We had the opportunity to go to the Tenryu-ji Temple and the bamboo forest that surrounds it. They are located in the Arashiyama district in Kyoto and are considered some of the biggest attractions in this area.

Tenryu-hi was built in 1339 by the reining shogun Ashikaga Takauji. Throughout his time as shogun, Takauji had many disagreements with Emperor Go-Daigo. After Go-Daigo’s death, Takauji dedicated Tenryu-ji to Go-Daigo, hoping to make amends and appease his spirit. Unfortunately, many of its buildings have been destroyed through wars and fires; however, the beautiful garden remains (https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3913.html).

The gardens were designed by a well-known garden designer Muso Soseki. Soseki has also created the garden designs for other important temples throughout Japan, including those of Kokedera (https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3913.html). Tenryu-Jo’s gardens display one of the best examples of “shakkei,” or borrowed scenery, as they are inspired by the surrounding mountains (https://www.insidekyoto.com/tenryu-ji-temple-arashiyama).

Additionally, Tenryu-ji was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” in 1994 (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tenryu-ji-shrine). Looking at the pictures below, it’s no wonder why it was included. The surrounding gardens and temple itself are beautiful, and the history can be felt in the ambiance.

My favorite part of this specific excursion, however, was walking through the bamboo forests. It was so quiet, yet you could hear the breeze and watch the bamboo trees sway in the wind. The pictures below do not fully display how it felt to walk through the forest with the trees rising for feet above our heads, but they can provide some sort of snapshot into our experience. There were also some carvings in the trunks of the bamboo trees!

Overall, I have loved traveling through Japan. The mountains are breathtaking, and the people we have met are so kind and generous. While I love Iowa and am ready to go home, I wish there was some way we could infuse American culture with the kindness and generosity of Japanese culture. Furthermore, we have talked a lot as an ensemble about how we will be changed as a result of this trip, and while I cannot speak for everyone, I believe the connections we have built and people we have met have already changed us for the better.