Kyoto Photo: A visit to a REAL Japanese rock garden!

October 6, 2012 –

We only have 1.5 days left in Japan!  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!  Where did the time go??????? Today we're going to go see a real Japanese rock garden before  leaving Kyoto and heading back to Nagoya.  

Let's go eat breakfast and head out for quick tour.  :-)

Here's a look at our room at the inn:

Okay….what words describe this toilet? Unique??? Every time the toilet flushed the faucet would run for a few minutes afterwards. Weeeeeeeeird!!!!

The inn is fairly large…our room was on the second floor.

Annika is going to show us the way ….to get to breakfast! (just up ahead and to your left)

The elderly couple that seemed to be running the place. The woman spoke English very well and she was also very kind. She's the one that gave us a lift yesterday to the Golden Pavilion. She also gave each of us little parting gifts. So sweet!!!

 In the restaurant at the inn overlooking the garden:

Time to head to the rock garden!!!!  I've been ever so curious to see one in real life.  I've seen lots of photos of Japanese rock gardens but I've never seen the real thing.  Sadly, the lady at the inn is too busy to give us a lift (she apologized profusely) so we have to figure out the bus system.  Thank goodness Ryoan-ji is only a few stops away from our bus stop.  Should be easy to get to!!!!

At an entrance to the rock garden

"Western Style" rest room. I like how they've clarified it so we don't even have to go check!

We paid our entrance fee….and we've wandered through some very lush green gardens (more like an arboretum than garden) to get to the rock garden.

Here it is!!!! The rock garden!!!!! (just kidding!!!! This is a miniature version of the rock garden)

Okay….here is the real rock garden…Ryoan-ji.

meditating, contemplating, wondering….what about????

Now, while I say that I've always been curious to see one of these rock gardens in person I will also have to admit I'm not what the intent of the garden is.  Why is this a place of deep meditation???  One English-speaking gentleman mentioned that you can "see things" in the garden.  Like trees/bamboo painted on the wall.  

What can you see????

Yay! I can check this garden off my bucket list!

Just a pretty garden feature. Not sure what the sign says.

Okay…the young-uns are getting restless watching Mommy and Daddy sit and observe.  Perhaps it's time to make our way back to the inn…..

We saw several people raking the gravel paths.

Exploring around a building (what it is we don't know).

A very lush, green forest. I LOVE the moss!!!!!

We saw several workers very carefully cleaning the moss carpet of all leaves and fallen debris. I've never seen such a clean forest! It's unbelievable how tidy they are!!!

A view of a lovely pond:

Back outside….time to get drinks before getting back on the bus:

What drink will you choose?

Annika chose a very lemon-y drink!

And Mark and I chose "Match"…with "Let's Vitamin!".

Waiting for our bus at Ryoanji bus stop

After a super short bus ride we're back at the inn:

It's time to get our luggage and head to the train station.  We need to head back to Nagoya as we're flying back to Tianjin tomorrow!  Drat!  Can't we stay here in Japan????  I know it's super expensive but – wow – I do love this place!!!