After luncheon we went to still another very interesting Buddhist temple, Kiyomizu-dera. Kyoto abounds in fine temples. We left our jinrikishas at the foot of the hill and walked up a long, high lane called Teapot Street because in all the little shops bordering the thoroughfare china and teapots are displayed, forming the favorite purchases of the country people who frequent this temple. The building is situated in a striking position and commands a view of the entire city. The two-storied gateway at the top of the steps was restored in 1897. Outside this gate are two pagodas, each three-storied, and the large green bell, dating from 1624. We then passed up through a colonnade to the main temple, whose rough, hewn columns and bare floor are most unusual. The whole style is original and unique. The great festival day here is on the 17th of August, when a classic concert is given, the musicians being dressed in various unique costumes. They are seated opposite each other in the wings like the two sides of a choir. A dancing stage extends the whole length of its front, and this opens into a hall full of ex-voto pictures, some of which possess great artistic merit. Directly behind this main temple are several other temples and an eleven-storied pagoda which it is impossible to describe here adequately.
On our homeward way we visited the Art Museum. This and the museum at Nara contain the very best collections of early Japanese statuary. The exhibits have been taken or borrowed from time to time from various Buddhist temples in Kyoto and the surrounding provinces. Some date from the seventh and eighth centuries, when Buddhist carving was at the height of its excellence. There are also screens, ancient manuscripts, swords, armor, musical instruments, coins, imperial robes, and miscellaneous articles.
To vary the programme a little, we made an excursion on the following day to Lake Biwa, some miles distant. This is a very celebrated body of water in Japan. We had our choice between returning to Kyoto by the more exciting way of the canal with its long tunnels or going to Otsu. We chose the latter.
The largest pine tree in the world at Lake Biwa
Near Otsu there is the largest pine tree in the world, and it has been trained in the peculiar conventional manner employed by the Japanese. Here we had a picnic luncheon and then drove some distance to the heights of Otsu, where one hundred and thirty monasteries and temples are said to be grouped. We walked up the incline, passing many temples and seeing a very ancient bronze bell of great historic interest. Descending, we went through the village of Otsu, which has quite a reputation, since it was the scene of what might have been a very serious accident to the present Emperor of Russia, then czarevitch. He was accompanied by Prince George of Greece, now King George, when savagely attacked by an insane man. Certain disaster would have followed had it not been for the presence of mind of the Prince.
We reached Kyoto at 5 p.m., having had a long, though extremely delightful day. Excursions being in order, we went the next day to "shoot the rapids ending at Arashi-yama." We had various means of transportation during the day, jinrikishas, trains, and a short railway trip which was highly picturesque, the line running along just above the dashing river. At Hozu we took the boat for the descent of the rapids down to the landing-place of Arashi-yama, and this was a most exciting experience, the passage taking about an hour and a half. Great care had to be observed by the pilots of the boats, as there were several parties going down and many others returning. The shores of the river were very interesting, being high wooded hills which were abloom. Arashi-yama is famous for its cherry blossoms. We had a picnic luncheon here and returned to Kyoto by train.
On Easter Sunday I attended a union service, but afterwards learned that there was a special commemoration at St. Mary's, and that the Episcopal Bishop Partridge was at the hotel. There seemed to be a great deal of friendly feeling between the different religious denominations in Kyoto; a little booklet given us at the union service containing information with regard to all the churches, including the Episcopal. Easter afternoon we attended a remarkable Buddhist ceremony in the Chroin Temple on a high hill. At least seventy-five priests were in attendance, all arrayed in their gorgeous brocaded robes and sitting in parallel lines opposite each other. It seemed to be an intoned service. We were separated from the officiants by an anteroom with a high railing, but we could observe all that was going on. This was a part of the ceremonial of the week to which I referred in connection with the Buddhist procession. After watching for a while, we walked about and saw several adjacent temples, marked by their spaciousness.
A visit to the Nijo Castle, by permit, was of great interest. It dates from 1601, and was built by Ieyasu of Nikko memory for his use when visiting Kyoto. It has even in modern times considerable historical interest, as it was here, on April 6, 1868, that the Emperor, on obtaining his ancestral rights by the revolution then in progress, met the Council of State and swore to grant a deliberative assembly and to decide all measures by public opinion. For a long period Nijo Castle was used by the prefecture and was greatly damaged. Since 1883, it has been one of the Imperial Summer palaces. The apartments of the castle are very beautiful; the sliding screens between the rooms and the wooden doors separating the different sets of apartments are all adorned with paintings of flowers, birds, and the like, done by artists of the Kano School. There is beautiful metal work, and the reception hall is decorated with representations of street life in Kyoto and other cities. The ceiling is lacquered.