Vignettes of the World
This was not the first time in Thailand for me, but surely my first time visiting Bangkok. My last trip to Thailand was more than a decade ago in Phuket. I was quite excited about this trip because it was organized by my uncle with …
The Eikando-ji Temple of Kyoto is a Heian period temple practicing the Jodo school of Buddhism. A view of its beautiful temple grounds in the evening was an amazing experience.
During the very crowded fall foliage season, the temples of Kyoto are illuminated for visitors to admire the night scene there. Eikando-ji Temple was a good choice for me, as I was quite familiar with that area, having visited the Nanzen-ji Temple the previous day.
Eikando-ji Temple acquired its name from the very popular head priest Yokan, who was commonly known as Eikan. Eikando means “Eikan Hall’ in Japanese. Formerly the Zenrin-ji Temple, the Eikando-ji Temple lent its former name to the very inception of Nanzen-ji Temple’s Buddhist beginning.
Zenrin-ji Temple, meaning “temple in a clam grove,” lies on the foothill of Higashiyama mountain surrounded by lush green trees that turn crimson in autumn. A noble of the Heian period donned the grounds of Eikando-ji Temple to the priest Shinjo. Thus began the Eikando-ji Temple as the first temple was established in 853 A.D. by Shinjo. Emperor Seiwa gave the temple its original name, Zenrin-ji, in 863 A.D.
This head priest was a disciple of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. At that point in the temple’s history, it belonged to the Shingon Sect, which was the Buddhism being practiced there for 220 years.
Came the next 140 years and the Eikando-ji Temple practiced the teachings of Shingon Sect and Pure Land of Sanron Sect, which was one of the six sects of Nara Buddhism. Between 1166 A.D. to 1224 A.D., this age of the temple was named after its head priests Yokan to Johen.
Beginning in 1224 A.D., the head priest Johen led the temple’s religious lineage into the teachings of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. Honen, the founder of the Jodo sect, was then appointed as the 11th nominal priest of Eikando-ji Temple. Under the leadership of Joon, the Eikando-ji Temple officially converted from the Shingon sect to the Seizan branch of the Jodo sect.
One special feature of the Eikando-ji Temple was the unique pose of its Buddha statue. Amida, the resident Buddha at Eikando-ji Temple, has the posture of “looking back.” This came about when Yokan (Eikan) was walking around the altar as he chanted his Nembutsu. The Amida came down from the altar and led him. The priest stopped walking, as he was surprised. Amida then looked back over his left should and said, “Yokan, you are slow.” This was the story that inspired the Mikaeri-Amida statue looking back, as a reminder to followers of the Buddha’s mercy.
Like so many other temples in Kyoto, the very old structures that originated from their inception were destroyed by fires that were mostly the results of civil wars.
The ten-year Onin War (1467A.D.-1477A.D.) razed the Eikando-ji Temple to the ground. It took generations of priests to restore the temple by the 16th century. The temple then fell into ruins again in the early modern times. As the state policy of the Meiji period was to elevate the native faith of Japan, Shinto, as distinguished from Buddhism, a great number of Japanese Buddhist temples were destroyed in the early modern era as well.
In a previous entry, I discussed the lowdown on how to handle the crowds for night Momiji viewing at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The two temples both present fantastic views at night, and the crowds are certainly no less at the Eikando-ji Temple.
Momiji is the Japanese word for foliage viewing in autumn. In this time of the year, Kyoto meets an exceptional spike of tourist presence. In fact, in those five days that I stayed in Kyoto, I sensed the crowd gaining numbers by the day, from hotel check-in, to sightseeing, to restaurant dining.
The Eikando-ji Temple was the last temple that I visited in Kyoto, and surely, all of the world’s tourists caught up with me then. Therefore, expect long queues, not just at the entrance, but throughout your walk at the temple. There is a section of the bridge where tourists must not take photographs. So crowds gather right at the point that they could take photographs to snap some beautiful shots of the pond.
The temple features beautiful structures, gardens and a pond. The illuminations are well done there. I highly recommend a night visit at the Eikando-ji Temple.
The study of temples in Kyoto would not be complete without a realistic consideration of the implications of Buddhism in Japanese history. The temples of Kyoto presented a kaleidoscopic view of Buddhism’s role as a prominent religion. The priests of these temples dedicated their whole lives to a serious study of Buddhism. Schools of Buddhist sects blossomed in the Heian period. The relationship between different schools of Buddhism was not just academic. They were contentious with political ramifications, as proper Buddhism was a province of the imperial court.
As a matter of politics, Buddhism had a significant role in the power struggles in premodern Japan. The Buddhist monks were not just priests that sat in the temple grounds chanting their nenbutsu. They had wide influence in the politics of the day because of the imperial patronage of Buddhism. And that part of Japan’s history of Buddhism awaits further exploration on my part.
There were also temples that stood for the emotional refuge that religion offered in one’s personal life. The Gio-ji Temple of Arashiyama attests to the faith’s power in restoring women’s spirits from heartbreaks and rejections.
To conclude my journey in Kyoto, there were a few things that I would have really liked to see. That includes the Gingkaku-ji Temple, the Path of Philosophy (Tetsugaku no Michi), the Daigo-ji Temple, the Fushimi Inari Shrine and the Blue Bottle café that is in a heritage building in Kyoto. It was also a pity that I did not manage to hike from Mount Takao to Arashiyama. But travelling in Kyoto entails a whole lot of walking, and surely that affected my energy level in Nara. I was honestly tired by the time I made it there.
Thinking back, I could have done one full week in Kyoto, but I can certainly save those key sites for a next trip. So, I bid farewell to Kyoto. Nara was next up.
The history of Eikando-ji Temple from this entry was taken from the official website of the Eikando-ji Temple.
The fantastic tour at the Samurai Museum presents visitors with a brief history lesson of feudal Japan. The young and knowledgeable tour guides shed light on the hierarchy of Japan’s ruling power during the Shogunate period, which lasted for roughly 7 centuries between 1192 and …
The fantastic tour at the Samurai Museum presents visitors with a brief history lesson of feudal Japan. The young and knowledgeable tour guides shed light on the hierarchy of Japan’s ruling power during the Shogunate period, which lasted for roughly 7 centuries between 1192 and …
I went to Nishiki Market twice on this trip to Kyoto. The irony is that I went the second time because the first time was not good enough, and I would not rest until I found something fantastic there. Having gone twice and confirmed that it was all around underwhelming, perhaps I would never go again in the future.
The Nishiki Market comes with a long history of selling the greatest produce of Kyoto. Since 1615, the market has been the official place for trading the delicacies of Kyoto, as such earning the good name as “Kyoto’s kitchen.” It has run for centuries, therefore it is, properly considered, a historical heritage embodying both the tangible goodies for sale there and the intangible cuisine that originates from the abundance and variety of ingredients at the market.
At its very beginning, Nishiki Market was a market for wholesale seafood trade. By now, it has fully developed itself into an all-things-food-related theme. Spanning a total of five blocks of narrow streets, the market now features more than 130 stores.
As I have said in my food entry, the food of this trip was the single most disappointing aspect for me. The experience at Nishiki Market was a main contributor to the ongoing grumble in a dissatisfied gut. From the cheaper end snacks to the higher end kaisen-don (seafood over rice bowl), I found the food to be “somewhat off” in different ways. Where it tasted normal, there were no bright spots to speak of.
I have turned this over in my head many times. The likely explanation is that I was simply too accustomed to the Japanese food that had been adapted to local preferences. I have so much Japanese food outside Japan that I have been spoiled with ways that the food were not authentically made in order to meet my flavor preferences. Another explanation is that I simply ordered the wrong thing at the wrong shop.
Honestly, I have not heard one person telling me that food in Japan is not good. The error must be mine. Hundreds of bloggers offer their take on what foods to get at the Nishiki Market, and I certainly will defer to their expertise.
That said, I must say that the Nishiki Market is exceedingly photogenic for photographers. The Japanese people are known for their expert arrangements in all kinds, from rock gardens to tea ceremony, to flowers and gifts, and to shopkeeping. The ways that these shops are set up are themselves a marvel to behold. I also found the general color theme there to express a classic autumn vibe, in a warm, solid chestnut hue.
Do note that the Nishiki Market is now very much a touristy spot. You won’t be able to avoid the crowds at any day of the week. The peak afternoon hours guarantee a whole lot of shoulder brushing in its premise. It opens from 9am to 5:30pm on weekdays and 9am to 4:30pm on Saturdays. Perhaps a good time to visit would be in the late morning hours, when the goodies are still available and fresh. Some shops close on Wednesdays.
In the next entry, I shall discuss the Samurai Museum. It leads visitors through a brief history and hierarchy of Japan’s power structure under the shogunate rule. I think the Samurai Museum is certainly a must-do activity, balancing history learning with quite a bit of fun. It is especially suitable for family with children. Even as an adult, I enjoyed participating in the game of throwing shuriken, a typical distraction device of the ninja’s.
Another place to visit is the Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine in the market. The shrine dedicates itself to the worship of Tenjin, traditionally the kami for learning and scholarship.
This shrine is really quite crowded, and there are a number of reasons. First of all, it lies on the eastern entrance to the Nishiki Market. The cascades of lanterns hung in front of the temple naturally draw the attention of tourists.
However, this shrine has a whole lot of significance for the Kyoto people as well. During examination time, students would come here to tend their tribute to the kami of scholarship, praying for good results at school. Rumor has it that the kami here are especially attentive in answering the believers’ prayers and wishes as well.
The man that was deified as the Tenjin kami was Sugawara no Michizane. He was a very accomplished statesman, poet and scholar. Fate had it that he would fall out of favor, and he died banished from the capital, in shame. Thereafter, disasters swept Kyoto and people thought that it was a revenge by Sugawara no Michizane’s angry spirit. He was then deified and enshrined as the Tenji kami. The head shrine for Tenji kami is the Kitano Tenmangu, also in Kyoto.
It is a common advice to tourists that the Japanese people frown upon the practice of eating while walking. Please suppress that instinct as you savor the delicacies of Kyoto at the Nishiki Market. I know, it is street food and so you walk as you eat, but it is considered extremely impolite to do so in Japanese culture.
Japanguide.com on the Nishiki Market.
Discoverkyoto.com on Nishiki Tenmangu.
Nanzen-ji Temple is one of the most important Zen temples in Japan. Nestled in the foothill of the Higashiyama mountains, Nanzen-ji Temple has an enormous temple ground that accommodates many sub-temples, as well as a 19th century aqueduct. This presents tourists the opportunity for a …
Take a walk in Central during non-office hours and you find two hot spots that brim with tourist energy. The Tsim Chai Kee wonton noodles and Lan Fong Yuen together take over the little walking space there is in the Central Mid-levels escalator area as …
Tai O of Lantau Island is known for many wonderful things. A thorough exploration of the treasures of Tai O is a whole-day affair. I have previously covered the Tai O Heritage Hotel, formerly Old Tai O Police Station. On this slightly cloudy spring day I decided to see a few things in Tai O to complete the coverage of this well-known fishing village.
As a fishing village, Tai O takes pride in all the local history and industry that embody its ocean-swept character. It might be a little extreme to call it “the Venice of Hong Kong,” but it does have this good name. The stilt houses made of metallic exteriors stand ever so bravely through the many storms that brought floods to their already-elevated floors.
It is no Venice, in the farthest stretch of imagination, but Tai O comes with a beauty of its own.
Formerly the Old Tai O Police Station, the Tai O Heritage Hotel lies on the westernmost end of Tai O in Lantau Island. It is a great venue to learn about the history of Tai O, and also to savor some of the cuisine that features local ingredients.
According to government sources, the People’s Liberation Army’s Hong Kong Garrison has a total of 19 military sites in Hong Kong. These defensive sites are properly the property of the PLA. Tai O Barracks, formerly Naval Coastal Observation Station, was one of the 19 defense sites that the British government handed over to the Chinese government pursuant to an Exchange of Notes made in 1994.
Standing as it is now, the site is perhaps not worth visiting for common visitors, unless you are a military history buff. First of all, the whole site is locked. This is the best that I could capture with photograph.
Secondly, the environment also suggests that the site is deserted. Without entry into the facility, I could not see the historic barracks inside.
What a military history buff can do is to search out for the boundary stones marked D.L. (defense lot) throughout the site. I saw some danger in that, however, because the surrounding areas are densely vegetated. The hilly slopes are also unpredictable. See here for the map of the Tai O Barracks on historicalwalkhk.com.
The Tai O Barracks would be a “why not” option for those who venture out to this area of Tai O to see the Tai O Heritage Hotel. Even though there was not much to see there, it was a somewhat sweaty climb even on a slightly chilly spring day. I clocked in enough exercise there.
This is the way to go to the Tai O Barracks. At this point of the Tai O Heritage Hotel, enter the slope that will lead you up to the hotel. When you arrive at the top of the slope, instead of turning right, head on to the path on the left. There is a sign that says Military Use. That is the way to get to the Tai O Barracks.
The hike at Fu Shan (Tiger Hill) in Tai O features fantastic open-air views of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The hike takes just about an hour and it is a very easy climb.
Fu Shan is the highest hill in Tai O. What you should aim for is the viewing pavilion along this path, where you will see both beautiful inland views of Tai O and ocean views with the bridge.
To get to the Fu Shan viewing pavilion, find your way to the Hung Shing Temple of Tai O. Next to the temple on the left, there is a Shaolin Wushu Cultural Centre (photo below, on the right). The trail lies on the left of the Shaolin Wushu Cultural Centre.
After walking about two minutes, you will see the crossroads here. Take the path on your left and begin the gentle ascent. You will soon come to the beautiful scenic part of the trail.
After you finish the trail here, make a right to head toward the direction of the general town area of Tai O, with quite a number of dining establishments (more below on dining).
I will only go through these temples very briefly here.
The Hung Shing Temple of Tai O lies at the beginning of the trail to Fu Shan. A quick look takes just about 5-10 minutes there.
This Hung Shing Temple of Tai O was founded in the 11th year of the Qianlong reign (1748) at the foot of Fu Shan in Tai O. Like so many of the temples in the outlying islands of Hong Kong, this Hung Shing Temple also comes with the good feng shui of “having the mountains at its back and facing the sea.” The Hung Shing Temple faces the ocean. The temple had undergone four restorations in its history, the latest one resulted in a consecration ceremony in 1995.
Hung Shing is the patron deity for the islander and fishermen communities of South China. Like the people of Tong Fuk Tsuen, also in Lantau Island, the people of Tai O revered Hung Shing specifically as the God of the Southern Sea. Hung Shing was a government official in Guangzhou named Hong Hei. He was well versed in matters of meteorology. He was deified by a Song dynasty emperor.
The Yeung Hau Temple lies on the way when you have exited the trail and heading toward the village area of Tai O, right by Po Chue Tam. Celebrating the revered historical figure General Yang Liangjie of Song Dynasty, the temple had quite a number of visitors on the day that I visited.
Hau Wong is generally believed to be the Song dynasty general Yang Liangjie, who was a key figure in protecting the last emperors of the Song dynasty during the dynasty’s final demise. The frail last forces of the Song dynasty made it to Hong Kong for a temporary refuge. Legend has it that Yang Liangjie defended against the Yuan forces in a battle in the waters of Lantau Island, preserving Emperor Di Bing, who would be the very last emperor of the Song dynasty.
Hau Wong is a patron deity in a few temples in Hong Kong. The most famous one is the Hau Wong Temple of Kowloon City, which is a declared monument. In Lantau Island alone, there is a Hau Wong Temple in Tung Chung, about which I have previously written. Tai O’s Yueng Hau Temple is another one.
The Yeung Hau Temple of Tai O was founded on the 38th year of the Kangxi reign (1699). It had undergone restorations for a few times, the most recent one being in 2016, and it cost HK $10 million. The temple has a long history of holding the birthday celebration of Hau Wong every June 6th of the Lunar calendar.
The Yeung Hau Temple of Tai O is a Grade 1 Historic Building.
The Kwan Tai Temple of Tai O lies inside the village area of Tai O. It was founded during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming dynasty (between 1488 and 1505). The Kwan Tai Temple had undergone multiple times of restorations in its long history. It might be one of the oldest temples in Lantau Island.
Kwan Tai (also Mo Tai) is the god of war and traditionally the deity that both the police and the bandits revered. Please see the entry on Man Mo Temple for more about the god of war.
The Kwan Tai Temple of Tai O is a Grade 2 Historic Building.
It is possible to hike from Tung Chung to Tai O. The walk is very long for 4 hours, but it is very easy, with almost no climbing invovled.
Finally, the famous pink dolphins of Hong Kong are supposedly viewable in Tai O as well, but from what I understand, this heavily inhabited area is not an ideal place to view them. See my previous entry on a boat tour that bears much greater potential for spotting the pink dolphins.
Like all fishing villages in Hong Kong, seafood is often featured and touted as the meal of local flavors for tourists. I have previously introduced the Tai O Lookout at the Tai O Heritage Hotel. This time, I opted for cheap comfort food and found Tai O Sha Wo Wong (Tai O King of Claypot), located on No. 85, Kat Hing Street, Tai O. This is the first proper restaurant that you will come across when you have left the trail and about to enter into the town area of the fishing village.
Just a few steps further, you will find Tai O Bakery, which specializes in Chinese donuts, but I preferred their mango mochi.
For most people in Hong Kong, the most natural means of traveling to Tai O is to take the MTR to Tung Chung Station and then take Bus Route 11 from Tung Chung to Tai O. The bus journey takes at least 45 minutes. Tai O is close to the southwestern end of Lantau Island, and it really is very far.
For those living in northwestern New Territories, they will be well served in taking the ferry from the Tuen Mun Pier. From Tuen Mun Pier to Tai O, the ferry ride takes about an hour. The same ferry will take you to Tung Chung in 25 minutes. Please plan your journey, however, as the ferry schedule is rather sparse as compared to other means of transportation.
The Wikipedia on Property Owned by Central People’s Government in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Government Information Website, LCQ9: Military Sites.
Gwulo.com, Military Sites of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison.
Founded in 1911, St. Paul’s Church stands beautifully on Glenealy in Neo-Gothic, Classical Revival and Dutch styles of architecture. The church belongs to a group of heritage buildings that stand on an area named Tit Kong, the Iron Mound. This group of heritage buildings include …
