Understanding Kyoto's Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines

It is fair to say that I am not your typical tour guide. Among other things, this is evidenced by my current position as a Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies located in Oxford, UK. Since 2005, however, I have conducted my research on Buddhism in Kyoto, the heartland of Japanese Buddhism. In addition, I am a fully ordained priest in the Sōtō Zen sect of Buddhism, having entered the priesthood in 1965. Thus, I am what is known in Buddhist circles as a "scholar-priest. " Inasmuch as I am not the typical tour guide, I will be frank in stating that I am not seeking to guide the typical "sight-seeing" visitor to Kyoto and environs. Instead, I seek to guide "sight-learners, " i. e. visitors who are interested in receiving the most complete introduction possible to the history, doctrine and iconography of the Buddhist temples and Shintō shrines we visit. I particularly welcome questions, for this ensures that I am talking about things of interest to visitors. I especially like to guide visitors who have just arrived in Kyoto in order to provide them with the basic knowledge necessary to more fully appreciate the many temples and shrines they are likely to visit during their stay. At the same time, I welcome those visitors who may be feeling "templed out" (and bored) as a result of having visited so many temples and shrines that they all start to "look alike. " In reality, each of the temples and shrines has a unique doctrinal and historical background that, when properly understood, brings it 'to life', greatly enriching the visitor's experience. Kyoto's temples and shrines, like Japanese history itself, are anything but boring! If you are someone who wants to understand the doctrines, history and iconography of the temples, shrines and other sights you visit in Kyoto and environs, I look forward to guiding you during your visit. Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies, Temple University, June 1996. Additionally, I have had the pleasure of guiding students and travellers to Buddhist and Shinto-related sites in the Kyoto area since 2005. I specialize in providing both the associated doctrinal content and historical background of the sites we visit. I currently serve as a non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies. I am the author of several books including "Zen at War," "Zen War Stories," and "Zen Terror" as well as many academic book chapters and popular articles on religious, historical and current topics. None