Shiba Park

The change of style of the blog is a preview of (possible ) change as I start the count-down to 60 Days. The 3rd of September is Day 1 (or -30, depends if you are a half full or half empty person) but then again I may just stay with the present format.

But this is still a general blog entry, not specifically covering my "celebration" each day.
Japan prides itself on saying it has 4 distinct seasons, but we seem to be entering the 5th of Japan's seven seasons, three of which involve rain. Winter, Spring, Tsuyu, (rain, June) Summer, Thunder,(Sept) Typhoon (Oct) Autumn.
So after a thunder and rain night, and on an overcast and humid day, I decided to visit a park and this was a good idea except part of the walk was up to a lookout-hot work. There were so many trees though, there was not a lot to see. Reminded me of when Celia and I had gone to Nikko and to see Kegon Waterfall. We trekked (admittedly by bus) up there to find there was no waterfall as a drought (a drought in this country!) had lowered the level of Lake Chuzenji so no overflow. When we got back to the hotel and asked why they didn't tell us, they said "Yes, but imagine how beautiful it is when flowing!"
So I then walked along the park until I saw the Tokyo Tower, taller than the Eiffel Tower by just thirteen meters, (313m), Tokyo Tower gets into the record books as the world's highest self-supporting iron structure. It was built in 1958, and is a relay tower for TV and radio. I read that it also houses a system for detecting earthquakes, but sure how this is put to practical purpose. I then turned down towards the station and past the Zozo-ji buddhist temple. All along the side approach are hundreds of red hat clad Jizo statues all complete with little windmills.
The Temple complex was enormous, possessing a special link with the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu, who moved the temple to its present location and made it into his family temple. Originally founded in 1393 by Shoso, of Jodo Pure Land Buddhism, it had grown into one of the head-temples of that sect. The gate is the only part still standing of the original & in the Meiji period, it lost half of its extensive lands. They were converted into Shiba Park (now not more than a few patches of green between buildings). After the war, the remaining Tokugawa graves were demolished and put together in the present small cemetery, in order to make space for the construction of Tokyo Tower. Considering these ravishes, it is a wonder the temple has managed to survive at all.
I went into the man hall to see the interior. There was a huge 'chandelier" of gold filigree metal, beautiful - and there were chairs set out. I sat at one side and a woman who was at the front was called onto the tatami in front of the shrine by a young priest in green. He spoke to her for a while then invited her to kneel and another priest in black came out to the side and started beating the Taiko drum as the priest chanted. It was a wonderful depth of sound and rhythm.
I then walked out into a blast of heat. The cloud had gone and the sun just beat down even through my umbrella. I have taken on the Japanese Parasol fashion and hope to get one to take home. At present I am just using my fold up yellow one and it's not dense enough for the sun. Much more comfy than a hot hat!
I passed out (walked that is) through the Sangedatsumon Gate and then off home to recover!

Meguro Fudo

I spent today in a fine film of cold sweat, despite lots of drinks and rest, but worth the effort!

I walked from Meguro station to the area where the Daien-ji Temple has 500 Rakan (deities entrusted by Buddha to remain in the world as role models for ordinary people) stone bas-reliefs. The Rakan here are associated with a big fire in 1772 which started at the temple and spread to Nihonbashi and Asakusa, leaving several thousand dead in its wake.
But what took my fancy was the individual nature of the different shrine features, A bell in a lantern, the dragonfly wire rest for the water ladles, the automatic fountain (it ran when you went close, rather than all the time). The beautiful detail of the Jizo statues, the faces on some of the small statues, especially the little one on the turtle rock
My next stop was the Kaifuku-ji Temple, whose red-painted gate is set back from the street. A pair of memorial stones in front of the gate commemorate the collapse of Eitaibashi Bridge during the Hachiman festival in 1807 and inside is a small beautiful garden with a rock garden (literally) A bonsai garden on a rock!

Along the street were all the small stalls outside shops and cafes, but I turned down the road to Ryusenji, the Fudo temple along with a steady stream of people.
As I approached the Shrine (up a long flight of stairs; obviously blessings require some effort!) I could hear drumming and chanting, from the main building so I headed up there. There was a crowd of people behind a black lattice screen (I think you contribute to the Temple to go in) and priests were chanting and drumming as well as with clapping sticks. It was very atmospheric with more people inside the entrance standing with hands clasped and heads bowed and others who arrived tossing coins over their head to get into the huge collection box. On either side were two monks with a candle rack and for 100 yen they light a candle for you. The drumming and chanting stopped, and then the priests turned to us and did a fancy action that tucked their 'baton" under the arm and covered their hands with kimono sleeves, then the main priest sprinkled water over the audience, (drops only) then we all bowed and left.
I then went outside to the bottom of the stairs and sure enough the procession came out down the stairs.
The other main blessing sought was from the statue in the pool, ?Fudo? where a fountain of water from a dragon's mouth fed the pool. Attendees then poured water over the statue and said a prayer.
I then went down to the main area where there was lots of activity but I will record that tomorrow.