In Search of Red

Momiji is finally here. Momiji is to Autumn as Sakura is to Spring. It's when people enjoy the new colors brought by cold weather. Possibly the most beautiful being the Iroha Momiji or Japanese Maple.


A Japanese maple showing off on the trail.

On Saturday I decided it was time to visit Enryakuji. I've been meaning to climb Hieizan, which is the mountain that Enryakuji is built upon. The goal to climb up from Shiga prefecture and climb down into Kyoto was finally reached. It was also great timing, since the cooler weather helped keep me energized and the momiji were beautiful.


Something often not seen in Montana.


Makes me wish I was a monk.

Enryakuji itself was interesting to me. It is home to the Tendai sect of Buddhism. In 1571, maybe one of Japan's most bad-ass unifiers, Oda Nobunaga, set fire and and mayhem upon Enryakuji. Basically the monastery was powerful enough to be a threat to Oda Nobunaga. It must have been the fear of both mental control of the population through religion and the warrior monks who could oppose him physically.


A guardian of a small deserted mountain temple.

Besides this, it was also told that my favorite Japanese historical figure, Miyamoto Musashi, had a battle against over a dozen members of the Yoshikawa school of swordsmanship back in the early 1600s on Mt. Hiei. While climbing up the mountain alone, on a path that was nothing more than a dry river bed, I could only imagine what the forest around me has seen through the years.


A road less traveled.

After spending a few hours exploring the temple complex, it was getting late. With only about an hour left of daylight, I decided it was time to head down to Kyoto. A hike that would normally take 2 hours according to the trail marker. I didn't want to hike down in the dark, so I decided that I would inherit the spirit of the Hieizan Marathon Monks, and run down the mountain. Needless to say, I reached the bottom in about 40 minutes.


A view of Kyoto from atop Mt. Hiei.

After dinner in Kyoto it was home for an earlier night, for an early morning. The next day I would go to the Byoudouin. The temple so famous that it is on the back of every 10 yen coin.


The Pheonix Temple (Byoudouin)

After meeting my friend, Yuko, on Sunday at around 11AM we headed to Uji City to see the changing leaves and learn a little bit of History.


Yuko at the Byoudouin.

After some pictures and a tour of the temple complex we headed to a ocha-ya (tea shop) and had a green tea parfait. Since Yuko had plans to meet up with a friend in Kyoto later that evening, we headed back and parted ways at Kyoto station. From here I wandered around a nearby mall before heading home and preparing myself to once again be a teacher and not a student.


The art of tea