While Japan is known for adhering to traditions, it is rare to see everyday reminders of old Japan in most cities. One exception is Honshu island's city of Kyoto, where the modern world has mixed harmoniously with long tradition. Machiya, the old-style townhouses, still stand, geisha -- or geiko as they are called in Kyoto -- still rush quietly within back streets, and local artisan trades such as fish mongering still are practiced. Perhaps this dedication to cultural conventions is why visitors practically trip over Kyoto's numerous temples and Shinto shrines.
Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji Temple original purpose was as a residence for the retired shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the late 1300s. It was converted to a Zen temple upon the nobleman's death. Famous for its exterior gold leafing -- made doubly bright from the temple's reflection against the "mirror pond" at its feet -- Kinkaku-ji Temple is known as the Golden Pavilion. In 1950, a young monk became obsessed with the temple and burnt it to the ground. The temple was rebuilt exactly, but with additional gold foil on the lower floors. Because this is an extremely popular destination for both foreigners and the Japanese, it is likely to be overcrowded on any of the 365 days it is open.
Built by shogun Yoshimitsu as a retreat from civil war in the late 1300s, the Silver Pavilion -- just as Yoshimitsu's other metallic residence -- was meant to be covered in metallic leafing. Unfortunately, Yoshimitsu died before the silver leafing took place, and Ginkakuji was turned into a temple. Its grounds contain white sand painstakingly raked into cones and tall pine trees. Like the Golden Pavilion, this is one of Kyoto's most visited temples and may be overcrowded at peak times.
Constructed in the late 1200s as a retirement villa, the Nanzen-ji Temple now serves as home base for the Rinzai school of Zen. While Nanzen-ji's main temple, gardens and panoramic views of the city are on the well-worn tourist path, smaller sub-temples punctuating the grounds often are overlooked. Because of this, it is possible to find your own "private" temple for the day, or at least the hour, where you can sit and reflect. Destruction from Japan's 15th-century civil war means most of the present buildings only date back to the 17th century. Be sure to make time to grab a cup of hot tea in the Leaping Tiger Garden, where you can sip next to waterfalls and pristine, pruned foliage.
Known most for its unique mid-15th-century rock garden, a visit to Ryoan-ji is a bit of a contradiction. While tourists flock to the rock and sand garden to admire its design for tranquility, their presence creates overcrowding, thus reduced the ability to contemplate. Although the numerous stones appear to be meticulously placed within the sea of sand, the designer -- who remains unknown to this day -- gave no explanation for their placement. Ryoan-ji Temple is home to Japan's best visual example of the principles of Zen meditation through the temple's hiri-nawa, flat gardens without hills or ponds.
