When I went to Kyoto with Horikitsune-san, we stayed at the Shunkoin Temple, which is a part of the huge Mysoshinji Rinzai Zen temple complex. Horikitsune-san had been there before and I was pleased when he suggested it as a place to stay. In the mornings we participated in Rinzai Zazen (zen meditation according to the Rinzai Zen sect) and had some great talks with Takafumi-san, the head priest of Shunkoin. I strongly recommend anyone that visits Kyoto to stay at least a couple of nights at this beautiful place.
I used to be a smoker, but nowadays I only smoke when in Japan, and the morning cigarette is the one I cherish the most. When staying at Shunkoin I had to walk for some distance until stepped out through the gate of the Mysohinnji temple complex itself. There I stood every morning, watching the people of Kyoto going to work and school.
These are some photographs taken from that very spot.
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