Kyoto's Yoshidayama: A huge hill of ancient worlds
If you are looking
for a living world of the distant past, then a few hours of wandering through
the old lanes and neighborhoods of Yoshidayama or Mount Yoshida (about 1 km west of the Path of Philosophy) in the early morning or towards sunset
will always leave you feeling refreshed and inspired.
Yoshidayama gets
its name from the writer, Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350). He moved to the top of the mountain and
became a monk there, retiring from a short career as a bureaucrat. High above the city and its busy currents, he
devoted himself to recording his thoughts and impressions on countless
subjects. Key passages from his classic,
Tsurezuregusa, have long been part of
all high school national language textbooks.
The best parts of
Yoshidayama—the mysterious forest and shrine worlds of the top, and the area
around Shinnyodo and Kurodani Temples—are quiet and offer surprising
views. Majestic views of Mount Hiei (to
the northeast) and the long, undulating green wall of the Higashiyama eastern
ridge appear suddenly at a turn in the road or between the trees before you. Often you will simply find yourself sitting
down and contemplating the intricate views and time worn scenes before you. Set in the middle of a row of old, prosperous
homes, the park-like expanse of an imperial grave. At the end of a street: a crumbling, almost
tumbling, earthen wall around a small temple and a tiny bamboo forest. At the top of the south end of the mountain,
a wooden pagoda looks out over the city, surrounded by enormous trees and grave
stones covered with Sanskrit characters.
Get lost in the past, head for Yoshidayama and follow the spirits of
ancient worlds and ways.
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