A Happy New Year

I wish you a wonderful Happy New Year!

It was warm to be around fire with lots of smokes and be surrounded by crowds... Well, lots of amateur photographers, I would say...

Kaizan e

We went to Nikko city today just to see the nice views that the World Heritage site has to offer.

It was snowing!!!

Cherry blossoms are far behind in Nikko... It will take about two more weeks until the Shrines and Temples are decorated with pink petals...

April 1st is the anniversary of Monk Sho-do (勝道上人)'s death. He was the pioneer who initially started developing Nikko into a religious center. The ceremony took place at Kaizando Hall (開山堂). Since he was a Buddhist monk and Kaizando Hall belongs to Rinnoji temple (輪王寺), the ceremony called Kaizan e (開山会) is organized by monks from Rinnoji.

Lotus sudra (法華経) chanted by 80 monks was the prayer to mark this occasion.

Happy New Year!

We went to Rinnohji temple (輪王寺) in Nikko city (日光市)...



Happy New Year!!!

Koukamon Gate

Koukamon Gate (皇嘉門) at Taiyuin (大猷院) at the World Heritage site in Nikko city, Tochigi prefecture. Taiyuin is a Buddhist temple at which the 3rd Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu Tokugawa (徳川家光) is worshipped.

Iemitsu TOKUGAWA (image from Wiki)

To enjoy what Taiyuin has to offer, you are supposed to pay 550 JPY (around $6-7). However, there are places that are still prohibited for visitors to enter. You will see warning "Off limit" signs at particular places.

Koukamon Gate, built under the influence of the Ming Dynasty style of China, is the entrance gate to the Okunoin Inner House (奥の院), where Iemitsu's spirit sleeps. There is no "Off limit" sign in front of the Koukamon Gate, however, no visitors are allowed to go any further than that gate. Even the priests working at Taiyuin have very limited opportunity to go through the gate. Yes, Okunoin Inner House is that sacred of a place!!!

This is a That's my world entry.

Jigendo Hall Revisited

This is one of my favorite buildings in Nikko's historical district. I can spend many pleasant hours there simply by sitting down and looking around.
The color photo of this building can be seen here.

This is a Black and White Weekend and Scenic Sunday entry.

       

Have a wonderful weekend.

At Jigendo Hall in Nikko City

Jigendo Hall (慈眼堂) is one of my favorite places to visit at Nikko Shrine/Temple complex area. Not so many tourists are there. So it's calm and cozy. I paid 500 JPY to enter and see buildings and statues there but it's FREE now!