Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto

Exploring Kyoto today starting with Kiyomizu-dera with its beautiful gardens.

Toji Temple Pagoda, Kyoto

Kyoto Now

I'm officially finished with the Shikoku Pilgrimage but am spending a few days in another important religious center in Japan. I am now in Kyoto for my third visit.

I love this city. Today I hiked up through the enormous series of Torii Gates to visit the many Shinto Shrines along the trail system at the Fushimi Inari Shrine. This must be one of the most unusual places on earth. There must be hundreds of these bright red gates. It took about 2 hours to reach the top, all through tunnels of these beautiful gates!

Koyasan in the Rain

It was hard to sleep last night because it was pouring rain all night long. I got up at 5:30 to be awake enough to go observe the monks in their morning temple ceremony. It was so beautiful and peaceful in that beautiful sanctuary by candle light with the scent of burning incense listening to the Buddhist monks chant their morning prayers.

I was really struck not by the difference but by the similarities to my own Roman Catholic religion. As worshipers enter the temple they bow. Candle lighting is always a part of any temple ceremony. Incense is always present and one lights a candle and incense as part of their prayers. The Buddhists have many statues that represent the various saints who have performed great works and miracles through the ages. There is even a beaded prayer rosary similar to the one we Catholics use. When the monks chant their sutras it is not unlike the Gregorian chants of monks in any Catholic monastery. As I noted these similarities I realized how the symbolism of light from the candles, scented smoke rising from the incense, and the peaceful rhythm of the chanted prayers are universal in their ability to help bring the human mind into a peaceful, spiritual, meditative, and prayerful state. Our basic spirituality isn't that different really. Aren't we all just seeking a closeness to our spiritual side? Buddhists and Christians both have an ultimate goal of becoming better more loving people. Christians strive to become closer to God and free from all that is evil with a goal of eternal peace, and Buddhists seek a perfect enlightened state that will bring an end to suffering and an eternal peace free from attachment to worldly objects.
I believe all of humanity is really seeking the same thing. We want to live in a peaceful blissful world.

I took a long walk through the huge Okunoin Graveyard, which seemed even more mysterious in the fog and mist than it did yesterday in the sunshine. There are such odd shapes and statues, many of which are very old and beaten down by weather, moss and lichens that have attached themselves to them. Seeing thousands of grave markers really made me contemplate the impermanence of our life here on earth. I read that there are over 200,000 grave sites there. So many people over so many centuries. I wondered who each of them were. What were their lives like?

I finally decided that it was time to leave. Of course there is always more to see but I felt I had seen what I really needed to see of Koyasan. I'm so glad I had time to go there. It's a very special place. I rode the cable car back down to the train station and am back in Osaka for the night.

Walk Through Okunoin

It was kind of a spooky walk in the rain and fog through the enormous Okunoin Graveyard that has over 200,000 gravestones and mysterious tiny stairways leading off into the deep woods.

Kiotaka Inari Shrine

I couldn't resist walking this odd little trail up the hill through all these red gates to Kiotaka Inari Shrine. Fascinating place. I'm so glad I took that little walk.

Jimyoin Temple, Koyasan

I love the flowers everywhere.