Kyoto

Jurinji Narihiradera at Oshio

Smoke signals, poetry and eternal love

Bonson Lam Oct 08, 2014 - 2 min read

Jurinji or Narihira-dera is more like a country retreat than a temple.  Beautiful ponds graced by lilies create a sense of serenity

Delicate foliage on a mountainside location.

Wandering here is like strolling in your own country villa.

Delicate trees frame an old tea house at Jurinji, just 30 minutes from Muko.

Little has changed in the hills behind Kyoto since this temple was founded more than a thousand years ago.

Today, you can still see the salt kiln used for boiling water at Jurinji Temple, also known as Narihira-dera, named after the Heian period poet.

You can see red leaves here even in Springtime.

The garden here that imitates the bottom of the sea called Sanbofukan. Like the symbolism at the stone garden of Ryoanji, it is not obvious to first timers.  This is part of its charm

Once upon a time there lived a poet named Ariwarano Narihira. He dreamt of his lover Fujiwarano Takaiko all day long. If only he could tell her how much he loved her. What would he do? One day, while boiling some water, he saw the steam rise to the heavens, like a prayer to God. He thought, I can send some smoke signals to the heavens.

Once upon a time there lived a poet named Ariwarano Narihira. He dreamt of his lover Fujiwarano Takaiko all day long. He would think of her when he saw the spring blossoms, and in the tsuyu rains in June that would turn the rice fields green like a verdant carpet. If only he could tell her how much he loved her. What would he do? One day, while boiling some water, he saw the steam rise to the heavens, like a prayer to God. He thought, I can send some smoke signals to the heavens. So when his lover passed by, he would boil some water for her. He became intrigued by the patterns that smoke made, and thought, why don’t I color this water so she can see it. So he got some Imperial purple or murosaki water, and created smoke signals for her. Today, you can still see the salt kiln used for boiling water at Jurinji Temple, also known as Narihira-dera, after the Heian period poet.

Experience the charm of an earlier time, just 30 minutes from Higashi Muko station. Grab a bento lunch from the shops next to the station, and wind your way to the mountains on bus route 66.

Bonson Lam @bonson.lam

I knew my future was destined to be with Japan the moment I flew from Sydney to experience the atmospheric laneways of Kyoto last century. I am humbled to have met many distinguished people during this time, especially the national living treasures of Japan, such as the doll maker to the Imperia...