Kyoto, part Duex

Here's a couple pictures from Nanzen-ji. This was my favorite of the temples. Like I have said before, most of my pictures are on film and not on disk. So for now, just imagine...This first picture is of a small sub-temple or something off to the side of the real temple. It's taken from atop the gateway that leads up the main thoroughfare.This is the aforementioned gateway. When I first came upon this structure, I mistook it for the actual temple. Then I thought how peculiar this is, that there is nothing more than three large doorways. How little I do know about Buddhism, if this is a temple. I later realized that Nanzen-ji was just behind it, up the path a ways. The gateway is known to be one of the three largest gateways in all of Japan. You can ascend to a walkway up top for a great view of the city, and there is indeed a budha inside a small room in the upper portion.A couple pictures from Pontocho.

Not really knowing that much about it, it's hard to tell if this girl in kimono is a geisha. I saw a lot of people wearing kimono around Kyoto, and sometimes they have their hair done properly and sometimes they don't. Judging from the response she got from these other Japanese girls, I would say she is. She was really cute. Just before this, Ben stopped her and asked her if he could take a picture, and she just nodded, smiled, and waited. And of course, after we stopped her, these other girls wanted to take pictures with her, and started asking all sorts of questions. Really nice, and so tiny. Apparently, it's very rare to see geisha; most of my students are amazed when we say we saw a couple, and most confess they have never seen one in person. So, evidently, it's like this very traditional part of Japan, that was once open only to the extremely rich, and even now is very uncommon for the general populous to come in contact with.

Here's a couple geisha, though they're not wearing their make-up. To be honest, these two are kinda scary looking.Speaking of geihsa, I really want to see that new movie with Ziyi Zang. Rob, you know what I'm talking about.

Here's a caligrapher that was selling his work on the street. I took these pictures into class, and one of my student's exclaimed, "That's my name!" Kind of funny.We're still not sure what this street was, but it looked really cool, so naturally, we took it.Stumbled quite unintentionally upon one of the coolest temples, in my opinion. This is Kennin-ji, the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto. It dates from something like the 1200s. The whole complex is huge, with all sorts of buildings, with big rooms, small rooms, courtyards, gardens, and rock gardens. Not being able to speak or read, it makes it quite difficult to find out what all of these are used for, but needless to say, it's still pretty sweet.This picture would be really sweet if it weren't for those super bright flourecent lights. Pero, que sera sera.A smaller of the many rooms inside this temple complex. I love the tatami. I'm thinking that whenever, I move back to the states and settle down, I'm going to buy tatami for my house. It's so sweet. I'm also going to take my shoes off inside the house. I say that now, but we'll see what really happens.A couple rock gardens. Brad, wouldn't you love to rake this place every day?