“Kyoto … is embedded with an air of sadness which penetrated into the homes of humblest and highest alike—no one group has a greater share of dismal tales behind it than the long line of emperors themselves.” —Gouverneur Mosher, in “Kyoto: a contemplative guide” (1964), dramatically demonstrating the first noble truth.

@22 So true. Just reading the Tale of Genji, a lot of it is very sad.

@wim_v12e Yessss, for sure, I’ve only read the first few pages and the appreciation for melancholic beauty absolutely shook me. (Also I’d recently become a parent so those first few pages were especially heartbreaking.) I’m not sure how much of this to expect when I visit! I read Alex Kerr’s “Lost Japan” years ago and *his* wistfulness for the Japan of his youth, before the bubble and its bursting and the destruction of the countryside was palpable.

@22 Well, I think we all have our "own private Kyoto". It's hard to explain to anyone who's not been there why I love Kyoto so much. I simply love just *being there*.
I'm sure you'll like it there. When are you going?

@wim_v12e good to know, I think I know exactly what you mean! We're going soon, after planning for ten years 😂

@22 Ten years, wow, very thorough! Are you going for long?

@wim_v12e Well, in the last ten years we had kids and moved around, so it’s more like, finally we’re definitely doing the Kyoto trip now! Yeah, we’re staying for a while :)!

@wim_v12e Do you have any obscure but strong recommendations?? We’ll be right next to Daitokuji, a tiny bit south of Kamigamojinja, but obviously will be going everywhere around the city.

@22 @wim_v12e some of my favorites: Fushmi Inari (fox mountain), Tofukuji (temple with a lovely rock garden), Arashiyama (monkey mountain), philosopher's walk.