How visiting Sanjusangen-do Temple transformed my view of Kyoto
The first place I visited upon arrival in Kyoto was a revelation. This temple doesn't allow photography, so let me take you on a virtual journey and give you some practical information for your visit...
(originally published in 2017 - not updated)
First impressions of Kyoto.
The unexpected.
This wasn’t the Kyoto I was expecting or had imagined as I disembarked from the Shinkansen 30 minutes earlier. The area looked like an industrial estate with low level, grey and white modern boxy buildings knitted together by the distinctive yarn of cables seen throughout Japan.This was not what I was expecting from my first ever visit to a temple in Japan. I had come to visit the famous, revered Buddhist temple, Sanjusangen-do, a Japanese cultural property of high esteem. Unlike most other locations, Sanjusangen-do does not allow photography within, so I had little to no visual reference.
I stood at the side of the road after alighting from the bus that had brought me from the train station and waited for the crossing to loudly chirp and startle me into a brisk and safe march to the other side. The July heat was stifling and, despite the suffocating humidity of the impending typhoon, the ebb into golden sunlight of the late afternoon felt parched. The busy city road was teeming with cars and buses that stirred the dust and fumes of the day into the air, creating a familiar soup of modern city life.
The folly of a romantic notion.
My heart sank a little. For some reason, I had a romantic notion that Kyoto would be a small city, a perfectly preserved heritage site untouched by the modern world and full of traditional architecture and temples to trip over. No fumes, no commuters, no tourist coaches, no pylons. Geisha drifting down blossom scented streets and tea ceremonies commonplace. In my mind, I was a naive slave to the mastery of tourism marketing.The other side of the road.
The entrance to the temple was marked by an arrow pointing deeper into the complex of modern buildings. I was increasingly confused. As I tentatively wandered along the pathway next to a medical building I expected to be admonished for being in the wrong place; I started to prepare how I would explain that I was just a misguided tourist - depending on the severity, tears might help but I was just too dehydrated!A portal into old Kyoto.
A large red arrow pointed around the corner and soon the temple appeared. It stood firmly planted in an oasis of calm and space, surrounded by trees. I had just walked through some kind of bizarre portal into the Kyoto I was imagining. I stopped and turned to take a look behind me in disbelief - where did modern Kyoto go?Sanjusangen-do Temple Hall.
Architecture & meaning.
Here was the temple hall building of Sanjusangen-do, otherwise known as Rengeo-in or Hall of the Lotus King. At 120m long, it is the longest wooden building in Japan and is constructed with 33 (sanjusan in Japanese) spaces between the pillars, representing the 33 different shape changes of the Kannon Bodhisattva.It was originally founded in 1164 and rebuilt in 1262 after the original temple buildings were destroyed by fire in 1249, when ingenious architectural details were also employed to protect the building from succumbing to earthquakes like other buildings in the vicinity.
It is low level and austere, explaining it’s clever camouflage trick. Its understated magnificence made me draw breath a little. It reminded me of a viking ship, its enormous framework of dark wood and sleek lines emitting intense power with no bells and whistles needed. The surroundings of gravel and planting mixed with the scent of the incense-soaked wood seeping out into the humid heat was the smell of Kyoto.
Etiquette.
It was late afternoon so there were no coach tours and only a few other people visiting. I have no doubt that it can get busy, judging by the quantity of car and coach parking spaces provided outside.The 600 yen entrance fee paid, I entered the front area lined with benches and lockers where a temple attendant stood watch and extolled a vigorous but polite indication to remove shoes, as is the case in every building of historical or religious significance in Japan. Thank goodness for my choice of slip-on footwear!
Experiencing Sanjusangen-do through the senses.
Stepping through the door from the bright light, it took some time for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. The first sensation was of how the wooden boards of the floor retained the ambient warmth of the day and how, even though I had socks on, the texture and pliant nature of the wood created a tactile sensation. I curled my toes as one would in the warm sand at the beach.The peace was punctuated only by the movement of humans as each slow step made the floorboards squeak gently. This was the only sound and so responsive to movement that I became acutely aware of my own existence and how carefully I should tread. As eyes and body adjusted, the magnificent scent of the building and Japanese cedar wood statues filled my nose. There was a real sense of connection to the building.
The 1001 Kannon statues.
Finally, after being absorbed by the building, here were the 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Totally breathtaking. Surrounding the central Senju Kannon statue, 1000 life-sized, gold decorated Kannon stand 10 deep in rows, guarded by 28 attendants.Walking along the pathway in front of them, stopping briefly to read the discreet information provided, to spot remnants of the original painted decoration, to take advantage of light breeze from an open door or to ask a monk to enter a calligraphic mark in my Goshuin book they watched on intently until I reached the end of the path and exited into the bright light again.
Emerging into modern Kyoto.
Emerging into the light and heat of the grounds, shoes were retrieved and re-fitted but felt oddly restrictive. The path back to the main road past the hospital felt hard on the legs after the forgiving floorboards. Back to the hustle and bustle of modern Kyoto. Back onto a packed, sweaty bus towards Kyoto rail station and my hotel but not seeing it in the same way.Appreciating Kyoto.
My experience when visiting Sanjusangen-do proves that the city runs much deeper than its skin and changed my viewpoint. It helped me to develop cultural understanding and made me fall in love with the country even more.How wrong I was to judge Kyoto by it’s cover. Visit Kyoto! Do not expect it to be a traditional and quaint pastiche but do expect it to be a living and breathing, busy, vibrant city that has adapted - where tradition and ancient culture are ingrained and have developed to survive and transform for the future.
Its heart can be found at the various temples, shrines and historic buildings and with the local people and artisans. Take the time to research a little first, open your mind and don’t view Kyoto as a tourist but as a traveller.
Visit Sanjusangen-do.
Above all visit Sanjusangen-do, which is often overlooked. Try to visit early or later in the day when it is quiet. It stands out for me as one of the most engaging and enlightening places I have visited in all of my trips to Japan.Getting to Sanjusangen-do.
- By bus 100, 206, 208 from Kyoto Station to Hakubutsukan-Sanjusangendo-mae bus stop - 10 mins.
- Keihan Shichjo Station - 7 mins walk.
- Car & bus parking (50 vehicles)
Accessibilty.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accessible toilets.
Resources.
- Official Sanjusangen-do website (Japanese)
- Discover Kyoto - Visitor’s guide including transportation, passes and more.
