Second day in Kyoto

First, I went to Kiyomizu-dera temple. This is very popular place in Kyoto. So, I saw many tourists from foreign countries. Of course, there are a lot of Japanese people, too. Kiyomizu is on the very high place. So, I walked a steep uphill. It was really hard! But, the view from Kiyomizu was wonderful!! In Japan, there is an idiomatic phrase. It's "Jump out of Kiyomizu". This is a metaphor and means "take the plunge and decide the important things". As this phrase says, I thought that if I can jump out of Kiyomizu, I can do everything. Also, I had a spiritual experience in Kiyomizu. I experienced the inside of the mother's womb of Bodhisattva. Of course, I didn't it actually. I entered very dark room which is pretended the mother's womb of Bodhisattva. I think you were surprised to hear this story and thought "Sae is crazy!". But I'm OK!! :-) This experience was very fearful for me. I couldn't see everything around me. I felt the most horrible in my life. I thought I nearly go insane in the room. But I felt as if I was born again when I found the gleam. If you have a chance, you should experience this.

Then, I went to Jishu Shrine. The god of marriage is enshrined in this shrine. So, there were many girls and couples here. And I bought a lucky charm for matchmaking.

After that, I went to Gion. Gion is one of the main place in Kyoto. And there are the Japanese dancing girls and the geisha. Unfortunately, I couldn't see them today. :-( But I saw the women wearing kimono(Japanese clothes). They were very beautiful! Then, I went to Kennin-ji temple. Kennin-ji temple is a Zen(Buddhism) temple. There are many wonderful gardens. Everyone were relaxing there.(Some of tourists slept in the room of this temple! But it wasn't banned, so I slept there, too!) And there is the painting on the ceiling of two dragons. It was very powerful painting!!

I could have the mysterious experience on second day in Kyoto. And I'm interested in the Japanese history and Buddhism now.