去年十二月底，我們全家一起在京都度過了一段難忘的假期。我已記不清上次全家一起出遊是何時了——自從弟弟去高雄唸大學開始，我們全家就少有全員到齊的時候，所以這次的京都遊對我來說格外特別。
爸爸很喜歡京都，但我對日本卻從來沒有特殊的憧憬或深入的了解，所以我以為只要像小時候一樣，跟著爸爸走就可以了。沒想到到了年底，爸爸的工作忙碌到完全沒有時間規劃行程，我回到臺灣之後，只好趕鴨子上架，在工作和各種聚會的間隙自己查資料、向朋友們請教，忐忑不安地為全家排出了京都五天的行程。
相較於走馬看花、拍照打卡式的觀光，我更喜歡深入了解一座城市，所以我們全程都待在京都一帶。身為日本一千多年的首都，京都的歷史和文化底蘊十分豐厚：林立的佛寺、仿長安和洛陽的街坊設計、街角隨處可見的地藏王神龕和鳥居，在現代化的城市建築之間絲毫不顯突兀。我喜歡在京都走街串巷，因為這座城市的每一個角落似乎都有一個故事。我也喜歡京都各式各樣的美食，從精緻的京料理到路邊的小吃和便利商店的零食，都充滿了煙火氣、讓人感受到這座城市的勃勃生機。（這點跟臺灣很像。跟美國的城市相比，我更喜歡亞洲城市的生活氣息。）
我們此行參觀了京都許多著名的佛寺。京都的寺院和臺灣的廟宇全然不同——臺灣的廟宇大多金碧輝煌、熏香繚繞、信徒眾多，而京都的佛寺雖然多為觀光景點，但是大抵色調樸素、佈局疏朗、富有禪意，著重於清修而非信徒參拜。每一座寺院都各俱特色，如果硬要挑一座我印象最深刻的，大概是宇治平等院了。平等院有近千年的歷史，是平安王朝的光輝，也是日本人對佛教西方極樂世界的具象化。或許是因為平等院不在京都市區，又適逢淡季，所以人潮不似清水寺、伏見稻荷大社等地熙來攘往。碧綠的阿字池映著美麗莊嚴、如火紅的鳳凰展翅般的鳳凰堂，鳳凰堂則是集日本的建築、雕刻工藝、繪畫的精華於一身，雖然殿內的如來金身、菩薩像、壁畫多已褪色，但依然能從中一窺平安時代的繁華和當時貴族對極樂世界的想像。院內的博物館（鳳翔館）讓我聯想到到了我們的故宮，它的規模和館藏都比故宮小得多，但是無論是故宮還是鳳翔館，都讓我彷彿穿越了時光隧道、洗盡了滾滾紅塵的繁華，平心靜氣地遨遊在歷史的汪洋中。
除了認識一座新的城市之外，和家人共度的時光對我來說更是彌足珍貴。自從媽媽被診斷出癌症擴散之後，我回臺灣時，總覺得跟家人在一起的時間不夠，媽媽過世之後，我更是恨不得在臺灣的每一秒都能掰成八瓣來花。小時候在家，總覺得和家人有花不完的時光，但是出國後，隨著年歲漸長，我開始覺得我這一輩子能和家人在一起的時間是有限的，花一次少一次，所以我總想把每一分每一秒都花得充實又有意義。這次在京都，我們陪著爸爸走遍了一座他一直想造訪的城市、一起留下了許多美好溫馨的回憶，希望未來無論在世界何方，我和家人們共度的時光都是溫暖又精彩的。
Last December, my family went on a trip to Kyoto together. I don’t remember when the last time we went on a vacation as a family was — since my brother went to college in Kaohsiung, it has been hard to get everyone in my family together. Therefore, this trip to Kyoto felt extra special.
My dad really likes Kyoto, but I never had any special feelings or an in-depth understanding of Japan. Therefore, at first, I thought I could just follow my dad around like I did when I was a kid. Towards the end of the year, however, my dad got so busy with work that he had no time to plan the trip. Therefore, after I arrived in Taiwan, I took it upon myself even though I knew very little about Japan. I crammed in a lot of information in two weeks. I asked my friends for their advice in between work and gatherings, and finally came up with a five-day itinerary for our Kyoto trip.
I prefer to get to know a city in depth instead of rushing through a bunch of different landmarks. Therefore, we stayed in the Greater Kyoto area during our entire trip. As the capital of Japan for over a thousand years, Kyoto has a very rich historical and cultural heritage. The Buddhist temples scattered across the city, the neighborhood design templating Chang’An and Luoyang (ancient China capitals), Jizo statues and torii gates that can be seen around every street corner, alongside many other historical elements, blend perfectly into the modern architecture in Kyoto. I loved just walking on the streets of Kyoto because every part of the city seems to have its own story. I also loved all kinds of good food in Kyoto — from exquisite Kaiseki to various street food and snacks in the convenience stores — the food, along with the hustle and bustle, gives the city an extremely lively vibe. (This is very similar to cities in Taiwan. Compared to cities in the US, I have always loved Asian cities more for their vibrance.)
During our trip, we visited many famous temples in Kyoto. These temples are very different from what I have seen in Taiwan. The Taiwanese temples are often gilded, well-decorated, filled with incense, and crowded by worshippers. The temples in Kyoto, on the other hand, are mostly tourist attractions, but they have simple colors, open layouts, and are full of Zen. The focus is more on spiritual practices rather than worshipping. Every temple we visited has its unique characteristics, but if I have to pick one that I am the most impressed with, it is probably Byodo-In in Uji. Byodo-In has almost a thousand years of history. It is the glory of the Heian Imperial Period, and Japanese people’s embodiment of the Buddhist “Pure Land” (similar to the idea of Heaven). Byodo-In is not in central Kyoto, and we visited during the off-season, so it was not as crowded as places like Kiyomizudera and Fushimi Imari Taisha. The teal Aji-ike pond reflected the elegant, flame-red Phenix Hall, which is one of the most important cultural assets of Japan. Phoenix Hall is shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings, and it has some of Japan’s finest architecture, sculpture craftsmanship, and paintings. Although the colors of the Amida Buddha, statues of the Bodhisattva on Clouds, and the wall paintings in Phoenix Hall have all faded, one could still get a glimpse of the Heian prosperity, as well as what the Japanese royals thought paradise was like. The Hosho-kan Museum in Byodo-In reminded me of our Palace Museum. It has a much smaller scale and collection compared to the Palace Museum, but both made me feel as though I had gone back in time and truly immersed myself in history.
Other than getting to know a new city, the time I spent with my family on this trip is very precious to me. Since my mom was diagnosed with metastatic cancer, I never felt like I had enough time to spend with my family in Taiwan. After my mom passed away, I always wish I could split every second into eight whenever I am in Taiwan. When I was little, I thought I had an infinite amount of time with my family. After I moved to the US, however, I started to realize that my time with my family is limited, so I want to spend every moment in a meaningful way. I am thankful that we got to travel with my dad to a city that he has always wanted to visit — we built a lot of beautiful memories that I know I will cherish for the rest of my life. In the future, I hope the time I get to spend with my family can always be warm and amazing, no matter where we are in the world.
