Flower Viewing along Philosopher's Path

     NHK weather forecasters confirm the start of o-hanami (cherry blossom season) more than a week early in Kyoto and on schedule in Tokyo. By closely monitoring selected trees, the Meteorological Agency counts five flowers per tree as the key signal. The local tree grows nearby in Yasukuni Jinja, blithely oblivious to the political implications of its location. Dedicated to the kami (souls) of those who died in combat, the Yasukuni shrine complex is supported by the War Dead Family Welfare Union and includes a war museum with a revisionist point of view. While their line of work compels meteorologists to visit the shrine, the current Prime Minister and his cabinet may prefer to admire the trees along the Imperial Moat.    

     Two hours on the shinkansen (bullet train) transported our family to Kyoto, which served as the nation's capital from 794 to 1868. Zooming at 90 miles per hour through a sandstorm that blew across from China, the next day we were rewarded with clear skies.  Mid-morning at the Silver Pavilion, Ginkakuji was swarming with Japanese visitors photographing its renowned raked gardens. Originally intended as a retirement home for a shogun, for 500 years it has served as a Zen temple; thanks to recent earthquake proofing, it is guaranteed another 500 years. Outside the gates we followed in the footsteps of Nishida Kitaro along Tetsugaku no michi (Philosopher's path) who made the daily trek by the canal to Kyoto University. A few early bloomers sparked a paparazzi-like flurry of snapping while vendors sold a variety of potato treats including yaki imo (baked sweet potato) along the two kilometer stretch. Temple cats lolled in the sunshine, welcoming visitors to the sandy garden.

     Last stop in Kansai was rain-soaked Nara, which is celebrating its 1,300th anniversary. Sacred shika (deer) make themselves available to accept special crackers sold for their culinary pleasure. Ever tried to feed a herd of deer? Very fast work. Walking to the Great Buddha Hall, founded in 728 AD, the deer strike a variety of alluring poses. Once inside the Hall the single challenge is to shimmy through a hole in a huge supporting pillar to guarantee enlightenment in the next life. (No one in this family earned that status.) A steady rain and drop in temperatures are postponing flower viewing in Tokyo to the weekend: By Monday will I be ready to venture indoors to Zepp to hear Bob Dylan's last night in town?