3)Tuseday, August 14, 2007

• Extra Fudasho: Houkiin Temple (776 Hase, Sakurai City, Nara Pref.)
  
  
  • I took on the first Shinkansen train "Nozomi" at 6:00 AM from Okayama Station and took off at Shin-Osaka Station. I changed subway and Kintetsu Line and finally arrived in Hasedera Station around 9:00 AM.
  • A few passengers took off the train there, however, only I was heading to Hasedera Temple since it was mid-summer and in the early morning.
  • I visited here more than 30 years ago, but I had no memory.
  • The sun was shining and it was so hot. I was walking slowly in the temple town. The street was almost empty�I
  • Just before Hasedera temple, I found a sign of Houkiin Temple. The small temple, but the temple gate was gorgeous.
  • After passing the temple gate, there existed small main temple. The principal image was Saint Tokudo, who established the "Saigoku Fudasho" system.
  • Only I was there after young couple left the temple.
  • The precinct was small, but I got settled and felt very comfortable.
  • I got red stamp and rested for a while, then started to walk to Hasedera Temple.
    
    
    Hasedera Station Houkiin Temple Main Temple
    
    
    Main Temple Stone Pagoda Inari
    
    
    Bussokuseki Stone Buddha
    
    
    

• The eighth Fudasho: Hase-dera Temple (731-1, Hase-cho, Sakurai City, Nara Pref.)
  
  
  • It was not so far from Hokiin Temple to Hasedera Temple.
  • I was charged Yen 500 at the entrance.
  • After passing the great Deva gate, the cloister with stone steps appeared. I climbed the stone steps in a swelter.
  • A big main temple appeared after finishing the climb of stone steps.
  • You can worship tall (10 m in height) and gorgeous eleven-headed Kannon in the main temple. It was so big and gorgeous and thus I was overwhelmed. Seeing the face filled with mercy, I deeply felt at piece. I wanted to continue to worship there.
  • It was so hot, but several visitors continued to worship the Kannon one after another by walking around the main temple. I believe they would worship at least one hundred times.
  • I wished I could stay in front of the Kannon as long as possible, but I had to leave there.
  • The view from the stage of the main temple was wonderful. The five-storied pagoda in the green was impressive.
  • I got red stamp (The lady in charge was so curt.) I left the main temple after worshiping the Kannon again.
  • I found the liquor shop "Yamanaka" close to Houkiin Temple. The guidebook says that they sell the locally-brewed Japanese Sake "Komoriki no sato", which Mr. Hiroyuki Itsuki, a famous Japanese novelist, recommends. (900ml --- Yen 1,380) The storekeeper proudly said to me "This tasty sake is only available here." And thus I answered "This sake is recommended by Novelist Itsuki." He was so delighted! The bag became suddenly heavy.
    
    
    Approach of Hasedera Temple. Deva Gate Cloister
    
    
    Entrance of main temple Main temple View from stage
    
    
    Five storied pagoda Nakayama liquor shop
    
    
    
• The nineth Fudasho: Nan-endo Temple (48 Noboriohji-cho, Nara City, Nara Pref.)
  
  
  • This time, I had a plan to visit Akishinodera Temple in addition to visiting two Fudashos. So I got off at Yamato Saidaiji Station.
  • The purpose was to worship famous "Gigeiten: Art angel". Under the boiling sun, I walked to the temple.
  • It was a turnoff to see the cycle-race track just before reaching the temple. Anyway, it took 20 minutes to arrive in the temple from the station.
  • After entering the temple gate, I could see beautiful garden covered with green moss. I paid entrance fee of Yen 500 and entered into the small main temple.
  • In the dim main temple, there were many Buddhist statues, heading the list of "Yakushi Nyorai". The famous "Art angel" was positioned in the left of all statues. I was amazed by the alluring image of Art angel for a while. The visitor was not so many and I could enjoy quiet atmosphere of the temple.
  • Then I returned to the station and I got on the train to Nara Station.
  • The precinct of Kofukuji Temple is very close from Kintestu Nara Station. A lot of tourists were walking there. I could see many deer. Then I could see a tall five-storied pagoda of Kofukuji Yemple.
  • First I visited Nannendo Temple. The octopus-shaped roof was very impressive. A lot of visitors were there.
  • The main Kannon can be worshipped only on October 17. Thus I could not see it.
  • I got red stamp there and strolled around Sarusawa pond for a while. Then I visited Toukondo Temple and worshipped Yakushi-nyorai. I was largely impressed by the large-scaled Buddha image.
  • Then I visited national treasurer museum. There are many national treasures such as "Ashura image" and so on. I could fully enjoy seeing many famous Buddha images.
  • My entire planned schedule were complete, however, I still had extra time and thus I decided to visit Todaiji Temple.
  • A lot of tourists were crowded to the way of Daibutsu-den.
  • Fisrst, I visited Daibutsu-den to worship Daibutsu. I wonder how many years had passed since I visited Daibutsu-den previously.
  • Then I visited nigatsu-do and sangatsu-do.
  • I was overwhelmed by large-scaled Buddha images of Tenpyo era in the sangatsu-do such as Fukukensaku Kannon, etc.
  • I became fully aware that the scale of Buddha images of Nara far exceeds that of Kanto district.
  • Anyway, I could visit several temples and worship many Buddha images and was fully satisfied.
  • I took on the train of Shinkansen bound for Tokyo at 17:16. Today's steps were almost 35,000.
    
    
    Temple gate of Akishinodera temple Approach Moss gardemn
    
    
    Main temple Daidendo Stone Buddah
    
    
    Sarusawa Pond Stone monument Stone Stairs
    
    
    Nanendo Nanendo 5-storied pagoda
    
    
    Toukondo National treasuer museum
    
    
    deers Nanndaimon gate Daibutsuden
    
    
    Daibutsuden Daibutsu Daibutsu
    
    
    nigatsudo Sangatsudo Hachimangu
    
    
    
  
  

�Q�jSunday, August 12, 2007

• The fourth Fudasho: Kizanji Temple (1212 Kizan, Ochiaicho, Maniwa City, Okayama Pref.)
  
  
  • As usual, I decided to visit Fudashos while I returned to Okayama.
  • Like last summer, the temperature in Okayama exceeded 33 degrees Centigrade every day. Thus I visited Fudasho by car.
  • The Fudasho is built on the height of 430 m located approx. 6 km westward from Mimasaka-ochiai Station of JR Kishin Line.
  • The road to the Fudasho was serpentine-curved. It might be so hard to climb on foot under the boiling sun.
  • It was strange to see red shrine gate at the entrance, but it was a relic of faith of Buddhism-Shintoism identity.
  • Climbing the stone steps and passing the temple gate, you can see the main temple over the stone steps.
  • In the main temple, Yakushi-nyorai and eleven-faced Kannon were enshrined, but they were in the shrine and I could not see them.
  • I got red stamp at priest's quarters. The priest was so young. I asked him if I could see the inside of the priest's quarters, however, he softly refused my proposal due to the fact that he was so busy during Bon Festival.
  • Very close to Kizanji Temple, there exist Kizan Shrine, which was separated from Kizanji Temple during Meiji era owing to Act of Separation of Shinto with Buddhism.
  • Climbing up the slope, you can see very large, old-fashioned and unusual-shaped shrine.
  • I felt something like vibration in front of the shrine. It might be a power spot! I stayed there for a while in utter amazement.
    
    
    Shrine gate Temple gate Taishido
    
    
    Main temple Main temple Kannondo
    
    
    Komainu Kizan Shrine
    
    
    
• Special Fudasho: Tanjoji Temple (808 Tanjoji Kumenancho, Kume-gun, Okayama Pref.)
  
  
  • Tanjoji Temple is the sacred land where Saint Honen was born.
  • After passing stately temple gate, you can see big ginkgo trees and main temple where the Saint was enshrined.
  • On the left side of the main temple, there exists small Kannon temple. You can worship large and gorgeous Saint Kannon there.
  • In the back of the main temple, there was a tomb of Saint's parents. There is also a well where Saint was given his first bath. There also exists Daibutsu that is the largest in Okayama Pref.
    
    
    Temple gate Main temple Kannondo
    
    
    Tomb Daibutsu Well
    
    
    Stone Buddha Rokkakudo
    
    
    
  
  

1)Saturday, July 28, 2007

• The twenty-sixth Fudasho: Kiyotakidera Temple (1151 Ono, Shinjimura, Shinji-gun, Ibaraki Pref.)
  
  
  • I left home before 5:00 AM. It was almost cloudy and too hot. I took on the first train from Higashi-kurume Station.
  • Then I took on the train bound for Mito from Ueno Station.
  • I arrived in Tsuchiura Station past 7:00 AM. I deposited extra luggage into the coin-locker.
  • I planned to run to Fudasho with backpack. The one-way distance was approx. 15 km.
  • I started Tsuchiura Station at 7:15 AM. The sun in summer was already shining. The running condition was not good.
  • I continued to run alongside Road Route 125. It was so hot and I soon sweated to the skin. I had to drink water frequently.
  • After crossing the Joban Expressway, I entered into the Ono-Tsuchiura Route. The distance to Fudasho was 9 km. The temperature continued to rise and I was forced to run slowly.
  • I reached the entrance of Fudasho around 9:00 AM. I sweated too much.
  • I finally reached the precinct of the Fudasho after climbing long stone steps.
  • The precinct was not so spacious. No visitors were there.
  • The small main temple was re-built by village people in 1977. I could not see the inside of the main temple, but the Kannon seemed to be inside the small shrine.
  • After worshipping, I got red stamp at the Nokyousho.
  • A blunt old man pressed the stamp on the book. I wondered if he could said "Thank you for visiting" since I came here by running all the way from Tsuchiura Station under boiling sun. I didn't feel that the temple had the atmosphere of Fudasho excepting the approach.
  • The area where Kiyotakiji Temple locates is called the "Home of Onono Komachi". Onono Komachi is said to be the incredibly beautiful woman.
  • Based upon the guidebook, I first visited small temple named " Koujo-an". The temple was surrounded with green.
  • After visiting "Komachi Plaza", I went to see the tomb of Onono Komachi. It is said that the worshipper would be beautiful woman or could cure the women's diseases.
  • Passing through the Hie Shrine, I entered into the pastoral land. I continued to run slowly, but my body temperature started to extraordinarily rise under the hot weather. I was worrying about heatstroke.
  • I gave up running and started to walk.
  • I patiently continued to walk to Tsuchiura, but I almost couldn't stand the hot weather.
  • Fortunately, I could catch the bus at some bus stop. I could revive in the cool bus. It took only 15 minutes to reach the station.
  • I reached Tsuchiura Station at noon.
  • It was so hot today. My arms were sunburned.
    
    
    Entrance Spring Temple Gate
    
    
    Deva Approach Temple Gate (Back)
    
    
    Main Temple Main Temple Lily
    
    
    Stone Buddha Stone Buddah Koujoan
    
    
    JKoujoan Guide Plate Tomb of Komachi
    
    
    
  • Today's steps were almost 30,000. Running distance was 22 km. Walking distance was 5 km. I was exhausted.
  
  

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