Higashi-Honganji
Today I visited Higashi-Honganji Temple, Kyoto. It locates north of Kyoto Tower, a few minutes' walk from there. Higashi means "east."
the Amidado-mon Gate
the Goeido-mon Gate
This gate is much larger than the previous one above, and actually it is, with the height of about 28 meters (31 yd.).
the front
the elaborate carvings on a gate poll and door
the Goeido-mon Gate on the left, and Goeido Hall on the right (the one with white walls: the hall in the walls is under construction).
Between them, you can see Kyoto Tower! (it is in the south direction)
A dragon is spitting out water!
This is not just a fountain. Do you know what it is?
This kind of water tub is seen at almost all Japanese Shintoism shrines and Buddhist temples.
At the tub you are supposed to rinse your hands and mouth with the water, using a dipper there (in the photo you can see two on the edge of the tub), to get yourself "purified" and allowed to come up and pray at the shrine/temple hall.
the Amidado Hall, where Amitabha is enshrined
the back of the Amidado-mon Gate we saw above
Under the gate (in the almost middle of the photo), they are selling beans for doves, so there are a number of doves in the precincts!
the lotus leaves in the moat around the temple, so vivid green
Since this is Higashi(east)-Honganji, there must be west Honganji, do you think?
Yes, you are right! There is Nishi(west)-Honganji Temple, to the right west of this temple.
I will write about Nishi-Honganji someday... :)
posted by asta @ 7:34 PM
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