While there are several, nice, public bamboo-viewing points in Kyoto, most are crowded with tourists. The one pictured, above, is not crowded, nor is it public. You can only get to it by paying an admission fee at Adashino Nembutsuji. This Buddhist temple is best known for its thousands of small, stone Buddhist statues. Don’t look at them and then head for the exit thinking you’ve seen it all. Keep moving to the back of the grounds until you see the stairs pictured.

After climbing the stairs you will find yourself in a large graveyard surrounded by bamboo (竹林), trees, and mountains. I found it to be about the most beautiful and peaceful place I’ve ever encountered. It didn’t hurt that I was the only one there. Still, I wouldn’t mind the cemetery at Adashino Nenbutsuji being my eternal resting place.

For directions and current prices see this page.

Related posts:

1. Modern Cemetery at Adashino-Nenbutsu-ji As mentioned in yesterday’s entry, beyond the bamboo stair path in 化野念仏寺 lies a modern, upper cemetery which had a wonderful atmosphere about it. I’m dying to go back...
2. Another angle on Adashino-Nenbutsu-ji upper cemetery Are you beginning to get the idea as to how someone who isn’t even all that interested in the beauty of a cemetery might just find the one at...
3. Bamboo in Sagano As mentioned previously, we rented bikes near the Arashiyama train station and road around the area and up to Sagano (嵯峨野). Along the way we traversed the famous path...
4. Kyoto bamboo This was the first, of many, bamboo glimpses we had in Kyoto. If I remember correctly, in order to get this view I had to crouch down and put...
5. Sagano thatched roof farm house In the Arashiyama area of Kyoto we rented bikes and road mostly north into the Sagano area. The last line of homes before running into the mountains (just east...

Posted on December 11th, 2008 under Japan • Tags: bamboo, buddhist, japan pictures, kyoto, sagano, 化野念仏寺. • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback