Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period.The temple dates back to 798, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633, during a restoration ordered by the Tokugawa Iemitsu.
Not one nail is used in the whole temple. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water.
we were not the only ones trying to see and drink the clear water waterfall
Posted in photos, travel on 11/18/2010 07:34 am by CeD
colourful reflections on a rainy night in Pontocho street 先斗町. A maze of narrow alleys among traditional houses, a delight to wander in. Most of the houses are high-end restaurants, tea houses and Geisha house
Posted in photos, travel on 11/14/2010 10:37 am by CeD
Fushimi Inari Taisha 伏見稲荷大社
Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines.
Since in early Japan Inari was seen as the patron of business, each of the Torii is donated by a Japanese business. First and foremost though, Inari is the god of rice.
Merchants and manufacturers worship Inari for wealth. Thousands of torii lining footpaths are part of the scenic view.
Statues of menacing kitsune (foxes), said to have the magic power to take possession of human spirits, alternate with torii gates. The fox is however reverred to as the god of harvest (rice and other cereals), and is often seen carrying a key in his mouth, which is for the rice granary. Foxes are said to love rice balls rolled in fried tofu, which are called for that reason “o-inari-san”. They can be purchased in about any sushi shops. From Wikipedia and wa-pedia
make a wish, and hand it to the gods
typical family shrine, with a bell, toriis and foxes
detail of a “kitsune” (fox)
and here is a small Torii, standing on one’s shrine
