I walked the philosopher's path twice. Once each direction. The first time I was looking for something. The second time I was looking at it.
Kyoto is a city built for walking very slowly past things that have been there for a very long time. Most of the country has gone in another direction; this part stayed, on purpose. You can feel the decision.
I had ramen one night near Pontocho from a man who barely spoke and never looked up. I have thought about it more than most conversations I have had this year.
It rained the day I went to Ryoan-ji and I sat for a long time looking at fifteen rocks I could only see fourteen of. I keep coming back to that. You will never see the fifteenth from where you are sitting. The trick is to know that, and sit anyway.