Two-Toned Mophead Hydrangeas 縁取りの紫陽花と上野（谷中）天王寺

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

In Japan, June is the month of rain and hydrangeas, and people across the nation enjoy their various types. Those in this post are one of them, two-toned mophead hydrangeas.

I saw some of such blooms at Tennoji temple in Ueno Tokyo, which has an interesting history. The temple originally belonged to the Nichiren school of Buddhism but was persecuted by the Edo government and at the end of the 17th century forcefully converted to the Tendai school with two monks at the temple being sent away to a distant island. This occurred because the Nichiren school refuted other Buddhist schools, provoking the anger of not only the priests but also the country's rulers, resulting in the persecution of the Nichiren sect and temples of that sect. 

But now, nothing at the temple reminds visitors of such a history. The old temple just sits there with beautiful hydrangeas.

2021/6/9 at Tennoji temple

2026/5/29

Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria Floribunda) 藤（フジ）

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Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) is native to Japan but can't be so necessarily found in many places because of difficulty to get them to flower. Maybe for that reason, Japanese wisteria is grown in temples, shrines, famous gardens, and even churches! Some of these photos were taken at Hama-rikyu Gardens and Hie Jinja shrine in Tokyo.

2025/4/19

Buddhism Terms are Puzzling - "Other Power" vs. "Own Power" 自力 vs. 他力

I come from a Buddhist family—specifically the Jodo Shinshu, or True Pure Land, school. Founded by Shinran (1173–1263) during the Kamakura period, it’s the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan. The tradition teaches that liberation comes through tariki, which literally means 'other power.'

Japanese Taj Mahal and Family War 本願寺は父子戦争の結果

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I've never been to the Taj Mahal, but I felt as if I had been there.

This is Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple (whose website is only in Japanese) in Tsukiji, Tokyo. It was first built in 1617 but rebuilt in 1934 after being burned down in a fire in 1923. It was based on a design by Chuta Ito, a Japanese architect who studied Indian architecture. So, it is no wonder that I was reminded of the Taj Mahal when looking at this Japanese temple.

What is "Mushin"? 無心とは？

Have you ever heard of the term 'mushin'? It's a Zen word, written as '無心' in Japanese kanji characters. So, you may have heard of it if you're interested in Zen and/or Buddhism. Mushin can literally translate into 'no mind' because 無 means non-existence and 心 mind. According to Kojien dictionary, mushin means as follows:

Camellia Sasanqua and Omikuji

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This is not a post about a white double-flowered camellia sasanqua, but rather the pieces of paper tied to the tree. They are called omikuji, which are Japanese fortune-telling paper slips. You can buy one (shown in the 2nd photo) at almost any shrine or temple to find out what kind of luck you will have for the year. The luck rankings generally look like this:

Is The Guardian Dog a Frenchie? 狛犬はフレブル？

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Yesterday morning, I saw a black French bulldog sitting on a street. The owner talked the dog into walking a few times, but he (I assume so) ignored the owner completely. I love Frenchies, so I saw them from a distance for a while, but the Frenchie didn't move an inch. I approached them, saying to the owner that it was understandable for him not to want to walk as it was hot. (It was hot that day due to high humidity.) The owner said, smiling wryly, "No, he just didn't wanna go home."

It was a work day, so I left them rushing home. Then I found this guardian dog at the entrance of the Teppozu Inari Shrine. The guardian dog looks like a Frenchie, doesn't it?

The guardian dog at Teppozu Inari shrine　鉄砲洲稲荷神社の狛犬

Namiyoke Shrine 波除神社

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Happy New Year! This morning, I went to Namiyoke Shrine in Tsukiji, Tokyo to make my first visit to a shrine of the year. The name of the shrine literally means "protection from waves" and this is understandable because Tsukiji, where the shrine is located, was once lowland marshes along the Sumida River delta and reclaimed during the Edo period (1603-1867). You may have heard of Tsukiji as a fish market, which was established in 1935 and existed until 2018 when transferred to Toyosu.

The shrine has two wooden sculptures, both of which are taller than 2 meters. One is of the head of a female lion (1st photo). You can say it's female because the teeth are black, which is a Japanese tradition practiced mainly by married women before the mid-19th century. She has Benzaiten or goddess of eloquence enshrined within itself. And the other is of the head of a male lion (2nd photo). Namiyoke shrine is small and not that famous but I love the shrine for its coziness. 

Female lion　雌獅子

Male lion　雄獅子

Namiyoke shrine

Saidaiji Temple and Lotus Flowers 西大寺と蓮の花

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Saidaiji temple and lotus flowers there. The lotus season was almost over, but the temple still had beautiful white and pink flowers despite its sad history.

Saidaiji temple was founded in the eighth century by Empress Shotoku, a daughter of Emperor Shotoku, who founded Todaiji temple. Saidaiji temple, which means a great temple in the west in Japanese, and Todaiji, which means a great temple in the east, were once considered kind of twins and between the two temples stood the Imperial Palace of Heijo (i.e., the then capital) from 710 to 784. But after that, Saidaiji temple started to decline, underwent a series of natural disasters, and ultimately lost its power and influence. Actually, most Japanese must have heard of or been to Todaiji but not Saidaiji. 

As this history suggests, its premises are far smaller than Todaiji's and there were almost none in the temple when I was there. The twin temples made me think about people and their lives 1,300 years ago.  

Saidaiji temple　西大寺

Hasedera Temple and Sacred Lotus Flowers 長谷寺と蓮の花

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Hasedera temple. The temple is in a mountainous area in the Nara prefecture, so to reach the main hall, you need to climb up 399 stairs (1st and 2nd photos), but it's worthwhile. Stunning views are waiting for you (5th photo)! 

The temple is known for various flowers. The lotus season was almost over but it still had several white and pink lotus flowers (Nelumbo nucifera), which made me forget about the heat for a while.

399 stairs from below　階段の下から

399 stairs from above　階段の上から

A lotus flower and stairs in the back　蓮の花と階段

A Rainbow View from Nigatsudo, Todaiji Temple 東大寺二月堂から見た虹

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a view from the balcony of Nigatsudo or the February Hall of Todaiji temple in Nara. You can also see the Nara city over there. That day, I woke up at around 4 a.m. (as usual) and decided to walk to the temple to see the sunrise. Unfortunately, the sunrise wasn't visible from there, but instead I saw this rainbow🌈!

If you have a chance to come to Nara, I recommend visiting the temple in the early morning. You may have this view (and the Great South Gate) all to yourself.  

A rainbow from the February Hall of Todaiji temple　二月堂から見た虹

Kofukuji Temple and Sarusawa Pond 興福寺と猿沢池

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are photos of Sarusawa pond and Kofukuji temple in the Nara prefecture, Japan at sunrise (1st photo) and sunset (2nd photo). The five storied pagoda (last photo) of the temple is currently undergoing large-scale repairs, so I gave up on seeing it but I was able to see the pagoda in a nearly perfect form (although the first story was covered by a fence).

Kofukuji temple is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous Buddhist temples with a history of more than 1,300 years and I definitely recommend visiting the temple, especially to see the pagoda, which the temple once auctioned for 25 yen then or 100,000 yen (930 US dollars) currently😲. If you're interested in why the temple did such a stupid thing, read this post!  

Sarusawa pond at sunrise 日の出の猿沢池

Sarusawa pond and 5-story pagoda of Kofukuji temple at sunset
日の入りの猿沢池と興福寺五重塔

Floats of Monkey, Cuckoo, and Minamoto at Akasaka Hikawa Shrine 赤坂氷川神社の山車（猿、閑古鳥、源頼義）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I saw these floats at Akasaka Hikawa Jinja shrine in Tokyo. The right one is the float of a cuckoo, which represents peace, and the center is the float of a monkey, which was regarded as the messenger of God. The left one is the float of Yoriyoshi Minamoto (988 - 1075), a head of Japan's Minamoto clan. I went to the shrine this weekend for "hatsumode," i.e., the Japanese tradition of visiting a shrine or temple for the first time in the New Year, to avoid crowds, and happened to see such gorgeous floats!!😊

Many shrines and temples in Tokyo had such floats, but have lost many of them in the Great Kanto Earthquake and WW2, and due to the discontinuation of festivals. The Akasaka Hikawa shrine isn't an exception. It organized a parade of 13 floats to protect the community, but losing four, it currently has nine, including these three. (Source: Akasaka Float Preservation Society)   

I went to Kyoto (i.e., Japanese capital before Tokyo) once or twice a year before the pandemic and saw many floats in the Gion Matsuri festival, i.e., an annual event during July in Kyoto, which is one of the most famous and largest festivals in Japan using dozens of floats, but I didn't know that Tokyo also had similar events.

Floats of Akasaka Hikawa shrine; "Yoriyoshi (left)," "Monkey (center)," and "Cuckoo"
赤坂氷川神社の山車 左から「源頼義」、「猿」、「閑古鳥」

Magnolia Grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) 泰山木（タイサンボク）

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This is a magnolia grandiflora or commonly known as southern magnolia tree at Tennoji temple in Ueno, Tokyo. Can you see how the flowers are big? 

Magnolia grandiflora tree at Tennoji temple 天王寺の泰山木

The flower of southern magnolia is big!! タイサンボクの花って大きい！

Stewartia Pseudocamellia (Korean Stewartia) 婆羅双樹（ホントは夏椿）

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They are the fruit of the stewartia pseudocamellia or Korean stewartia or Japanese stewartia I saw at Tennōji temple in Ueno, Tokyo. It took me two hours to identify the tree for a reason you can see in the third photo...

Stewartia pseudocamellia 沙羅双樹？

Hie Jinja Shrine 赤坂日枝神社

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Japan lifted the state of emergency on March 21 but has implemented measures for preventing the spread of Covid-19 effective as of April 12. This means that nothing has changed since this January for people in Tokyo. They're no longer under the state of emergency but are still strongly urged to stay at home unless for essential reasons. So, last Saturday (April 10), i.e., after the lifting of the state of emergency and immediately before the measures coming into force, I went to Hie Jinja shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo. 

Sanno torii gate 山王鳥居

Red & White Prunus Mume (Japanese Apricot) 紅白梅

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Since Japan declared the state of emergency, I haven't gone out unless for absolutely essential reasons, but that day, I needed to go to a hospital to have a regular medical checkup, and found red and white Japanese apricot trees planted side by side near the hospital. It was cold that day and I hate the checkup, but it was worthwhile. Look at the striking contrast between the red and white Japanese apricot flowers and the blue sky!!

2021/2/1

A Mosque in Tokyo 東京にモスクがあるってご存じですか？

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center, a mosque in Yoyogi Uehara, Tokyo. 

I went to the mosque because I had seen its beautiful stained-glass windows on TV and realized that I'd never been to an Islamic building in my life. I'd been to temples, shrines, and churches, but never a mosque.

Like most Japanese people, I'm officially a Buddhist but practically an atheist. I don't believe in the existence of a single Supreme God, but that doesn't mean I don't believe in the concept of a god. Rather, I believe in the existence of all gods. So, I visit temples, shrines, churches, and mosques, as long as they exist for a good reason. I also respect those who believe in something and act according to their beliefs—except for those who believe "too much." Japan has a proverb, "Too much can be as bad as too little." Someone who believes in something too much without listening to others is no longer a believer, but a fanatic.

The mosque was established by Kazan Turks who migrated from Russia to Japan when the Soviet Union took power in 1917. I knew that Russian Jews had been persecuted, but I didn't know about Russian Muslims. How many Japanese people know this history, or that Japan even has mosques? I bet very few do. Japanese people have very few opportunities to think about religious discrimination. 

The prayer room, the stained glass, the minaret, and everything else in the mosque were beautiful, and the people there were humble, kind, and calm.

Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center 東京ジャーミイ・トルコ文化センター

Long Walk from Zojoji Temple to Atago Jinja Shrine😊 増上寺から愛宕神社まで散歩しました😊

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These are 3cm tall dolls of a cow (left) and an ox (right) I bought at Zojoji temple. 

I went to the temple to do "hatsumode," a long-standing Japanese tradition of visiting temples or shrines during the New Year period (generally from January 1 to 3) to pray for good luck for the new year. As almost every Japanese goes to at least one temple/shrine, these sacred places across the country are very crowded during that three-day period. So instead of paying a hatsumode visit during the period, I went to Zojoji temple before the New Year to avoid people, and found these cawaii dolls of a cow (i.e., the white one🐄) and an ox (i.e., the brown one🐂) sold by the temple to welcome the New Year or the Year of the Ox/Cow.

Wooden dolls of cow and ox I bought at Zojoji temple 増上寺で買った雌牛と雄牛の人形

Kintaro Candy is Cookie Cutter😁 金太郎飴はクッキーカッター😁？

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Do you know Kintaro or have you heard of Kintaro? Kintaro is a boy or popular figure from Japanese folklore. He was raised with animals by a mountain witch on Mount Ashigara. Look at Kintaro I drew below😁. He's so cute!

Kintaro 金太郎