. This was December. I reached at Narita Airport and then took a van to the hotel at Bunkyo-ku (文京區).
In the morning of the second day, I took a walk around Yushima. I visited Yushima Shrine (湯島神社). There was a stone in the Shrine, on which two Chinese calligraphic characters “hardworking” were engraved by the baseball master Sadaharu Oh (王貞治). I then went to Tokyo Medical and Dental University to attend a meeting hosted by Prof. Hakiwara and gave a lecture. A traditional Japanese dinner, kaiseki (懷石) cuisine, was served in the hotel. The dishes had a very elegant and decorative setting. Japanese food is light but somehow too salty.
First Impression of Kyoto
I took bullet train Shinkansen to Kyoto at the third day. I stayed in a hotel located on a popular street, Kawaramachi (河原町通). After I settled down, I walked to the nearby streets where there was a night market. On the next day, I planed to visit the National Kyoto Museum of Modern Art, but it was closed on Monday. So I walked to the nearby Heianjingu Shrine (平安神宮). I didn’t like the shining orange color of this architecture at all. However, I still visited the garden Shin’ens (御苑). The huge garden was full of plants, many of which were described in Japanese ancient literatures like Genji Monogatari (源氏物語), a famous book written by a woman writer Murasaki Shikibu (紫式部) in the early 11th century. Each plant was also accompanied with a poem. I also learned from the instruction that many plants as well as birds have also been described in our Odes (詩經). I could hear birds singing. Because there were only a few tourists, I could somehow enjoy the tranquility of the garden a bit. Kyoto is famed by its overwhelming maples in autumn. I was glad to have a chance to see its rich colors at this late autumn moment.
Professor Hito Ohno arranged a seminar for me in Kyoto University. This was so ridiculous that I could not find any coffee shop or light the way to Kyoto University in this gourmet city. I finally bought a small slice of bread in a grocery store in a quite lousy place to fill my empty stomach before I visited Ohno.
I gave a talk in Ohno’s Institute and also met Naoyuki Kataoka. After the lecture, After my talk, Ohno invited us to have a casserole dinner in a traditional Japanese restaurant, where they often treated their guests. I was almost cold to death while walking outside. Unlike what we often do in Taiwan, their hot pot was not refilled with any food during the meal. I only had a few pieces of vegetables and Tofu, and finally a little soba; I doubted that others would be full. However, we had a great time during the dinner.
Kyoto Temples
I spent all my rest time in travel. I woke up too early in the second morning. I brewed coffee and ate a piece of red-dean wagashi (最中). I studied the travel guidebooks and decided to go to the northeast side in the morning. I took buses to reach at Daitokuj (大德寺). I then realized that this temple houses more than 20 sub-temples called Ins, including several highly recommended ones. I walked by Zuiho-in (瑞峰院), Korin-in (興臨院), Koto-in (高桐院) and Daisen-in (大仙院), but only a few were opened. These Ins are famous for their garden decoration. I felt very cold while walking outside, although I wore a hat and wool scarf. I decided to visit the Zuiho-in (瑞峰院) Monastery. Zuiho means a blissful mountain. The founder, Sorin Ohtotmo, was originally a Zen Buddhist but later became a Christian; the time was in the 16th century when Portugueses came to Japan. Anyway, the design of the Karesansui (枯山水) (dry-landscaped) garden, called Dokuza (獨坐庭) (sitting alone), was not very impressive to me, Because it was warm due to the sunshine, I sat for quite a while reading the brochure of this temple. Such landscape gardening emphasizes simplicity, behind which is a harmonious composition of beauty and life. I hereby quotate the following from the instruction: Zen is a completeness in the incompleteness, a beauty of poverty, and a meaning in an apparently meaningless life.
Then I visited the Ryogen-in (龍源院). The famous Isshidan (一枝坦) garden comprises the Crane island, the Tortoise island, and Mt. Horai (蓬萊山). I though these may symbolize Tao’s permanence instead of Zen’s spirit, but I couldn’t find such implication in the brochure. The oldest meditation hall in Japan faces to this garden. There is a moss garden at the other side, which did not impress me.
It was near the lunchtime but again I could not find any restaurant around Kinkakuji (金閣寺). So I ate a piece of English muffin left over from my breakfast. I visited this famous temple, which was originally called Rokuonji (鹿苑寺). On one could forget the novel “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion” written by Nobel laureate Yukio Mishima (三島由紀夫). This temple was built by the Shogynate (幕府) Yoshimitsu Ashikaga (足利義滿) in the late 14th century, the Muromachi (室町) age. I didn’t like its golden cover but I heard that the Pavillion is famous by the reflection of its gleaming golden in the surrounding pond. I followed the tourists passing through the garden. Soon we reached the exit and I even could not take a glance again before I left. I then took a bus to Ginkakuji (銀閣寺).
I walked on the path of philosophy, Tetsugaku-Nomichi (哲學之道). Famous Kansefsu cherries were along this road A painter, Kansetsu Hashimoto (橋本關雪), had a house nearby. The weather was warmer and more tourists came here. Near the entrance, people were crowded in front of the rocky landscape, Kogetsudai (向月台) and Ginshadan (銀沙灘). This was my first time to see a Karesansui (枯山水) in an open area together with green plants. But I did not have time to look at this work in detail. Ginkakuji (銀閣寺) has a hill in the back where there were red maples on the top and green mosses on the ground. Following the steps of the tourists, I soon reached the gate and saw the mail hall Kannonden (觀音殿), quietly sits aside the pond.
I then took a walk to the Ryoanji (龍安寺), located at hills in the northern Kyoto. At this time, one can really enjoy the colors of maples so called momiji-gari (autumn-color viewing; 紅葉狩). This temple has been famous for its karesansui (枯山水). I sat in front of the Hojo, the meditation hall facing the karesansui. This dry landscape is full of Zen’s aesthetics. I later found that and the shadows of clouds and outside trees were falling on the ground, changed every minute. Such a momentary scene could be as permanent upon viewer’s interpretation. The northern yard is also impressive. Only a few maples and some green plants were arranged in a small mossy garden. The setting was in a poetic way and somewhat like Corot’s paintings. I then realized that the still-live stone landscape in the south is facing to the sun (Yang) whereas the living garden in the north is in the opposite (Yin). The tourists could walk along the pond to the exit. The garden outside is gorgeous. I picked up some maple leaves. However, they soon became dry and curled so that I could not keep them forever. Everything is temporary and would be finally gone.
Japan Art Museums
I visited the Municipal Museum of Art in Kyoto. I only took a look at the “Continuation and Repetition”, in which the masterpieces of the collection were exhibited. These works were mainly from Japanese artists at different times in the 20th century. I also another art museum Kyoto, the Insho-Domoto（堂本象印）Museum. Unfortunately, I got lost once and also spilled the coffee when I was way to this museum. It turned out that I was the only guest. However, I enjoyed this quiet hour, looking at the art works and sitting in the comfortable armchair for a while. Before this artist visited Europe, his paintings were partially influenced by Chinese scholar paintings but still maintained Japanese delicate characters. In his late years, the artist had infused the elements of impressionism and neo-classicism into his various works including ceramics, glasses and sculptures. Therefore, the style of his later works was very different from that of the earlier ones. I was interested in his peonies; he painted two in ’21 and ’64, respectively. The artist also made a large piece of glass mosaic for a court, which is reminiscent of Austrian artist Klimt.
When I got back Tokyo, I went straight to the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno (上野). There was a special exhibition of Matisse, called “Process and Variation”. We could see the practices (process) and the final works as well as many variations arranged side by side. We should appreciate this exhibition for its great efforts on gathering these works from different places. But I was wondering why the artists repeatedly produced similar works or something that contained repeated motifs, such as Monet’s water lilies and Matisse’s seaweeds. Were they, unsatisfied? Matisse might love simple colors. I particularly love blue, for both its tone and spirit. So I paid attention to his paintings in the blue background or with blue interior decorations. One nude woman was reminiscent of Manet’s Olympia. For another nude woman, although in simple lines and colors, I could tell her muscles. Nevertheless, I was wondering how Matisse touched people, and whether his simplicity is similar to Zen’s essence. Nevertheless, I preferred some pieces by Insho-Domoto, as compared with Matisse.
I then looked at the collection of this museum. The paintings included some Italian pieces in the 15th -16thcentury, and of course, impressionistic works. This museum is probably the major place for impressionistic paintings outside the western countries. I liked “Gypsy in reflection” by Courbet as well as some flower pieces including Monet’s water lilies and yellow irises, and van Gogh’s early work “Roses”. As to abstract paintings, there was a Pollock’s work with only black lines, which is in contrast to my impression that he only scattered various colors over canvas.
Other Kyoto spots
Kiyomizudera (清水寺) is famous, but I do not like it at all. Too many tourists came to pray (mostly for meaningless objectives). However, the garden was still appreciable with the maples. Cheery and maple give the glorious life of Kyoto. Spring symbolizes the growth with white cherry flowers whereas autumn is full of colorful maple leaves which, however, imply a fading life. The main building itself was worthy to look at. The Nobutai (舞台) was built by huge woods which are connected with each other by a traditional method without nails. Moreover, this trip itself was somewhat a nice hiking. After then, I walked down the Kyoto Ceramics Center. Because I took a wrong way, I was away from the majority of noisy tourists.
After I got back to downtown of Kyoto, I had coffee and a piece of Japanese sweet (pomelo manju) in Gion (祇園). The small cup of coffee with a smooth taste was so wonderful. I took a look at the famous Hanamikojitori (花見小路通), where geishas serve in each Japanese restaurant or bar. But I did not spend much time there. My most favorites were still Kyoto Zen temples.
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