Today is the penultimate day of our trip, and we spent the first part of the day revisiting Tofuku-ji with Yukei-san. We were given a koan, or Buddhist riddle, on the first full day of our trip and were tasked with answering it on the last day of our scheduled itinerary — essentially, we were asked how we could give our kokoro, loosely translated as “heart” in English, to another person.
After one round of zazen, we took turns sharing our respective answers to the riddle — mine was influenced heavily by all the artisans we met, all of whom had devoted their lives to perfecting a craft. High levels of devotion, perseverance, and most importantly, love are all necessary for this to be the case, and as such, what one desires ends up becoming a necessity. Miyamoto-sensei carves Buddha sculptures not simply to remain employed; without this passion, he would be incomplete. What one loves can be expressed in words, actions, and gestures; regardless of their forms, the things one loves can be shared with others. This is an idea I am still trying to unpack, one that I will continue to ruminate for the days to come.
We then did another round of zazen, a walking meditation, and then finished the morning with some tea. I’ve grown to appreciate all the hot drinks I’ve been offered here in Kyoto — all have made me more mindful as I take in their warmth and taste their flavor. Though I was sad to mark the end of our scheduled itinerary, I was excited to finish the trip without the burden of obligation. We checked out Tofuku-ji, which I admired much like the rest of the Buddhist temples I’ve seen, and then ended up hiking up Fushimi-Inari again, which is more beautiful but also mind-bogglingly more crowded during the daytime.
The Sammon Gate at Tofuku-ji.
Leah at Fushimi-Inari.
After a divergence in route, Leah and I were separated from the rest of the group and proceeded to climb the mountain alone. I was surprised that I had the energy to hike up the mountain, especially after such a late night of karaoke. We then headed over to Gion to visit the Forever Museum of Contemporary Art, which was displaying an exhibition on Yayoi Kusama. Suffice to say, the works exhibited were absolutely incredible, especially when seen in light of its unique context. There were several works by her that I had not ever seen, which was refreshing to me, seeing as her works are ubiquitous in artistic and public circles. Everything was housed in an old theater, and it was quite a sight seeing yet another example of tradition and modernity fused in these contemporary paintings displayed within rooms of fusuma and tatami mats. The museum also hangs the works at a lower level so that viewers can sit on the floor and contemplate the works above, much like how one experiences Buddha sculptures.
Leah in front of one of Kusama’s infamous pumpkins!
I’m so excited for tomorrow! I will be checking out the museums in the area, so I will almost certainly have a wonderful final day in Kyoto.
