I shot this lavishly decorated pagoda last year, during my visit to the Narita Temple. The temple grounds are massive, and there are thousands of places and vistas to photograph. It is like a candy store for a photographer. The temple is located near Tokyo, so it is easily accessible for anyone visiting the metropolis. Narita temple and its architecural details is one of the most amazing places I have seen in Japan.
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This is a view of a hallway of Hojo, which is the Kencho-ji (建長寺, lit. temple of longevity and good health) abbot's living quarters. Hojo is also a place where special Zen ceremonies are being held. Behind my back there is a Zen garden with a small pond, of which photo I will post in a separate article., and just to the right, behind the Hojo main structure, there is a small yard with a Chinese golden gate. You can see it here.
Mausoleum dedicated to one of the generals of Late Han Dynasty, named Guan Yu, who played a significant role during the war which led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty. The mausoleum gate and the main building is lavishly decorated with wooden sculptures of dragons, minatures, and scenes from the Han Dynasty era. It is one of the main attractions in the Yokohama China Town.
I often see photos of Japanese temples and shrines, with people posing in front of them. I a not sure what purpose that serves. Maybe they jump from one place to another so fast, that they want to make sure they have visited the place already, in case they get confused. For me, the most important thing is what I can see, and also to sense the atmosphere of the place. And this is what I wish to keep in my memory. When you focus on hunting for spots to take photos of yourself in a given area, it is highly likely that you will miss the most intriguing factor, the salt and pepper - the details. In case of Japanese temples and shrines, those details are often more beautiful and more captivating than the whole scene. Photo - Ueno Toshogu shrine's roof.
It is important not to confuse the Ueno Toshogu shrine (上野東照宮) with the Unesco World heritage site, the Tosogu shrine complex of Nikko (日光東照宮), in which to the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined as Tosho Daigongen (東照大権現). In fact, the Toshogu shrines can be found all over Japan. Although the Toshogu shrine in Ueno is much smaller than that in Nikko, it is one of the most famous Toshogu shrines in Japan.
Ueno Toshogu shrine was built in 1616, and originally it was part of the massive Kan-ei ji (i.e. Kan-ei shrine, 寛永寺), which, sadly, was destroyed during the civil conflict known as the "War of the Year of the Yang Earth Dragon" (Boshin Sensō, 戊辰戦争, 1868 - 1869). Kan-ei ji was one of the most prominent and largest temples in Japan. Today, the grounds of the temple are covered by the Ueno park. The end of December 2013 marked the completion of renovation works of this shrine, and so it can be admired in its full glory. Ueno Toshogu shrine is located inside the Ueno park (上野公園), very close to the Tokyo National Museum, the remaining buildings of the Kan-ei shrine (寛永寺), and a beautiful Buddhist cemetery. Ueno park also hosts a zoo and a botanical garden. Near the Ueno station area there is also the famous Ame Yoko street (アメ横), and the underground Asian market. Here is one of many shots that I took at that shrine. It is a photo of a temple guardian dog. |
Ponte Ryuurui (品天龍涙)
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