My Favourite Places in Kyoto, Japan, Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto has so much to offer it is a must for anyone visiting Japan. It was once the home of the Emperor. It is the site of over two thousand Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines of which seventeen are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Naturally, such a famous town attracts crowds but it is easy to lose the crowds and still appreciate the flavour of this heritage town - a seamless fusion of ancient and modern.

Kennin-ji Temple is the oldest Zen http://www.zen-buddhism.net (a branch of Japanese Buddhism) temple in Kyoto and was founded by the priest Yousai in 1202. Yousai, who visited China twice during his lifetime, is renowned for introducing both the Zen sect and the tea ceremony to Japan. After figuring out the complicated route between the two main halls I shuffled around the Dharma Hall in a pair of incredibly uncomfortable slippers. It was worth the time and discomfort to admire the drawing of the twin dragons by the artist Koizumi Junsaku. http://thekyotoproject.org/english/kennin-ji/ on its ceiling.

Outside the main hall is a pristine white karesansui, a dry gravel Zen garden being enjoyed by visitors sitting on the steps of the building. I moved on to some more traditional gardens in the extensive grounds of the temple. A place of peace and beauty. While enjoying the gardens I was entertained by a very young man trying to get to grips with the art of ladling water from a barrel. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).