The ancient city of Nara, capital of Japan from 710 to 784, is a short train ride from Kyoto. Many people make the trip, and what most of them want to see is the great temple called the Todai-ji.
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Tag Archives: temple
Kyoto: Kennin-ji
The Kennin-ji is the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in Japan, established in 1202. It is notable for its artworks and beautiful gardens.
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Kyoto: Ginkaku-ji
The Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) is a Zen Buddhist temple that was built in 1474 by the Shogun Yoshimasa Ashikaga. Being the Shogun he presumably had nearly unlimited funds to work with. It’s interesting to consider how he spent them.
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Miyajima: Daishoin Temple
The Daishoin Temple on the lower slopes of Mt. Misen was founded by Kobodaishi in 806 and is the headquarters of the Omuro Branch of Shingon Buddhism.
The temple can be reached by climbing a very long staircase.
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Koya-san Central Temples
An interesting cluster of temples is located near the center of Koya-san, where Kobodaishi first established his monastery.
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Koya-san: The Tale of the Poor Girl’s Lantern
Many years ago, in a time when the land was wracked by famine, a baby girl was abandoned by her desperate parents. An elderly couple found the child and decided to raise her themselves. They were poor but good-hearted, and many were the nights that they went hungry so that the little girl could have food.
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Koya-san: The Okunoin
At the heart of the cemetery lies the Okunoin, a temple or mausoleum built over the cave where Kobodaishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, has spent the last 1,100 years in deep meditation to save this world. This is a big job and he is expected to finish it in approximately 5.7 billion years, just in time for the Miroku (Maitreya) Buddha to come to Earth and take everyone to Heaven.
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Koya-san Accomodations
There are no hotels in Koya-san itself, but there are about 50 temples that will accommodate overnight guests for a reasonable fee. The Shojoshinin is one of the few that will accept Westerners.
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