Japan Plum Blossoms and Strange Statues

Our tourist days were beginning to focus on plum blossoms and every night I tried to figure out where they might be blooming.  Hence, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. 

They had a special part of the garden set aside for the plum trees, which we sorted out after we arrived.  As it opened a bit later we entertained ourselves with the sword display.  But really, the plum trees were the highlight.  As part of your entrance fee, you got to try plum tea and special plum cookies.  I was thinking yum.  Boy howdy was I wrong.  The tea was a gross salty mixture and the cookies beyond boring.  The Japanese were a great deal more enthusiastic about them than we were.

Gross salty nasty tea

Boring cookie

Happiness

They put strings of shiny baubles in some of the trees.  No idea why.

I had planned to visit a few sites that were a bit different than the others.  Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple was certainly that.  Originally created in 766 it was destroyed by natural disasters repeatedly even though it had a statue installed that protects against bad luck.  Odd that. It is almost like it didn’t work or something. In 1955 a Buddhist monk and statue sculptor took over, and in ten years he and his followers created 1200 individualized statues representing themselves and others. Yep, each person carves their own image as they want to be seen.   Completely different. Who knows what the temple is supposed to accomplish for the worshipers. 

Bonsia blooming plum tree

Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple contains 8000 pagodas commemorating those that died without kin.  In August they have thousands of candles to illuminate the images.  This started in the Meiji era, late 1800's.

Some of the many pagodas

Raccoon dogs were present throughout our stay mainly in front of people's home.  This one at the temple was rather sports oriented.  

What it all means

Wandering through Gioji Temple's moss covered garden was peaceful. It was entertaining watching a gardener sweep the dead leaves off the moss to keep it looking nice. Something us old folks could do. 

Keeping the moss looking good

Traveling further we went to Daikakuji Temple which had a nice bamboo forest, plum trees and wall paintings we could photograph.  Most temples have the wall paintings, but photography is often prohibited.

Bamboo and a bench to rest on.  Delightful.