What is This? 10

Spotted: At one of, if not, Japan's most significant works of architecture, the Katsura Detached Palace, I found this stone. Carefully tied with a black rope and placed in the center of the pathway leading up to the entrance of the main building. A belated Easter Egg? A modern art installation, perhaps? What is this?


Answer: This is the traditional Japanese symbol for "no entry". I'm quite sure this marker wouldn't work at all in America because it doesn't really prevent one from physically entering an area. Anyone could just walk past this rock with a string, however the bound rock creates a psychological barrier that prevents one from passing it. I've noticed that everyone in Japan is quite conscious of the rules and my being here has made me more aware of what actions are okay and what are not. We are bound by the rules and shouldn't pass this rock, which is itself a reminder of ourselves, bound with a rope and restricted in movement. It works quite effectively because it makes one conscious that the decision to walk past this rock will also be a decision to break the rules.

View of the pond on the grounds of Katsura Villa

My visit to the Katsura Detached Palace was quite pleasant. As you can see from my pictures, the Momiji season has started in Kyoto. "Momiji" refers to the time when the maple leaves begin to change color to a fiery red. To go to Katsura it is necessary to make a reservation quite far in advance and you can only enter the grounds on a guided tour. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't go into the palace itself, but I understand their concern about preserving this national treasure. I certainly admire Katsura for its Sukiya (rustic and restrained) style of architecture as well as the profound beauty present in the well-integrated composition of buildings and landscape. Many of the design patterns on the sliding doors and screens of the complex are quite abstract and still appeal to the contemporary eye. There are many books written about Katsura that describe its interior in great depth, but it would have been nice to see the interior for myself and to experience it with my own haptic senses.