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Kamowake-ikazuchi Shrine
The shrine is erected in a spacious
premises blessed with rich greenery.
Between the first and the second torii
gates, extends an open lawn space, where
horse races are held as a part of a
ceremony to pray to the patron god for a
good harvest.
In the precincts, there are a
stream, old grove, and several
shrine structures. Two sand cones
with pine leaves in front of
Hosodono Hall are regarded as the
places to which gods ascend from
heaven, thereby creating a
mysterious, pure atmosphere.
Kamo-mioya Shrine
53 structures, including Romon Gate, Buden Hall, Shinpukuden Hall, and
Chumon Gate, have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. Honden
(main hall) rebuilt in 1863 has been designated as a National Treasure. A grove
Tadasuno-mori is loved by residents who stroll along a path under rich foliage.
Kyo-oh-gokokuji
The 57 m five-storied pagoda (National Treasure), rebuilt in 1644 with support from
Shogun
Tokugawa
Iemitsu
is
the
tallest
pagoda
in
Japan.
The Kodo Hall enshrines Japan's oldest statues of esoteric Buddhism. Other National
Treasures include Daishi-do Hall and Renge-mon Gate.
Kiyomizu
The approach slope leads to Nioh-mon
Gate, Saimon Gate, and a three-storied
pagoda erected at the foot of
Higashiyama mountains.
The main hall (National Treasure) has a platform
projecting over a precipice, which commands a
panoramic view of Kyoto surrounded by cherry
blossoms in spring, green foliage in summer, and
crimson maples in autumn. In the temple
precincts, there are 12 more halls and pagodas.
Hieizan Enryakuji
Located on the top of Mt. Hiei, the Temple
commands panoramic views of Kyoto on
one side and Lake Biwa on the other.
Historically, the Temple trained many
celebrated priests, who founded various
Buddhist sects, including Priests Eisai,
Dogen, and Nichiren. Even today, the
Temple is a place of ascetic practices and
retains its solemn religious atmosphere.
In the spacious precincts, there are ten National
Treasures and over fifty Important Cultural
Properties, in addition to Kompon-chu-do Hall
(National Treasure), Daikodo Hall, Shaka-do
Hall, and Yokokawa-chu-do Hall (all three
Halls are Important Cultural Properties).
Daigoji
Samboin, the principal monastery,
houses many chambers decorated with
gorgeous wall paintings and painted
sliding screens (Important Cultural
Properties) and Omote-shoin Chamber
(National
Treasure).
Every year on February 23, a festival
called Godairikison-ninnoe is held.
Paper charms available during the
festival are believed to have the power to
protect their holders from disasters. In
the festival, a rice-cake lifting contest is
held, participated in by many men and
women, who try to lift rice-cakes
weighing 150 kg and 90 kg respectively.
Every year on the second Sunday in April,
an elegant processional with the
participants dressed in costumes of the 16th
century takes place under the full
blossomming cherry trees, reproducing the
flower viewing picnic of the military ruler
Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his mistresses,
followed by a great many attendants.
Ninnaji
Passing through a vermilion Chumon
Gate (Important Cultural Property),
visitors see a five-storied pagoda
(Important Cultural Property) and
Kondo Hall (National Treasure),
originally a Shishinden Hall of the
Imperial Palace.
The uniquely trimmed low-branched squat
cherry trees are known as Omuro cherries for
their beautiful blossoms.
Byodoin
The Ho-oh-do (Phoenix Hall, National
Treasure), reproducing Amitabha's heavenly
palace in the Pure Land, has two
symmetrical corridors extending from both
sides of the hall, on the roof of which, two
Phoenixes stretch their wings.
The hall enshrines a large statue of Amitabha
Buddha (National Treasure) sculpted by Jocho.
The Buddha is surrounded by 52 wooden
images of bodhisttvas, dancing and playing
musical instruments on clouds. Other National
Treasures are a wall painting and a temple bell,
one of the three bells in Japan.
Ujigami
Japan's oldest shrine building located
on the east bank of the Uji River.
Haiden Hall (National Treasure), a typical
aristocratic style of architecture of the
Heian Period (794 - 1192), originally
belonged to Uji Imperial Villa. The main
hall (National Treasure), constructed
during the Heian Period, comprises three
sections: a small section in the middle and
two larger sections on both sides.
Kozanji
The quiet precincts on the mountain
have been designated as a historical
site. There, remains Japan's oldest
tea garden. It is said that the founder,
Priest Myoe sowed the tea seeds
brought from China by Zen Master
Eisai here.
Sekisuiin (National Treasure), once the
residence of Priest Myoe, has a simple structure
with a shingle roof, that well preserves the
architectural style of the 12th century.
Saihoji
Known as the Moss Garden, since the
precincts are covered with a thick carpet of
120 species of moss. There are two types of
garden: a dry landscape garden comprising
only rocks and sand, and the circling a pond
style garden with a pond whose shape is
similar to the Chinese character of "•
S."
The "dry" garden is located in a higher
portion, while the "pond" garden is in a lower
portion of the precincts.
Tenryuji
A garden to the rear of the Hojo
building retains the original style.
The circling a pond style garden integrates
aristocratic traditions and Zen style,
presenting seasonally changing beauty
with the Kameyama and Arashiyama
mountains in the background.
Rokuonji
The
Temple
is
known
as
an
epitome
of
Kitayama
Culture.
The Golden Pavilion, a gilded three-storied reliquary hall, is situated at the margin of a
large pond named Kyokochi Pond. It is typical architecture of the Muromachi Period
(1333 - 1573). .
Jishoji
Silver Pavilion (National Treasure) is a
simple structure enshrining
Avalokitesvara. The Togudo Hall has
been designated as a National Treasure
as the first building of "shoin-zukuri"
style of residential architecture that
became the basis of modern Japanese
style residential architecture.
Between the two buildings, there
is a white sand garden,
symbolizing "West Lake" in
China with a sand cone, which
reflects the moonlight toward the
Silver Pavilion.
Ryoanji
The Temple is well-known for its rock
garden, surrounded by earthen walls in
three directions and faced with the
corridor of the Hojo building. In the
rectangular space measuring 30 m from
east to west and 10 m from north to
south, 15 rocks of various sizes are
arranged on white sand in five groups,
each comprising five, two, three, two, and
three rocks.
The most popular explanation of this
garden is that the rocks represent a mother
tiger and her cubs, swimming in the river
of the white sand toward a fearful dragon.
Hongwanji
The head temple of the Jodoshin sect
of
Buddhism.
The grandeur of the Goei-do Hall and
Amida-do Hall (both Important
Cultural Properties) overwhelms
visitors on their first view of the
precincts, where hundreds of pigeons
flock.
Elegant and gorgeous architectural styles of
the Momoyama Period (1568 - 1600) are seen
in the Karamon Gate, relocated from Fushimi
Castle, the north Noh stage, Japan's oldest Noh
play stage, the Shoin and Kuro-shoin
Chambers, and Hiunkaku Pavilion; all of
which are National Treasures.
Nijo
The Castle comprises the Honmaru
(main
compound,
Important
Cultural
Property),
originally
Katsura-no-miya Palace, and a
magnificent Ninomaru Palace; a
Momoyama style architecture full
of gorgeous decorations.