Image search results - "Taisha" - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Image search results - "Taisha"

Sando worship path to Taishakuten temple. Shibamata is in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward bordered by the Arakawa River in the west and by the Edogawa River in the east.

Held during Aug. 3-5 at Taga Taisha Shrine, the Mantosai or 10,000-Lantern Festival is a night festival when numerous lanterns are lit within the shrine grounds. The lanterns are for the repose of ancestral spirits.

Taga Taisha Shrine torii near Taga Taisha-mae Station. MAP

Sando worship path to Taishakuten temple

Road to Taga Taisha Shrine

The path is lined with shops.

Homes along the way are decorated.

Near the shrine entrance are the usual food stalls.

Welcome to Taga

Taga Taisha Shrine torii

The shop sells kusa dango (mugwort dumplings with real grass inside), the local specialty. Photo: Nitenmon Gate in view

Mantosai sign under the torii

Toward the end of the shop-lined mall, you will see this Nitenmon Gate of the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, formally known as Daikyoji. 二天門

Arched bridge leading to shrine gate.

Wood carvings on Nitenmon Gate

This temple serves as a recurrent backdrop in the Tora-san series. The temple's priest is played by the humorous Ryu Chishu who actually came from a family of Buddhist priests. Photo: Bell tower

The Nitenmon Gate was completed in 1896 and features wooden statues of Zocho and Komoku, two of the four Devas which guard the four cardinal directions from demons.

Founded in 1629 by a priest named Nitchu and his disciple Nichiei, the temple belongs to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism.

Kids carrying mikoshi portable shrine. They went to the train station.

The present Naiden (Inner Sanctuary) was completed in 1915. Keyaki (zelkova) was used for all the wood in the building. The present Haiden (Worship Hall) was completed in 1929. Photo: Taishaku-do Hall 帝釈堂

Taga Taisha's lanterns come in five sizes. Each one represents a donation. The donar's name is on the lantern. The biggest lantern requires a donation of 20,000 yen.

Taishakuten is the god Indra from Brahmanism, a Hindu religion. Being the god of rain and thunder, Indra was a powerful warrior god that was adopted by Buddhism as a protector. Photo: Glass wall protecting the exterior of Taishaku-do Hall.

Each lantern is lit with a small lightbulb. (No candles)

It was believed that Indra would step in and chase away the demons causing calamities to the followers of Buddhism. Photo: Wood Carving Gallery (admission charged)

Festival schedule, starting at 5:30 pm and ending after 9 pm.

The side and rear exterior walls of the Taishakudo are blanketed with panels of detailed woodcarvings. They are the most outstanding feature of Shibamata Taishakuten Temple.. 彫刻ギャラリー

There are ten large carvings (each 2.27 meters by 1.27 meters) depicting scenes from the Lotus Sutra (Hokekyo).

Approaching the main shrine hall.

The woodcarvings were requested by the temple's 16th priest, Nissai. Through a generous donation from devoted follower Suzuki Genjiro, the project was begun.

These lanterns above are the smallest ones, requiring a donation of only 1,500 yen. They are the most numerous.

The first panel was completed in 1922. The carver, Kato^ Toranosuke, proposed that the remaining 9 panels be carved by renown woodcarvers living in Tokyo. A large keyaki panel was delivered to each of the nine carvers.

Main shrine hall

However, in 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake struck and these panels did not survive. A subsequent search for replacement panels was conducted nationwide.

These lanterns hanging in the main shrine hall must be the most expensive ones.

In 1926, large keyaki replacement panels were finally procured and the project was back on track. The carvings were completed in 1934.

The shrine also recently got its roof rethatched. The roof looked spanking new.

Since such large pieces of keyaki wood are very difficult to find and the carvings are so fine, the carvings are regarded as highly valuable cultural assets.

As evening approaches, the crowd increases.

If you want a detailed explanation (in Japanese) of the Lotus Sutra scenes depicted by the woodcarvings, buy the pamphlet that is sold at the temple's souvenir stand near the Nitenmon Gate.

Torii with lanterns lit

Gate to shrine

Direct path to Taga Taisha Shrine hall

Lanterns at night

To protect the exterior woodcarvings from the elements and to allow visitors to view them up close, the temple built a transparent, permanent scaffolding on the side and rear exterior walls of the Taishakudo.

It makes you feel like you are in an art gallery. From the front of the Taishakudo, the scaffolding is neatly concealed from view.

Entertainment on stage

Entertainment with a dragon dance

Taga Taisha Lantern Festival also had some entertainment. Also see my YouTube video here.

Dragon dance

Shishimai lion dance

Lantern-lit path to Taga Taisha

Since the carved walls are two stories high, the scaffolding has upper and lower levels which allows you to view the woodcarvings on the upper and lower halves of the walls. This is the lower floor

Dragon

You can walk down a corridor to the Daikyakuden (Reception Hall) made entirely of hinoki (Japanese cypress). This hall faces the lovely Suikeien Garden.

Corridor to Guest House (Dai-kyakuden)

Even the corridor has wood carvings.

Corridor of guest house 大客殿

Hina dolls in guest house room 大客殿

Hinamatsuri dolls 大客殿

Folding screens

Garden hallway 庭園

Tea ceremony house 茶室

Suikeien Garden 庭園

Nitenmon Gate as seen from Taishaku-do Hall

Rear of Nitenmon Gate

Nitenmon Gate carvings

Daishoro (bell tower)

Goshinsui (purification water fountain).

Sacred water 御神水

Minami Daimon Gate 南大門

Hondo Hall and Shaka-do Hall

Hondo main hall 本堂

Map of temple grounds

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is near this JR Inari Station on the Nara Line, a 5-min. train ride from Kyoto Station. Also near Fushimi-Inari Station on Keihan Line.

I visited Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine on Jan. 1, 2010. At the Kyoto City Tourist Info office, I asked which shrine was Kyoto's most popular on New Year's Day. They told me it was this shrine, so I came here.

Loads of people heading for the shrine, but we progressed quickly enough.

How it looks from the top of the steps. Hordes of people coming to the shrine to pray for prosperity in the new year.

This is where you can apply (and pay) to enter the shrine hall for prayers.

The main shrine hall is the target of all these people.

Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto. Inch by inch, we crept toward the main shrine on New Year's Day.

The crowd behind me.

Finally, we got in and could pull these ropes to ring the bell to get the attention of the god of wealth.

All you hear are these bells ringing overhead.

The fox is the god's messenger at the Inari Shrine.

People lining up to enter inside the shrine hall for more personalized prayers.

Lucky charms for sale. Make no doubt, religion is big business in Japan. They are in the business of selling hopes and dreams with no money-back guarantee of success nor satisfaction. Only a religion can get away with selling something which may not work.

2010 is the Year of the Tiger.

Another shrine.

Fortune papers

Tying the omikuji fortune papers.

More lesser shrines

Map of the shrine complex, with a hiking trail up the mountain lined with the famous torii gates.

Entrance to the hiking trail of torii gates, what Fushimi Inari Shrine is famous for.

Entrance to the hiking trail of torii gates.

Go left.

Inside the tunnel of toriis at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, all donated to the shrine by companies.

Every once in a while along the path of toriis, there is a shrine which you can pray to.

Votive tablets in the shape of a fox. Write your wishes on it.

You can also draw your own fox face.

Continuing up the torii hiking trail. It takes about 90 min. to walk the entire looping trail. You can turn back anytime if it's too hard for you. But it's not a difficult hike.

Some toriis are old and broke off.

Gravestone

View from a lookout point.

Yotsutsuji station, a major rest point.

Map showing the torii hiking path.

There are some steps as well.

You can buy your own torii and write on it and place it within the shrine.

This is at the summit of the mountain.

Fox at Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Now I'm going down the mountain. You can then see the writings on the back of the toriis. The name of the company and date are written. Of course, donating a torii here is no guarantee for business success. Some of these companies have gone bankrupt.

You can buy a tray of offerings.

Unusual fox

Trying to toss coins through the hole for good luck.

Way out was crowded.

Inari Station was not so bad.

The shrine's first torii has a nice view of Mt. Fuji. Visited the shrine on New Year's Day 2017. Mt. Fuji (Japan's highest and most revered mountain) has a Shinto shrine on the summit, and it belongs to Fuji-san Hongu Sengen Taisha in Fujinomiya.