Three Jizo
Some jizo (地蔵) hanging out in a garden at Hasedera (長谷寺) in Kamakura…
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Posts tagged buddhist
Thanksgiving in Kamakura
The weather was good and the fall colors (紅葉) were supposed to be great, so I jumped on the train to Kamakura (鎌倉) for Thanksgiving. This was my first time on the train between 8 and 9 a.m., and it was not pleasant. We were pushed in like sardines. I could breath since I’m taller than 99% of the Japanese by a good margin, but I can’t imagine being a foot or two shorter in that condition. My feet got locked in, and I couldn’t move them. I had three layers of clothes on and was sweating like crazy. The lady next to me no longer had her feet on the floor after the train shifted a few times. She was grabbing my arm to keep from falling. Of course, none of us could fall, but leaning heavily on those around you as you move through Tokyo at rapid speeds on the train is not fun.
I was able to sit on the final train (of three), from Yokohama to Kamakura, but it, too, was fairly crowded for a non-holiday weekday in Japan. Everyone without a job was going to see the autumn foliage.
This was my third time in Kamakura. Each time has been very different. At the last second, without a plan in mind, I got off at Kitakamakura instead of the Kamakura station. I visited only three temples and shrines (Engakuji 円覚寺, Kenchoji 建長寺, and Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine 鶴岡八幡宮), but those three still took up a whole day.
The above photo is of the Engakuji Sanmon taken under a Japanese Maple, one of the first of countless seen on this Thanksgiving day.
The above photo was taken from where I had my Thanksgiving feast (of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, an apple, and a PowerBar). The statue in the picture is of Tengu and I think the place was called Hansobo in the Kenchoji complex. I will tell you more about it in a future entry. On a clear day you can see the ocean from here. The sun was too bright and there was a bit of haze on the horizon so I didn’t see the ocean on Thanksgiving.
Kamakura – Part 1
I recently visited Kamakura for the second time in my life and first time in over 21 years. The Daibutsu (大仏) hadn’t changed, unlike Shinjuku, but it was great to be in its presence again. Photographs can’t impress the feeling that comes from actually standing at the base of this giant.
Gokoku-ji 護国寺
While riding a bus for the first time one day in an unknown area I passed the 護国寺 bus stop. The place looked huge and my bus stop wasn’t very far beyond the 護国寺 stop. So after I finished my business I walked back to this Buddhist temple. A funeral was underway. The person must have been very important as there was an unbelievable number of people in attendance. A line of more than a hundred people were waiting to get in while the inside already looked full of hundreds of people to me. Rather than have one or two places for people to check in, there looked to be more than a dozen.
Of course I didn’t take any pictures of the funeral or the people lining up, but the size of the event meant that many of the typical photos of this place wouldn’t work either as the grounds were covered in automobiles. The cemetery went on forever so I took quite a few pictures while strolling through it as the sun went down. It was one of those magical moments that can only happen when you are by yourself (which isn’t often in public in Tokyo). Other than myself there were only crows–lots of big black ones.
Not having done my homework beforehand, I had no idea how famous this place is, that it is Japan’s Imperial Mausoleum, that Emperor Meiji’s remains are here (I figured they were at Meiji Jingu), and that Gokokuji is the head temple for the Japanese tea ceremony.
I didn’t realize until I did research after taking these photos, but the third and last picture in this entry (with the crow on the torii) is of Okuma Shigenobu’s grave. Okuma Shigenobu was the founder of Waseda University and was a former, two-time Prime Minister of Japan. I actually gave a speech in the Okuma Auditorium, named in his honor, last week. Others who have given speeches in that exact same spot include Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Bill Clinton, and Nelson Mandela. Maybe someday they will be as famous as I. 😉
Gokokuji is about a 30 minute walk from the Ikebukuro Station, or you can catch a bus in the Nishi Waseda area that will take you right there. There is also a Gokokuji Station on the Tokyo Metro.
Friends in the neighborhood
From my apartment window I can see the top of a Buddhist temple not far away. It took me almost a week to actually pay the place a visit. The Nichiren sect temple is called Ryochoin (亮朝院). The structure and grounds are set a bit above the rest of the neighborhood. At this link you can see an old Edo Period drawing of the place.
These two guys are the Nio guardians of the Buddha. Usually they are in the sides of the gate leading to the temple and made of wood, but at this temple they are out in the open, past the gate, at the top of the stone stairs, and made of stone. I posted some more typical pictures of them previously.
I imagine I’ll be taking many morning walks through these temple and burial grounds in the coming year. It’s nice to have so much protection nearby. 😉
This last protector is on the roof of the bell tower at 亮朝院.
One month to go!
We will be boarding a plane for Tokyo in a mere month (as of today). I’m quite excited. The only two pieces of unfinished business are my visa (which will hopefully come this week) and renting our house.
Today’s picture was taken just yesterday by a friend and old college roommate of mine who is currently in Japan. Kamakura appears to have been in a picture perfect setting with a nice mix of clouds and blue sky when he took this.