Main hall at the Buddhist temple complex of Sennyu-ji

Not far from the the busy center of Kyoto is this secluded mountainside temple that has a longstanding relationship to the Imperial Family. This video clip shows the way that many cultural tourists make use of their brief time on the site of Kyoto's many temples and cultural institutions: walk around the physical space to appreciate the massiveness and detail, possibly go inside, often raise cellphone to snap a photo of the place or of oneself at the site. Considering the centuries of life here at Sennyu-ji, a visit of an hour or less can only touch a small part of the surface. But that is far more than other people who never leave their slumbering couch or their car as they speed through their lives.