Akemi's Blog

Encounter the Art of Zen from Mind to Form, in Kyoto

This year marks the 1150th anniversary since the Rinzai (臨済) school of Zen was established. To celebrate this significant milestone, the Kyoto National Museum is currently holding a special exhibition called "The Art of Zen from Mind to Form."

What is Zen?
How has Zen impacted Japan's culture?
How is Zen applicable to our everyday life?

Now through May 22, this exhibition offers you an opportunity to experience Zen first hand so that you find your own answers to these questions.  Don't miss it!

Also don't forget to visit some of the famous Zen temples in Kyoto like the ones below:

• Ryoan-ji Temple -- best known for its tranquil rock garden
• Nanzen-ji Temple -- famous for its huge gate
• Tenryu-ji Temple -- famous for its beautiful Japanese garden

 

 

Don't miss special viewings of Kyoto's shrines and temples

The spring and the fall are two high seasons to visit Kyoto. Many shrines and temples hold special viewings of artworks, gardens, and buildings that are normally not open to the public.

These shrines and temples listed below will be showing their selected treasures from April 29 through May 8. Many of them are near Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is very famous among foreign visitors for countless red gates lining up on the way. 

• Kamigamo Shrine (339 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8047)
• Daitoku-ji Temple (53 Murasakino Daitokuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, 603-8231)
• Shimogamo Shrine  (59 Shimogamo Izumikawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-0807)
• Chion-in Temple (400 Hayashi-shita-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-8686)
• Toji Temple (1 Kujo-cho, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8473)
• Ninna-ji Temple（33 Omuro Ouchi, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 616−8092)
• Fushimi Inari Shrine (68 Yabunouchi-cho, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-0882)
• Iwashimzu Hachiman-gu Shrine (30 Takabo, Hachiman, Hachiman-shi, Kyoto 614-8588)

Temples and shrines near Fshimi Inari-Shrine:

• Zuikou-ji Temple:
• Jounan-gu Shrine
• Daikoku-ji Temple
• Goko-no-miya Shrine
• Choken-jiTemple
• Zengan-ji Temple
• Hokai-ji Temple
• Eifuku-ji Temple

Taikoh-en (太閤園) -- Once was Denzaburo Fujita's private residence

Across the street from Fujita Museum is Taikoh-en, which used to be Denzaburo Fujita's main residence. In the middle of the city of Osaka, the 6.5-acre of Japanese traditional garden is a tranquil oasis.

You don't have to be a guest of Taikoh-en to stroll around the garden.  After you appreciate his private collection in the museum, don't forget to spend some time to enjoy this garden.

 

A small big museum -- Fujita Museum (藤田美術館)

Near the starting point of "Walk-through Japan Mint" stands Fujita Museum. It's a small private museum, but its collection is impressive -- with nine artworks qualified as Nationals Treasures and 52 objects as Important Cultural Properties.

Denzaburo Fujita (藤田伝三郎: 1841 - 1912) was a business magnate and a founder of Fujita Conglomerate. His old residences are now converted to major hotels; Taikoh-en (太閤園) in Osaka, Chinzan-so (椿山荘) in Tokyo, Kowaki-en (小涌園) in Hakone, and the former Hotel Fujita in Kyoto.

Right after the Meiji Restoration when Japan opened its doors to the Western world, many of Japan's traditional artifacts were sold cheaply and dispersed overseas. Fujita was deeply concerned about the loss of important cultural heritage items, and spent his significant fortune to build his collection.

His museum is open in the spring and the fall. The beautiful maki-e box created by Ogata Korin is now on display through June 12.

 

The best cherry blossom viewing spot in Osaka -- Japan Mint

To me who was born and raised in Osaka, the word "Japan Mint" refers to not coins but cherry blossoms. Every spring for a week, people in Osaka get to enter the property of Japan Mint which is normally off-limits, to fully enjoy the peak of the cherry blossoms.

The neighborhood along the old Yodo River just north of Osaka Castle was famous for its beautiful cherry trees. In 1883, the head of then recently built Japan Mint was generous enough to make its campus open to the public for a week at the peak of the season. Since then "Walk-through Japan Mint" (造幣局の通り抜け) has become the destination for the cherry blossom viewing with more than half a million visitors every year.

 

If you would like to enjoy the blossoms but avoid the crowd, Minami Temma Park (南天満公園) nearby is a good alternative.

(Cherry blossoms at Minami Temma Park)