Kyoto was in my
mind the most culturally important city that I was going to be visiting while
in Japan. During planning the trip I
especially decided to spend more time in Kyoto compared Hiroshima, Osaka, and Himeji. Since I am truly interested in Japanese
culture I knew that I was going to be extremely excited to visit the different
temples and shrines in Kyoto.
Watching a
traditional performance done by professional actors was also a cultural
highlight for me while traveling in Japan.
I really enjoyed watching the performers combine different art forms;
ie, dancing, singing, and music to produce a vivid portrayal of traditional
Japanese culture.
Expectedly, I
ended up seeing more temples in my three days in Kyoto than in any other leg of
my trip in Japan. I have been blessed
with the opportunity to travel to many Asian countries while living in the
region; likewise, I have already visited countless temples while traveling in Asia. This reality seems to highlight my new found
sense of temple "standards" which I have developed during my travels
in Asia. In accordance with this
previous statement, when I say that the temples in Kyoto were magnificent a
person can take my word for it.
True enough, I probably
visited over 15 different temples over the three days I was in Kyoto. Besides the quiet stillness of temples I also
explored many artistically stunning pagodas.
Out of all of the different pagodas I had the pleasure of visiting I
would say that my favorite two were definitely the Silver and Gold Pagoda.
The
time-consuming upkeep of these pagodas really shocked me. I was stunned by the amount of work the staff
put into keeping the grounds around the pagodas looking pristine. In all my lifetime I have never seen such a
spotless operation. Even the grass was
deliberately kept clean and manicured for the viewing pleasure of tourists.
During my second
night in Kyoto I enjoyed a Japanese cultural performance at an indoor
theatre. The actors all did such a
marvelous job of acting, singing, and dancing that I left the theatre pleased with
the money I had spent.
While in Kyoto I
had the pleasure of meeting a very nice couple from Holland as well as a pair
of travelers traveling from the United States and Australia. Each time I travel abroad I am always
encouraged by some of the enthusiastic young people I meet along the
journey. During my adventures abroad I
am always fond of meeting interesting people who share my passion for
discovery. Clearly, I would be remiss if
I did not report that I have also met some of the worst and most despicable
people imaginable abroad. Fortunately,
these negative experiences seem to be few and far between, and are overshadowed
in my mind by the positive people I have met while traveling abroad.
No comments:
Post a Comment