Religious, Spiritual sights in Japan
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Togetsu-Kyō
This bridge is the dominant landmark in Arashiyama and is just a few minutes on foot from either the Keifuku line or Hankyū line Arashiyama Stations. The original crossing, constructed in 1606, was about 100m upriver from the present bridge. On 13 April jūsan-mairi, an important rite of passage for local children aged 13, takes place here. Boys and girls (many in kimono), after paying respects at Hōrin-ji and receiving a blessing for wisdom, cross the bridge under strict parental order not to look back towards the temple until they’ve reached the northern side of the bridge. Not heeding this instruction is believed to bring bad luck for life! From July to mid-September,…
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Zenkō-Ji Temple 善光寺
Zenkō-Ji Temple 善光寺 is believed to have been founded in the 7th century and is the home of the Ikkō-Sanzon, allegedly the first Buddhist image to arrive in Japan (in AD 552, from Korea). The image has quite a history; it's been the subject of disputes, lost, recovered and, finally, installed again. Don't expect to see it, however; it is said that 37 generations of emperors have not seen the image, though visitors may view a copy every seven years.
Zenkōji's immense popularity stems partly from its liberal welcoming of believers from all Buddhist sects, including women; its chief officiants are both a priest and a priestess.
The original site was south of the curre…
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Nijō Jinya
A few minutes’ walk south of Nijō-jō, Nijō Jinya is an interesting attraction, although it’s not really geared to foreign visitors. This former merchant’s home was built in the mid-1600s and served as an inn for provincial feudal lords visiting the capital. What appears to be an average Edo-period mansion, however, is no ordinary dwelling. The house contains fire-resistant earthen walls and a warren of 24 rooms, and was ingeniously designed to protect the daimyō against possible surprise attacks. Here you’ll find hidden staircases, secret passageways and an array of counterespionage devices. The main room’s ceiling skylight is fitted with a trap door from where …
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Kōryū-ji
A bit out of the way, Kōryū-ji is easily paired with nearby Myōshin-ji to form a half-day tour for those with an interest in Japanese Buddhism. It’s notable mostly for its collection of Buddhist statuary and so a visit with a knowledgeable guide is a good way to learn about the different levels of beings in the Buddhist pantheon. Kōryū-ji , one of the oldest temples in Japan, was founded in 622 to honour Prince Shōtoku, who was an enthusiastic promoter of Buddhism. The Hattō to the right of the main gate houses a magnificent trio of 9th-century statues: Buddha, flanked by manifestations of Kannon. The Reihōkan contains numerous fine Buddhist statues, including the …
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Kamakura Daibutsu
The Kamakura Daibutsu is at Kōtoku-in temple. Completed in 1252, it is Japan's second-largest Buddha image and Kamakura's most famous sight. It was once housed in a huge hall, today the statue sits in the open, the hall having been washed away by a tsunami in 1495. Cast in bronze and weighing close to 850 tonnes, the statue is 11.4m tall.
Its construction is said to have been inspired by Yoritomo's visit to Nara (where Japan's biggest Daibutsu holds court) after the Minamoto clan's victory over the rival Taira clan. Even though Kamakura's Daibutsu doesn't quite match Nara's in stature, it is commonly agreed that it is artistically superior.
The Buddha itself is the Amida …
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Ujigami-jinja
Ujigami-jinja holds the distinction of being Japan’s oldest shrine. Despite its historical significance, the shrine is the least interesting of Kyoto’s 17 Unesco World Heritage sites. According to ancient records, Uji-no-waki-Iratsuko, a 5th-century prince, tragically sacrificed his own life to conclude the matter of whether he or his brother would succeed the imperial throne; needless to say his brother, Emperor Nintoku, won the dispute. The main building was dedicated to the twosome and their father, Emperor Ōjin, and enshrines the tombs of the trio. The shrine is across the river from Byōdō-in and a short walk uphill; take the orange bridge across the river. On the way…
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Suwa-jinja Shrine
Between 7 and 9 October, this enormous shrine comes to life with the dragon dance of Kunchi Matsuri, Nagasaki's most important annual celebration. Inside you will find a number of cutesy komainu (prayer dogs!). Be sure to see the kappa-komainu (water-sprite dog, which you pray to by dribbling water on the plate on its head) and the gan-kake komainu (turn-table dog). The latter was used by prostitutes, who prayed that storms would arrive soon, forcing the sailors to stay at the port another day.
Suwa-jinja was established in 1625 and its forested hilltop setting is meditative indeed. Tram lines 3, 4 and 5 run to the Suwa-jinja-mae stop.
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Mibu-dera
Mibu-dera was founded in 991 and belongs to the Risshū school. In the late Edo period, it became a training centre for samurai. Mibu-dera houses tombs of pro-shōgunate Shinsen-gumi members, who fought bloody street battles resisting the forces that succeeded in restoring the emperor in 1868. Except for an unusual stupa covered in Jizō statues, visually the temple is of limited interest. It is, however, definitely worth visiting during Mibu kyōgen (comic drama) performances in late April, or the Setsubun celebrations in early February.
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Dembō-In
To the left of the temple precinct lies Dembō-in, a garden that adjoins the residence of the chief priest of Sensō-ji. The grounds are thought to have been designed sometime in the late 18th century to resemble those of Katsura-rikyu, the sprawling imperial villa in Kyoto.
Dembō-in is not usually open to the public, but if you'd like to take a peek at the 12,000-sq-metre area, whose pond is reputedly shaped like the Chinese character for 'heart', call ahead to the main office, which is to the left of the five-storey pagoda.
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Myōryū-ji
The temple Myōryū-ji is a five-minute walk from the river. Completed in 1643, it was designed as a hideout in case of attack, and contains hidden stairways, escape routes, secret chambers, concealed tunnels and trick doors. The popular name refers to the temple's connection with ninja (practitioners of the art of stealth). Admission is by tour only - it's in Japanese but visual enough. To reach the temple, take Minami Ō-dōri across the river, take a left at the first major intersection, then the first right.
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Chingodō-Ji
This odd, peaceful little shrine on the banks of Dembō-in pays tribute to tanuki (raccoon dogs who figure in Japanese myth as mystical shape-shifters and merry pranksters). Tanuki are normally depicted with enormous testicles on which they can fly. Since (needless to say) they make for great subject matter, they frequently pop up in Japanese wood-cuts like Utagawa Kuniyoshi's The Seven Wonders of the Clowning Raccoon, in which the tanuki is shown cheerily dancing his way round a geisha house.
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Fukusai-ji Kannon
This temple takes the form of a huge turtle carrying an 18m-high figure of the goddess Kannon on its back. Inside, a Foucault pendulum (demonstrating the rotation of the earth on its axis) hangs from near the top of the hollow statue. Only St Petersburg and Paris have larger examples.
The original temple, Chinese in origin, was built in 1628 but was completely burnt by the A-bomb fire. The replacement was built in 1976. The temple bell tolls at 11:02 daily, the exact time of the explosion of the atomic bomb.
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Daion-ji
Climb the stairs to the large Kuroganemochi tree at the entrance to Daion-ji and follow the path that heads to the grave of Matsudaira Zushonokami. He had been magistrate of Nagasaki for a year when, in 1808, the British warship HMS Phaeton sailed into Nagasaki harbour and seized two Dutch hostages. The British and Dutch were on opposite sides in the Napoleonic War at that time.
Unable to oppose the British, Zushonokami capitulated to their demands for supplies, then promptly disembowelled himself.
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Mampuku-ji
For something totally different while in the Uji area, you might consider a side trip to the unusual Mampuku-ji, a seldom visited temple a little bit north of the centre of Uji. Mampuku-ji was established as a Zen temple in 1661 by the Chinese priest Ingen. It is a rare example in Japan of a Zen temple built in the pure Chinese style of the Ming dynasty. The temple follows the Ōbaku school, which is linked to the mainstream Rinzai school but incorporates a wide range of esoteric Buddhist practices.
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Takiguchi-dera
The history of this temple reads like the romance of Romeo and Juliet. Takiguchi-dera was founded by Heian-era nobleman Takiguchi Nyūdō, who entered the priesthood after being forbidden by his father to marry his peasant consort Yokobue. One day, Yokobue came to the temple with her flute to serenade Takiguchi, but was again refused by him; she wrote a farewell love sonnet on a stone (in her own blood) before throwing herself into the river to perish. The stone remains at the temple.
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Hōzen-ji & Fudō-myōō statue
Only a short walk south of Dōtombori Arcade you'll find Hōzen-ji, a tiny temple hidden down a narrow alley. The temple is built around a moss-covered Fudō-myōō statue. This statue is a favourite of people employed in mizu shobai (water trade) who pause before work to throw some water on the moss-covered statue. Nearby, you'll find Hōzen-ji Yokochō, a tiny alley filled with traditional restaurants and bars.
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Ōsu Kannon temple
The much-visited Ōsu Kannon temple traces its roots back to 1333. The temple was considered so auspicious that Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered that it be moved here around 1610. Although the current buildings are 20th-century reconstructions, it still retains a traditional atmosphere. It's not uncommon to hear chanting piped in throughout the temple grounds.
Ōsu is equally famous for the vibrant shopping district that draws bargain hunters.
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Hōsen-in
A quieter option than Sanzen-in, this temple is just down the path west of the entry gate to Shōrin-in. The main tatami room offers a view of a bamboo garden and the surrounding mountains, framed like a painting by the beams and posts of the building. There is also a fantastic 700-year-old pine tree in the garden. The blood-stained Chi Tenjō ceiling boards came from Fushimi-jō castle.
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Shōren-ji temple
This temple was transferred to this site from the Shōkawa Valley when a dam was built there in 1960. There are over a dozen temples (one houses the youth hostel) and shrines you can wander around before taking in the greenery of the park, Shiroyama-kōen. The tourist information office has descriptions of the temples and a simple map, or the Hida Takayama pamphlet has a more detailed map.
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Hachiman-Jinja (Hachiman Temple)
It's so small that you might stroll past and not notice it - which is exactly what makes Hachiman-jinja worth pausing for. Real-estate values in Ginza have generally forced places of worship elsewhere (or relocated them to the rooftops of Ginza's temples of commerce). Near Shimbashi Station, this is one shrine that remains at street level, a feat that was achieved by building over the top of it.
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Gokoku-Ji (Gokoku Temple)
Though this temple has been declared an Important Cultural Property, it gets surprisingly few visitors. One of the few surviving Edo temples, it dates from 1680, and was built by the fifth Tokugawa shōgun for his mother. Exiting the temple grounds and turning to the left, you'll soon reach Toshimagaoka Goryo, an imperial mausoleum that is closed to the public.
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Kiyomizu Kannon-Dō
This red temple, up the path from the Takamori Saigō statue, was modelled after Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. During Ningyō-kuyō, women wishing to conceive a child leave a doll here for Senjū Kannon (the 1000-armed goddess of mercy), and the accumulated dolls are ceremonially burnt each 25 September.
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Shōfuku-ji
Shōfuku-ji is an historic Zen temple founded in 1195 AD by Eisai Zenji, who introduced Zen and tea to Japan. The site on which it stands has proved to be archaeologically rich, with recent excavations revealing remnants of a culture dating back 4000 years.
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Gangō-ji
Naramachi is home to Gangō-ji, a small temple that is listed as one of Nara's Unesco World Heritage sites. Despite its World Heritage listing, it's not particularly interesting and probably only merits a quick glance from outside.
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Konpon-ji Temple
This temple, with its thatched roof and pleasant gardens, is where Nichiren was first brought when exiled. Buses between Ryōtsu and Mano on the No 2 Minami-sen line stop in front here
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