#mibu-dera

[ununotter]

Hakuouki fanart drawn on ema at Mibu-dera in Kyoto Photos taken 13th April 2024

[tofutortoise]

Trip to Mibu-dera

I accomplished my long-time dream of visiting Mibu-dera today! The Shinsengumi lived there for a couple of years in their early days ^-^ We couldn’t take any photos inside, but here are just a few of the photos from the day (please excuse my subpar photography lol):

Although we couldn’t take photos inside, I want to mention that the inner part of the main temple was absolutely gorgeous. It was ornately decorated and houses a Buddhist statue that dates back to the Heian period. 

In a room on the side of the temple you can see Hijikata and Kondo’s swords, as well as some of their letters. My kanji is limited and I couldn’t take out my phone for translation help, so I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I ended up asking some of the other museum patrons to explain things to me in more simple Japanese. Thankfully, people were really nice and I was able to learn a lot more thanks to them :)

I ended up buying a goshuincho and a bag from the gift shop. For those who don’t know, a goshuincho allows you to collect signatures from the various shrines you visit. The signatures serve as wonderful souvenirs to show where you’ve visited. Today alone I ended up collecting three signatures between Mibu dera, an enmusbi shrine, and then the Go’o shrine near the Imperial Palace. 

I worked hard touring Mibu dera, so of course I had to treat myself to some Shinsengumi ice cream afterward haha.

As you can see, the ice cream is blue and white, and the little cookie has Makoto inscribed onto it! The ice cream flavor was simple and milky, and the cookie had a pleasant almond taste. It was really refreshing and I recommend it! The shop is called Dandara Coffee and it’s right next door to the temple. 

I still intend to go to the Yagi house and various other Shinsengumi spots around Kyoto, but luckily I’ll be studying here until May so I’ve got time! If you have any recommended spots in Kyoto or the surrounding areas (Shinsengumi-related or otherwise), I would love to hear them :D

[ununotter]

Even more of the Hakuouki ema currently on display at Mibu-dera.

Some of which I photographed back in 2023/24

Also on display at Mibu-dera and relevant to my (2.5d) interests:

Stage Touken Ranbu: Shiden Tsuketari Kitan no Soumatou (舞台「刀剣乱舞」心伝 つけたり奇譚の走馬灯) actors' signed ema.

[ununotter]

Oh, I also got a water fortune. I pulled Sannan (Yamanami) Keisuke's words:

あなたの進むべき道は、あなた自身が決めるべきだ！

It felt very appropriate, eheh. ^_^

[kyotodreamtrips]

Memorial statue of Kondō Isami (近藤 勇, October 9, 1834 – May 17, 1868), founder of Shinsengumi (新選組) police force to protect Kyoto from samurai ronin during the rule of Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi (徳川 家茂). His statue stands in the Mibu-dera temple grounds along with memorial stones to some of his comrades.

[kyotodreamtrips]

A unique feature of setsubun at Mibu-dera (壬生寺) is the writing on Horaku (炮烙) or unglazed ceramic plates. One writes his/her wishes with a calligraphy brush on the plates and then submits them to the temple. In a separate kyogen play, Horaku Wari, they are all smashed delivering the owners of evil and bringing on good fortune.