I ascend the stone steps from the road, along which sports cars covered in protective nylon are parked. The approach to Honen-ji is paved in cobblestone. On the ridge above is a Buddhist cemetery. I can see the gardener moving among the memorial markers. The winter day is warm.
Sunlight graces the pines.
The Philosopher's Path, Kyoto. Photo by Kenneth Arnold. There is a kind of Zen meditation that is done while walking. Every step is intentional. I feel I have stepped into this zone in which my walking is all that there is.