Pilgrimage and Hydrangeas

    The above photo was taken in Mimuroto-ji temple, 三室戸寺 in Kyoto more

                than two weeks ago. Now, more flowers must be blooming.

What is the most nostalgic scenery in June for me? It is ・・・・・

Hydrangeas are in full bloom in gentle rain and a snail is restring on its leave. Now we are in the middle of one-month long rainy season. Gracious shower for flowers, plants and all beings.

 I visited three temples with hydrangeas in bloom. I will take you to one of them.

Hase-dera Temple, 長谷寺 in Nara is Kannon Temple. Kannon is the Buddhist deity of mercy and compassion. As Kannon  resides in Mt. Fudaraku ( 補陀落） in Japanese or Mt.Potalaka in Sanskrit, many Kannon temples are built on hillsides or mountainsides. 

The staircases appear one after another.

More steps we climb up, closer we get to Kannon.

I love the tunnel with the lovely columns. I feel 

as if I were being absorbed to a mysterious dimension.

Along the stone steps,  hydrangeas welcome us quietly.

so many staircases・・・・・

33 is a symbolic number in Buddhism.
Because, Kannon transforms himself into 33 different forms to save people. He chooses one specific form to each person who prays for his help. I was wondering whether it is negative or positive or neutral to change colors like hydrangeas as it associates with changing mind.
But, when I think about 33 manifestations of Kannon, changing colors of the flowers seem to symbolize his benevolence. This temple is the 8th of the 33 Kannon pilgrimage temples in the western Japan. A pilgrim carries a notebook to collect 33 stamps in 33 temples. The notebook with 33 stamps will be put in a coffin as the passport to the heaven. Someday I will go on a pilgrimage to collect 33 stamps with my husband, following the flowers and being led by Kannon.

At last, I arrived at the main hall where Eleven-faced Kannon is enshrined. Does Mt. Potalaka, where Kannon resides, look like this?

The Kannon of Hase-dera Temple is very unique, because he has both virtues as Kannon who is the deity of mercy and compassion as well as Jizo who is the guardian deity of people, especially children and travelers.

This is a place for sincere prayers.

Heart to heart talk with Kannon. He sees and listens to people in suffering with his heart.

A heavy bronze incense burner is supported by three demons. I remember Atlas who is holding the earth on his shoulders as punishment.  For me, the burden seems to be not burden anymore for the demons here. Because the precincts are embraced with mercy and compassion of Kannon.

 

Dragon water basin

The pilgrimage to Kannon temples has been very popular since ancient time, and the temple is mentioned in "The Tale of Genji"written by Murasaki Shikibu around 11th century and "The Pillow Book" written by Sei Shonagon around 11th  century.
 Nowadays  especially among elderly people. Whenever I see them climbing up staircases with steady steps, I hope I will be healthy enough to climb up to a mountainside like them when I reach their age.

Whispering bamboo grove near the temple

My related blogs:
 Nostalgic Scenerry in Rainy Day
Farewel Sakura 
( Last year, When I visited "Matabe" cherry tree, for me the sakura tree looked like the one- thousand-handed Kannon Bodhisattva and people were pilgrims.)


For reference:
This is the stamp of the 9th Kannon pilgrimage temple, South Octagonal Hall 南円堂 of Kofuku-ji Temple　興福寺 in Nara Park. They write a temple name in calligraphy and stamp a red seal on the notebook.

White uniforms of pilgrims

                    South Octagonal Hall, 南円堂 of Kofuku-ji temple and pilgrims

We love tragic hero.

This is a hidden tourist attraction in Nara! My impression when I came here first time  was  " Oh, This is the loveliest scenery in the most boring place".  Here is the rooftop of Nara Prefecture Office Building, the six storied modern building.

Here you enjoy is the 360 degree panoramic view of Nara City.

Whenever I stand here, I realize Nara is a basin surrounded with the lush mountains. Time seems to flow slowly and differently. In the olden days, Nara was called "Yamato".

I remember one tragic hero in a legend, Prince Yamato Takeru, 日本武尊 who  lived around the 1st century.

His Last poem. 

大和は　国のまほろば　たたなづく　青垣　山ごもれる　大和しうるわし

There is no place better than Yamato.

Surrounded by the mountains, 

Ranging like verdurous hedges,

How beautiful Yamato is!

By Yamato Takeru

(Yamato is the ancient name of Nara and also Japan.)

Story of "Yamato Takeru", which was written by  Umehara Takeshi 梅原猛 for Super Kabuki, スーパー歌舞伎,  is following.

While trying to stop his twin elder brother rising  in rebellion, Takeru kills accidentally his brother. Their father, Emperor, gets angry with Takeru and orders him to conquer the enemies in a remote area. As soon as  he completes his mission, his father dispatches Takeru to other enemy lands. The father never forgives Takeru or welcomes him in his hometown, Yamato. Takeru loves his father, but the father seems to want Takeru to die. When he fights against the deity of Mt. Ibuki following the order of his father, Takeru seriously gets  injured and ill.  On the way back to Yamato, he becomes unable to move anymore and dies dreaming of Yamato. The above poem is mentioned by dying Takeru. This story has a consolation. His soul transforms into a big white bird and flies away to Yamato. He can go back to a beautiful Yamato at last!

Did he dream of these mountains?

His sad story has been written by many writers. The Japanese sympathize with and love tragic heroes. Next month, July in Tokyo  "Yamato Takeru" written by Umehara Takeshi will be performed in Super Kabuki. Since the premiere in 1986, this play has been performed more than 800 times. Super Kabuki is different from traditional classic Kabuki 歌舞伎　which has a lot of customs or  rules, and whose language is rather difficult. Ichikawa Ennosuke the third created Super Kabuki, スーパー歌舞伎 transcending the customs and rules, still being based on the essence of classic Kabuki. He put more entertainment-type elements, such as acrobatic actions or extravaganza stage settings, on Super Kabuki, and made language easier. Super Kabuki focuses on 3Ss, "Story, Speed and Spectacle" while keeping attractiveness which the classic Kabuki has.　

New Ichikawa Ennosuke, who is The Forth, plays "Yamato Taketru".

Here Takeru's soul transforms into a big white bird and flies away to his hometown, Yamato.

This tragedy has touched people's heartstrings for a long time. The story about a deep conflict between a parent and a child, has eternal appeals in spite of nationality, culture, time and more. 

Now let's enjoy a lovely scenery of Nara City from the rooftop. 

The five storied pagoda of Kofuku-ji temple  and a dramatic sky in the south . 

.

In the east, you see the Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji temple.

The clouds are casting shadows and slowly passing over the mountains.

 People in the 8th century, when Nara was the capital of Japan,
watched the same scenery. 

Anybody can use a restaurant.

Again go back to the rooftop where the sun is setting in on Mt.Ikoma separating Nara and Osaka.

At the entrance, looking from the inside to the outside.

Nara Prefecture Office Building

In every wood in every spring there is a different green

May is the best season of year when we can enjoy the numerous hues of burning green.  

One day I walked a nature trail to Mt. Wakakusa through the Kasuga Primeval Forest of Mt. Kasuga in Nara. Kasuga Grand Shrine is at the foot of Mt.Kasuga.

This is a cozy tea room in an old Japanese style, surrounded with fresh maples.

 Here is the start point of the nature trail.

  On its thatched roof, baby maples are growing.

The extensive forest in Mt.Kasuga is considered sacred, so no one is allowed to cut down the trees or hunt animals. Now this primeval forest nurtures many kinds of plants, animals and insects as a sanctuary for the living beings. The forest was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

In every wood in every spring there is  a different green.

The sunlight softly slants through the overlapping leaves. The entire forest looks like a natural cathedral with shimmering emerald stained glasses and  graceful canopies. When a breeze blows over the green canopies, flickering sunlight through the  leaves quietly falls on me. I feel as if I were in the bottom of the sea and looking up at the surface of water. What a  pleasant and soothing moment it is!

 This is the top of Mt. Wakakusa,  Mt. Young Grass,  where  "Grass Burning Festival" is held in January every year.

In every wood in every spring there is  a different green.

When I came back to the start, the charming cafe was closed already.

I got to know this words "In every wood in every spring there is a different green."

 ("I sit and Think" by J.R.R.Tolkien, the anthor of  "The Lord of the Rings".) through Professor Sheffner (his blog).  Also last year he left the similar comment  on my blog "Everything is Bathed in Green Breeze, Isui-en Garden". "In every tree, in every wood, there is a different green" (Bilbo Baggins in "Lord of the Rings").

I have been deeply inspired by the words of Tolkien. For me, his words seem to depict the essence of life in spring green and its mysterious energy.  This spring, I visited a several places to find out the green mentioned by Tolkien.  It was somthing like a quest or pilgimiage with no religious meanings. But, I felt it was enough to visit even only Mt. Kasuga and its forest. Every place had its own unique shades of green.

Hidden Temple Bathed in Radiant Green

I thought "This is a hidden temple in a hidden place".

It takes only five minutes' walk to the temple from a tiny local station

which is at the foot of Mt. Hiei, the holy mountain in Kyoto.

Here is already a different world lapped with jade-like radiant green of maple trees!

Crossing a lovely wooden bridge, I feel as if the temple

 were cut away from the ordinary world.

going and going・・・・

Soon, the mountain gate of the temple appears. It has a beautiful name, 瑠璃光院, Lapis Lazuli Light Temple.  Healing Buddha resides in the Eastern Pure Land which is wrapped in glowing Lapis Lazuli Light.

Mountain Alley Garden leading to the other gate

 I feel warm hospitality of the temple, because at each viewing spot, Japanese style cushions are ready for the visitors. All  you see are the waves of maple leaves whirling in numerous shades of  green. All you hear  are  bush warblers  and Mori-aogaeru in Japanese, which are small tree frogs, singing in quiet chorus.
This is the second floor where you see  green reflections here and there.

This is " Lapis Lazuli Garden".  It is said that Pure Lapis Lazuli Land of Healing Buddha will appear  in the garden when some particular weather conditions coincide. One temple staff member said to me," When proper elements coincide after sudden rainfall in the sunshine,  Healing Buddha's Pure Land will appear." The name of the temple is based on this " Lapis Lazuli Garden". 

This is "Lapis Lazuli ".

This is "Crouching Dragon Garden".

a tea room

The history of the temple is rather short compared with other temples in Kyoto. At the beginning of the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912), the villa was built at this site by Sanetomi Sanjo who was a high-ranked court noble and one of the most important figures in the Meiji Government. The villa was renovated and turned into the temple.

The main characteristics of the temple are dozens of different kinds of maples trees, carpets of moss and hundreds of Japanese Andromeda. (In spring and autum, this temple is  open to public.)

In May,  standing under the shadows of  maples trees, I bathe in flickering light and feel as if I were dyed in luminous green.

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"Radiant Green"

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