Sitting in the car, my mind is racing!! I’m on my way to the city I’ve most idolized about in Japan… Kyoto! (●⌒∇⌒●) I’ve only been in Japan for TWO days and I’m already on my way there with Aya and her parents!!
I don’t particularly know why, but I’ve always held a special place in my heart for Kyoto. Perhaps it’s because I’ve always thought of Kyoto as “old Japan”, a cultural place that still practices the “old ways” of Japan. I guess now it is time I put those thoughts to the test! Meanwhile, the weather today is threatening showers. The sky is dark and gray, but I’ve seen the sun appear a couple of times. Perhaps the day will clear off?? (・_・?)
Our first destination is Sanzen-in Temple, actually located in a rural town called Ohara, about an hour north of central Kyoto.
The area of Sanzen-in Temple has large temple grounds and a variety of buildings, gardens, and walking paths.
There are businesses that line the road approaching the main gate to the temple. This is an inn:
As the sign tells us, this temple is one of the Tendai sect temples of Buddhism, built and founded by an imperial family member, Saicho, around the late 8th/early 9th century. _〆(。。) *wise nod*
Here’s the front entrance to the gate!
Once inside, I had to remove my shoes. I will say this dreary day really could have been a LOT warmer, in my opinion! ( ̄~ ̄;) It was still very nifty to see the various rooms!
There is a beautiful garden! (Sorry for the blurriness!)
I wasn’t particularly allowed to take pictures from up close, but inside there is a national treasure called the Amitabha Trinity. From my brochure, “the Ohara area has been known as Gyozan for more than a thousand years. Sanzen-in Temple was originally established as a hermitage by Saicho (767-822). The temple…is one of the five Tendai Monzeki temples.” This is the Amitabha Trinity:
From a distance, this is the structure, called "Ojo-Gokuraku-in":
Continuing our tour of the Temple, we saw the “Warabe-jizo” statues (Sorry, no, I don’t know what this is (^~^;)ゞ )
I captured a really nice view of "Ojo-Gokuraku-in": <( ̄︶ ̄)>
We came up to a resting spot that was serving this special kind of tea—with gold in it. I tried the two types being offered: a golden tea and a green tea.
The green tea was artificially sweetened, but my reaction to the other tea:
Honestly, I did not like it. It was too bitter and I couldn't stomach it. (≧﹏≦;;)
The “Konjiki Fudo-do Hall” was immediately to our left stepping out of our warm haven. Oh, have I got a story for you!! Ha ha!! I went inside with Aya and her parents. Her dad insisted I take a moment to experience praying at a Buddhist temple, which of course I obliged! He handed me a stick of incense and told me to watch as he lit his own and gracefully put out the flame, while keeping the smoke tip. He motioned me to do the same, but I mistakenly blew my flame out. Everyone who was near me looked horrified and I was quickly admonished for blowing out my incense stick. I was supposed to wave the still back and forth to put out the flame. Whoops. (°×°)ゞ I placed my incense in the correct placement and prayed that I do well in school this semester and that I don’t make such a fool of myself!! Lesson learned!
This basically sums up my adventures at the Sanzen-in Temple, so please enjoy the pictures from around the grounds.
Aya's dad took a few pictures as well:
Aya looks a bit fed up with pictures!
Group shot! (Pictured below: Aya, her mother, me, her father)
Before we left, however, I had to check out the souvenir shop!
☆.。.:*・° ヾ(*⌒ヮ⌒*)ゞ °・*:.。.☆
I had heard that it’s customary to buy おまもり (pronounced: oh-mah-more-ree, “charm/amulet”) when visiting shrines and temples as a means of good luck in that year. They aren’t all the same, however. Some represent good fortune; some are for good luck in school, others for finding work/job, etc. So, I bought a couple different ones!
And what I like is that they have on them from which place you obtained your charm!! Front and back, respectively:
Walking back to the car, we met a very kind and obedient dog named Hana! She was so sweet and came out of her warm bed to see us!
It’s almost that time!! The sakura are barely starting to bloom!!
((—>Next up: Shimogamo Shrine))