Makioka Sisters April 1936 Kyoto Arashiyama Cherry Blossom Walk

I'm currently reading Tanizaki's the Makioka Sisters, a beautiful book, and writer, who I will speak about more later, but I wanted to take this chance to share something.

As an old translation, Edward G. Seidensticker decided to translate the names of the temples as opposed to using their Japanese names. I think this is now currently uncommon, but I decided to spend 20 minutes and match the names to the places to a map, and trace the basic walk that the sisters took that mid April day in 1936(?? I think) around Arashiyama.

I might try and copy this walk and enjoy the fall maple trees in the next few weeks. If I make it I may try and add a few pics here as well.




Here's  a guide to match the book with the map.
(Update: I was able to visit most of the spots in November 2017... wrong season, but still beautiful and busy as all heck!! I did the walk backwards and didn't get to Hirasawa pond)

Vintage edition: pp92-93

1. Hirasawa Pond
(Didn't get here. No Pics)

2. Osawa Pond (This is now, if not always, inside the precincts of Daikakuji Temple. Quiet, with very few others... unlike a few of the places below)

3. Temple of Great Awakaning = Daikakuji (Just took a few pics around here, along with it in the background of the pictures above, such as the pagoda seen across the river)

4. Temple of Clean Coolness = Seiryoji (Still quiet here, as the throngs of tourists don't get so far north, and a really pretty little temple, with a tiny pagoda, and some of the cool monsters protecting the gate that you see often in Japan)

5. Temple of the Heavenly Dragon = Tenyuji (Lovely place, beautiful garden, so packed full of people that I will certainly never return on a weekend... The Dharma stands watch at the entrance to the temple, and you can sit in the tatami rooms and enjoy the view as long as pleases you)

6. Bridge of the Passing Moon = Togetsu-kyo (It's hard to get an angle to show how simple and pretty this long walkway bridge is... but the background certainly lends to an atmosphere here)

7. Temple of the All-Conquering Law = Horinji Temple (The first temple I visited this day, and before you run into all the crowds, with a simple pagoda, blemished by a protecting fence, and not too much else to speak of...)

8. Nonomiya, the Shrine in the Feilds = Nonomiya ninja (I think I took a wrong turn in the bamboo forest and never passed here, or passed and just didn't realize where I was... so here is a bonus pic of Katsura river!!)

Storm Hill = Arashiyama


Happy Reading!