Tuesday, September 26.
This was Jane’s birthday. This was also a rare day that we did not
have to change rooms. Figuring it was time for a break in our
routine, Darrell had been looking for a way to celebrate. He found
that there were two major national landmarks in Otsu only a short
distance from the Red Cross Hospital. Both were related to the brief
time Ostu had been the capital of Japan (662-667).
One was the
Omi-Jingu Shinto Shrine, completed in 1940) in honor of Emperor
Tenji, who had moved the capital to Otsu. The other was Miidera
(originally Onjo-ji), a Buddhist temple considered one of the Four
Great Temples of Japan. It was. founded in 672. by Emperor Tenmu in
honor of Emperor Tenji, his brother. However, it has been burned
down several times over the centuries, and.the oldest surviving
buildings date from the late sixteenth century. Figuring that
Miidera was more authentic (1600 vs.1940), we decided to go there.
NORTH TEMPLE
AREA
After breakfast we
took a taxi to Miidera. We bought our tickets and entered the temple
complex through the Niomon Gate (1452). This brought us into the
north area of the temple complex. Just beyond the gate, we came to
Shaka Hall (Shaka-do) (c. 1600), honoring a particular form of
Buddha. (There are so many different Buddhas, or at least different
forms, that it is too much to deal with here.) (The Japanese names
of most of the larger buildings ended with the syllable “do” that is
translated here as “hall.”)
Niomon Gate |
Jane at Shaka-do |
v
Shaka-do interior |
The Main Hall (Kondo) |
Jane inside the Kondo |
Nearby was the huge Main Hall (Kondo)(1599). It was like a
museum inside, most of it consisting of a large assortment of Buddha
statues.
Bell Tower for Evening Bell |
The Evening Bell |
Outside, off to one side of the Kondo, was the Bell Tower (Shoro), a
small building housing a huge bronze temple bell.(bonsho) cast in
1602 as a replacement for the original 8th century bell, Famous for
its beautiful sound, it is commonly known as the Evening Bell.
The Library |
Storage device for sutras |
We crossed a small bridge to the south that took us to the
Library (Issai-Kyozo) (1602). It houses a huge rolodex-looking
device said to holds the complete Buddhist sutras (scriptures).
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