powerful rulers had in
the past within the castle
grounds.
My tour of traditional
Japan culminated in
an uphill climb to the
massive 8th-century
Buddhist temple Kiyomizu-
dera. Built without a single nail,
it takes its name from the waterfall
within the complex as Kiyomizu, which
means “pure water”.
The street leading up to the
temple, Matsubara Dori, offers many
distractions. It is lined with souvenir
shops selling everything from teacups,
pots, fans, samurai figurines and
postcards. Somehow I made it past all
these, plus the spectacle of women
decked out in traditional kimono with
and halls of the Ninomaru and
Honmaru Palaces, filled with treasured,
unique paintings by Kano school artists
on the sliding paper doors. Surrounding
these dwellings are lovely ponds,
gardens and groves filled with cherry
and Japanese plum trees, which made
me visualize the grand lifestyle these
whom tourists can have their photos
taken — and upon reaching the top
of the temple, I found a breathtaking
view of the city from its massive
veranda, looking down at a sea of
green maple trees, known to turn a
fiery red in autumn.
There’s a comforting feeling about
finally getting to a dream destination:
you don’t really feel a sense of
completion after you arrive. As I stood
on the veranda, watching the city,
feeling that despite all the research I
buried myself in, all I’ve really done
was said hello. And that there was a
long getting-to-know-you conversation
that still lies ahead.
Cebu Pacific flies to Osaka from
Manila.
The steps leading
up to the 8th-
century Buddhist
temple; (inset) It’s
not a Japanese snap
without the peace
sign!
73
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J A P A N F O R B E G I N N E R S
