JAPAN [five]: THE GOLDEN TEMPLE & GARDEN...

JAPAN [five]: THE GOLDEN TEMPLE & GARDEN...

As first-time visitors we were following guidance of those before, including our friend Terry, who first visited & lived in Japan during his college years… he is known for his cultivation of a large Japanese garden near Seattle for many years & now is known on our Vashon Island for his garden & water-feature design with very sensitive rock work… quite wonderful!

He recommended the palace & temple gardens of Kyoto as essential destinations. They are, of course, well known… thus crowded!

An obvious example is the Golden Temple… too famous for its own good… not without reason. It is stunning. We joined the throng & took our turn to get our photographs…

I must explain that both Stephen & I were making photographs with our cameras & phones. We do not always know which of us took these images, so I give equal credit to him…

This is the scene we met as we first approached the prime viewing terrace… a throng of mostly young people & students on field trips. Everyone was polite… taking turns to give all an opportunity to capture this favored shot. Of course, most followed the current custom of posing while flashing the first two fingers as a “v”, like the old “victory” or “peace” sign of times past. I don’t know what it means to them, but we saw it every where… even in the ubiquitous selfies.old

Is this my shot? Or Stephen’s? Or… one of the hundreds of others made within that same hour hour?

Landscape or portrait… with the island or not… minor choices!

My favorite emanation of golden…
Reflected light under the eaves was definitely catching my eye…

Wondering what the morning light does to this building…
We were there at the beginning of the full autumnal color-change.
How might the light look then?!?
Most temples have bells or gongs, rung by ropes twined of rice straw…
We observed devotees punctuating prayers by ringing the gongs before bowing acknowledgement.
Were these school girls asking for confidence toward exams… or romance?
I postulate this couple was observing ritual toward their wedding…
Playing with ageless ritual… into which runs a multi-patterned kid…
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