Genko-an in Kyoto is the Zen temple famous for its windows. The round one is called 'Window of Satori (spiritual awakening), and the square one is 'Window of Mayoi (troubled minds)'. I visited here in mid October to take pictures of these windows. However, it was far more difficult than I'd expected. When I focused my camera on the green outside the window the inside got too dark, when I focused on the inside the outside became too bright. When I flashed a strobe my shadow was in the picture! While sitting in front of the windows struggling to take photos, a thought flashed in my mind...are these windows meant for photographers who struggle here? We keep struggling (in the state of Mayoi), and finally reach Satori when we succeed capturing these windows?! Anyway, I couldn't reach Satori on the first visit, so I'll have to go again!
Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto
I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...
