Kyoto is one of those towns – Berlin is another, as are San Francisco and London, at least at the margins, a third – where nature is a part of the mix. It’s what makes them livable.
Staying this visit on the northern edge of Kyoto, up against the hills that surround the city on three sides, I am enjoying an access to nature that is almost immediate.
Since my first time in Kyoto nearly ten years ago, I have developed the habit of walking out of town and up into the hills. Sometimes, I find myself in little suburban cul de sacs, but more often, I end up in forests, sometimes slightly-developed, often almost unspoiled.
Nearly always, there is at least one (Buddhist) temple or (Shinto) shrine, because both of these incorporate nature into their very designs. Shinto shrines in particular are all about nature, since Shinto itself is nature-centered. In both cases, the contrast to a Catholic church or cathedral, or to a Muslim mosque, couldn’t be starker.
In the last few days, I’ve broken up my work time with walks into the hills, and then into deep forest, often within 20 minutes of leaving the house.
As I have often mentioned, it rains a lot in Japan, and thus the hills are lush and water-shaped. They also draw a lot of wildlife, especially birds. This guy was hanging out in the creek I hiked by yesterday…
More common, and incredibly impressive – which is perhaps why they are an element as common in Japanese art as the cherry blossoms I have featured in my last post – are all the migratory birds: Cormorants (above), white egrets, predatory hawks, and the great grey crane all rest during their travels.
They mostly seem to stand around, but occasionally, one will suddenly take flight…
I watched this next guy watch whatever he was watching for quite a while, but he never made his killer lunge. I’m sure the Japanese have attributed to quality of patience to these hunters; I, sadly, have precious little of that admirable quality.
I have not seen the Japanese red-crowned crane in Kyoto. But more exciting for me than any bird was the rare sight of river otters swimming in the Kamo. I saw one several years ago, under the Gojo bridge near the center of town, but only once; Japanese friends politely suggested that I might be hallucinating, as they’d never heard of this animal being in the river.
But just today, as I picnicked on a haul of snacks from the local 7Eleven (research for an upcoming post), I saw not one, not two, but three river otters. Perhaps a family? One was quite large, and they definitely stuck together.
Not as cute as the sea otters of Monterey Bay, but still…
Of course, there are the endlessly-inspiring sakura (cherry) trees, in their quite different varieties – shades of white and pink, but even more in radically different forms, the most striking being the “weeping” style, with its drooping branches reaching all the way to the ground. I finally got a bright, sunny day with which to catch the most brilliant of their blossoms.
Their beauty is challenging to capture, which is perhaps why Japanese artists have tried for centuries to capture them in paint; or why tourists and Japanese alike expend many, many shots to try to capture…something. Their impact on the soul? Their elegant, timeless beauty? Sure. But…to no avail.
Still that impact is real, every April, and the trying to catch it is, as with many things, the point. I would say “Come to Kyoto,” but the poor place is currently overrun; instead, if you’re in Sacramento, venture down to Capitol Park, where the trees are no doubt glorious; if you’re in Washington, D.C., there are plenty there as well.
The sakura blossoms of Kyoto are only the beginning. The surrounding hills hold many beautiful sights, far beyond the temples and shrines – some 1,500 of them – that characterize this marvelous city. And in most of these spots, I am usually the only human around. One can breathe free in Kyoto.
More than any particularly dazzling tree or fascinating animal, it is the relentless, broadly-distributed natural richness of this small city that draws me back. I delight in finding those places where the human-made touches nature, often with respect, style and a subtlety that few manage better than the Japanese.
For six or seven years now, Sacramento's Southside Park has also offered a small grove of cherry trees, and will eventually host a much larger grove at Robert Matsui Park, on the shore of the Sacramento River just north of downtown. They are spectacular when they're in full bloom, but you're right, photos don't do them justice.
Thank you, for all the lovely photos and for the suggestion to visit the Capitol Park. I have never been there for the purpose of the beauty! And, Thank you, Judith for your knowledge of lovely trees in Sacramento parks. 💖💖