Jeffrey Friedl's Blog » Kyoto’s Kajuji Temple at its Most Bleak (is Still Very Nice)

Kyoto’s Kajuji Temple at its Most Bleak (is Still Very Nice)

by Jeffrey Friedl Mon, July 30th, 2012 9:28pm JST (11 years, 9 months ago)

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Desolate Lake at Kyoto's Kajuji Temple (勧修寺) in Winter -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Desolate
Lake at Kyoto's Kajuji Temple (勧修寺) in Winter

京都市山科区の勧修寺、冬の氷室池（去年の12月). 真冬でも美しい所ですが、夏は全然違うでしょう。

In an article in yesterday's Japan Times, “A heavenly retreat amid the bustle of Kyoto”, about the Kajuji Temple (勧修寺) in the Yamashina area of Kyoto, the author waxes about the temple's many botanical wonders, especially water lilies and lotuses. I happen to have gone there in mid December last year, perhaps the most bleak season for the temple.

It was still very nice even then, and remains high on my list to revisit. The article reminds me to post about that earlier trip, and to schedule another one soon.

Entrance The Kajuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Entrance
The Kajuji Temple (勧修寺)

Initial Survey of the lake -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/6.3, ISO 2500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Initial Survey
of the lake

Seen Better Days -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Seen Better Days

Tight Squeeze the lake was very shallow at the edges, but the carp seem to manage -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tight Squeeze
the lake was very shallow at the edges, but the carp seem to manage

¼ Around The Lake -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
¼ Around The Lake

Herons on the Island -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Herons on the Island

Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/1600 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Turtle -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Turtle

Murky -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Murky

Back Path -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Back Path

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos

Island from Behind -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Island from Behind

Broken -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Broken

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos

Ruins? -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ruins?

Funky Tree -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/2, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Funky Tree

Other Visitors -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Other Visitors

Hallway -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hallway

Garden -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Garden

Detour -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Detour

Intersection -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Intersection

Leaf -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Leaf

Ample Free Parking -- Kajyuuji Temple (勧修寺) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2011 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ample Free Parking

It really was nice, so now that I'm reminded that there's a season where plants are actually alive, I'm excited to go back.

Continued here...

July	31st,	2012	A Few More from the Kajuji Temple in Winter
August	1st,	2012	Kyoto's Kajuji Temple In Summer: Alive
August	2nd,	2012	Water Lilies and other Botanical Highlights at the Kajuji Temple

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One comment so far...

A very interesting place. I look forward to seeing the photos from your next visit.

I noticed that you were using three prime lenses. Is that what you usually carry with you? Do you also carry a zoom (such as 18-200 or 28-300)? What thought process do you go through to choose a specific lens to use for a shot?

Tom in San Francisco

Unless there are special circumstances, I tend to like going with three primes, 24mm and 50mm f/1.4, and the Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5. That gives me a fair amount of range, though I tend to use the Voigtlander the most because it’s just so exquisite to use, as is its results. But I like to have context shots on the blog, so I want to have wider angles as well if possible. The 18-200 was the first lens I bought when I got a DSLR, but it has too many compromises, and my skill/desire grew beyond that much of a compromise. I eventually gave it away. I have a 24-70 and a 70-200 that I use occasionally, and a 50-500 in case I need it, but my tendencies have gravitated to big-aperture primes. —Jeffrey

— comment by Tom in SF on July 30th, 2012 at 11:04pm JST (11 years, 9 months ago) — comment permalink