About Japan

Heian Jingu Shrine 

 

The shrine, with its many pond-centred gardens has been designed in the form of an ancient imperial palace. On the road to the shrine is a giant Torii signalling the existence of the shrine.

 

The image below shows the famous Heian Jingu Torii in 2007, the image on the right shows how it appeared in the late 19th century as painted by Tomikichiro Tokuriki (1902-1999). Can you see how much the landscape has changed?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kinkakuji Golden Pavillion 

 

Although Kinkakuji is familiar to tourists as the Golden Pavilion, it is only one building in a temple complex called Rokuon-ji Temple. 

 

Kinkakuji was originally the residence of the 3rd Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu (1358-1408). He abdicated his throne in 1394 and entered the priesthood at the age of 37. A devoted follower of Zen Buddhism, Yoshimitsu ordered that his retirement villa be turned into a temple after his death.

 

In 1950, a young monk who had entered the Buddhist priesthood (due to his obsession with the Golden Pavilion) burnt it down. An exact replica of the original building now stands on the site, after a repair job that included the replacement of 200 000 sheets of gold leaf!

 

When approaching Kinkakuji you enter along a tree-shaded path that then emerges into a pretty garden, on the other side of which stands the glittering Golden Pavilion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyomizu Dera Temple 

 

Otowasan Kiyomizu Dera or 'Clear Water Temple on South-of-Feathers Mountain' was first built in 798 and the present building is a reconstruction that dates back to 1633.

 

It was Enchin, a priest from Nara who was told in a vision to go and look for clear water that originated from a source deep within Mt Otowa. On his way to discover the clear spring, he met an old man called Gyoei who gave him a log possessed by the spirit of Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva). He took this log and had it carved into the likeness of Kannon and placed it in a hut on the spot where Kiyomizu Dera now resides.

 

During this time, a warrior called Sakanoue Tamuramato went in search of a stag, whose blood it was believed had healing properties. He hoped that the stag’s blood would help his wife give birth safely. He met Enchin who spoke to him of the cruelty of killing animals. Tamuramato was so impressed with the priest’s words that he went back to his wife and they became devout worshippers. Tamuramato extolled the merits of Kannon Bosatsu and the miraculous virtue of the clear waters and it was he who paid for the construction of a Buddhist sanctuary. 

In order to enter the temple, you must climb the steep road called Chawan-zaka or Teapot Lane. It is home to a large variety of charming pottery, snack and handicraft shops.

 

To access the temple itself, walk past the two 3.6 meter tall 'Deva Kings' (nio) who guard the front gate. Then walk into the temple’s main hall (hondo) which is a huge veranda supported by hundreds of pillars and which juts out over the hillside. Once you stand there looking over the cliff it is easy to understand the Japanese proverb, “to jump off Kiyomizu’s stage” is the Japanese equivalent of “to take the plunge.”

Housed within the main hall is an eleven-faced, thousand armed, thousand-eyed Kannon Bosatsu. Just below the main hall is the Otawa-no-taki, a waterfall from which visitors sip water which is believed to have therapeutic properties.

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(Information continued below...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nijo-jo (Nijo Castle) 

 

The castle was originally built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 to show his military dominance over Kyoto. Rectangular in dimensions, its lavishly decorated gold-leafed audience halls and magnificent stone walls symbolise the power and riches of the Tokugawa shogunate.

 

It is not only known for its beautiful interior, but also the linking corridors that feature ‘nightingale’ (creaking) floors which were used to warn of intruders. The floors 'sing' and squeak when walked on, just like the Nightingale bird! There are also many concealed chambers around the castle where bodyguards could secretly keep watch.

 

The castle has 33 rooms and is built mostly of Hinoki wood (Japanese Cypress.) There are beautiful motifs painted on the walls of cherry trees, life-size tigers, pine trees and frolicking peacocks created by the Kano School Painters around the 15th Century. Unfortunately, visitors are not permitted to photograph inside the building.