bout de papier, Vol. 10, No. 3 (1993) — Summer 1993 // Été 1993, p. 23
Story and photos by Hugh Stephens
Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is one of Asia’s jewels; a blending of gardens, temples and palaces. I knew that I could not leave Asia without visiting it, but timing was a problem. Finally, a long weekend over the Lunar New Year holiday in February came available, and my family and I flew from Seoul, to Osaka, and on to Kyoto. The skies threatened heavy rain; but, as luck would have it, on the night of our arrival, the city was dusted with a coating of light, flaky snow.
When we ventured out the next morning to visit the shrines and gardens, we were treated to a rare and beautiful spectacle. By 11 o’clock in the morning all the snow had gone, as fleeting as memories, but for the photos we took. Later in the day, it began to rain; but toward dusk, the sun suddenly burst through the clouds.
We had just reached the Golden Pavilion, minutes before closing, and the sudden burst of late afternoon sun illuminated the temple with a radiant glow. There were not many people present to enjoy the moment, but fortunately I still had some film in my camera to catch the scene. Kyoto is a special place and for us will always remain so thanks to the pictures you see here.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 10, No. 3 (1993) — Summer 1993 // Été 1993, p. 23. Read the rest of this issue →
