Vignettes of the World
At Lvmei Ecological Park (Green Beauty Ecological Park—in Mandarin Chinese, “lv” is pronounced in l as the consonant combined with the French vowel “u”) in Shantouping, Xinhui, a flourish of purple tabebuia flowers has drawn the curtain for the spring season with a colorful song …
In January of 2025 we welcome spring with open arms. The floral season has begun, and I have been seeing some really beautiful photographs of purple tabebuia on travel and photography blogs. Striking the iron while it’s hot, I packed my bags for a quick …
More than a thousand stone rakan statues populate the temple ground at the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple. Being moss-covered, the stone statues create an ambience that is faintly eerie, but the unique facial expressions on the statues convey a quirky sense of comical cheerfulness at once.
The admissions fee to the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is JPY ¥300.
The very original of the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple was established near the Gion District in the Higashiyama area by the order of Emperor Shotoku in 766 A.D. That temple was destroyed by the flood of the Kamogawa River during the early Heian period. Thus began the seemingly “bad luck” that struck this temple throughout its history.
The temple underwent reconstruction with leadership by chief monk Senkan Naigu, who carved the Yalu-yoke Senju Kannon that was the resident deity around the 10th century or so. During the 13th century, the civil war destroyed the temple again.
By the 20th century, the temple has come to stand for resilience. In those long years past, the temple fell victim to fires and neglect. There were only three structures still standing in the temple, namely the main hall, the Jizo Hall, and the temple gate. In 1922, there was effort to move these structures to the current site in Arashiyama, and the temple started anew. Yet again, in the 1950s, a typhoon damaged the temple.
Finally, in 1981, the temple underwent a major restoration led by Kocho Nishimura. He was a craftsman for Buddhist statues before becoming a monk himself. The restoration effort took a good ten years, during which time structures were taken apart, rebuilt, renovated and restored. This was also the time needed for the temple to offer sculpting pilgrimage for the followers. The army of 1,200 rakan statuettes was the work of many followers over this decade of time in the 1980s. Kocho Nishimura’s innovative initiative to combine art and religion was very much reflective of his own journey of faith.
Rakans are the followers of Buddha. The statuettes in the temple were created by the common people. In this creative process, the followers of Buddha essentially invested in their artwork some of their own humanity. Surely, there were many statuettes wearing somber expressions, but some were reading, some were marveling, and some were laughing as well. In the back of these statuettes the sculptor carved his or her own names.
The Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple had roots in Tendai Buddhism.
After seeing the Ryoan-ji Temple and the Kinkaku-ji Temple, I was momentarily troubled by the fact that I really did not have a plan for the afternoon. I had wanted to do some hiking, from Mt. Takao to Arashiyama, but my schedule did not allow that. Outside of Kinkaku-ji Temple, I decided to look for temples that are somewhat lesser known.
In many travel websites, the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is described as a hidden gem. It is certainly one of the lesser-visited temples in the Arashiyama area. I was very much drawn to the army of rakan statues there, and it turned out to be a wonderful visit.
As you enter the main gate of the temple, you start seeing these statues along the inclined slope leading you to the main hall. At first glance there were more eerie than interesting, because moss has grown its spell on their faces. But behold, because you will come to face with some really humorous artwork throughout the temple grounds.
As I looked closely at these rakan statuettes, I noticed a lot of eccentricities. They brightened up my mood immediately, and I started looking for faces that reminded me of my friends as well.
The Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is truly unique in this aspect. All over the hillside on which this temple stands, there are testaments of faith as expressed by the commoner Buddhist believers that sculpted these statues. Surely, time has done its work on these statues, as they are overgrown with moss, but the timelessness of these individual testaments brought forth an incredible sense of wonder. It was as if I came into an ancient choir singing a silent song of faith.
I left the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple inebriated by the tickles of joy that these statues gave me.
Descriptions on site at te Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple.
Japan Experience, Otagi Nenbutsu Temple: A Hidden Gem of Whimsical Buddhist Art in Kyoto.
The Wikipedia on Otagi Nenbutsu-ji.
The golden glow of the Kinkaku-ji Temple comes from actual gold leaves plated on the exterior walls of its upper levels. My heart leapt as I saw it luminesce in glory and grace. The Kinkaku-ji Temple is a ten-minute bus ride from the Ryoan-ji Temple. …
I finally managed to wake up early enough for the morning sightseeing. The most anticipated temple of the day is the famous Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. I planned on getting there when it opened at 9am. I wanted to see more, …
The Jamia Mosque is the very first official place of worship for the Muslims in Hong Kong. Built in 1890, it signifies the beginning of Islam in Hong Kong. Also known as Jamia Masjid, the name of the mosque means the “mosque of congregation” in Arabic.
The address of the Jamia Mosque of Hong Kong is 30 Shelley Street, Central, Hong Kong.
In understanding the Jamia Mosque’s significance, one must first know how the Muslims from various places of the world came to Hong Kong. In the early colonial times during the mid to late 19th century, the Muslims that came to Hong Kong were sailors and merchants of South Asian origins. By the 1850s, the British government had recognized the community of Muslims in the new colony. These early Muslims established the first Islamic organization, the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund, which remains a dominant representative organization for the Muslims in Hong Kong today.
In 1850, the government allocated a piece of land to the Trustees on Shelley Street, and this would become the site of the Jamia Mosque. By 1890, the original mosque was completed, and then it was enlarged in 1905. Eventually, the old mosque was pulled down and a new mosque was built. The foundation stone of the rebuilt Jamia Mosque was laid in 1915, with funds contributed by Indian businessman H.M.H Essack Elias of Bombay. This development had enabled the Indian Muslims to worship and enjoy a community life in Hong Kong.
The Jamia Mosque can host 400 prayers at a time. In its earliest beginning, the mosque called for prayers five times a day, and it was crowded on Fridays, traditionally the day of prayers for Muslims.
The neighboring streets also acquired their names from the Jamia Mosque, as in Mosque Street and Mosque Junction. This indicates the significance of the mosque in contemporary Hong Kong. The Chinese name of Mosque Street makes a reference to “mo lo,” a somewhat derogatory local term referring to the Indians in Hong Kong.
The Islamic mosque of the greatest scale and prominence in Hong Kong is the Kowloon Mosque in Tsim Sha Tsui. In 1884, the Hong Kong Government allocated this land to the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund. Originally, the Kowloon Mosque served the religious needs of the Punjabi who were stationed as soldiers in the Whitfield Barracks. In the decades after, this site eventually became the Kowloon Mosque today.
As times went by, the origins and makeup of the Muslim population in Hong Kong changed. The demographics of Muslims shifted in accordance with the rising needs for South Asian workers (Pakistani’s) in the police force during the colonial times, then to the need for Indonesian domestic workers currently. In between, there were Muslims coming to Hong Kong as the Hui people (Chinese Muslims) that settled down here as immigrants, there were African Muslims that did business in Chungking Mansions, and some others were refugees that intend themselves to be transient in Hong Kong.
Besides the mosques, the Hong Kong Government also gave the Muslims land for a cemetery in Happy Valley in 1870.
The elegance of the architecture of the Jamia Mosque lies in the very simplicity of its features. The architect of the rebuilt mosque in 1915 was Abdoolhoosen Abdoolrahim.
The Jamia Mosque is a rectangular building themed in the color green with white as the color for decorative lining. Although the color green has specific meaning in Islam, namely the color associated with heavens, the mosque had not always been green throughout its history.
A small minaret stands above the prayer hall to project the call to prayers. In Islamic architecture, the dome is a symbol for paradise, as the vault of heaven. To Muslims, it represents oneness with God. On top of the minaret, there is a rounded, small finial pointing to heaven, with a star and a crescent as the highest point of the mosque. Even amongst the various mosques in Hong Kong, the existence of a minaret is one of its kind.
In the front, an entrance leading into the prayer hall is a portico open on three sides. Four granite pillars support the minaret.
The sides of the Jamia Mosque are lined with arched windows, which are also typical in Islamic religious structures. A set of small spiral staircase is painted in white, leading to the upper balcony on the minaret.
Besides the Jamia Mosque, there is also the Residence of Muslims at Jamia Mosque next door. This building provides free housing to followers. The building itself is also a historic structure. It is believed to be an early 20th century building.
The Jamia Mosque is a Grade 1 Historic Building. The Residence of Muslims at Jamia Mosque is a Grade 2 Historic Building.
Paul O’Connor, Islam in Hong Kong (2012).
The Wikipedia on the Jamia Mosque (Hong Kong).
The Antiquities and Monuments Office, Heritage Appraisal of Jamia Mosque.
africame.factsanddetals.com, Mosque Architecture: Elements, Features, Parts.
The very last sightseeing on my first day in Arashiyama was the Nonomiya Shrine. The Nonomiya-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine. Because of its nature as a native faith in Japan, it differs quite significantly from the elaborate temples of Arashiyama, both in terms of …
The grilled eel of Japan is likely the most suitable first course of introduction in Japanese food for those who are not accustomed to eating raw fish. “Unagi’ is the Japanese name for freshwater eel. “Anago” is also eel, but it refers to sea eel. …
Perhaps the way that I toured Arashiyama did not comport with the spirit of Zen. By this time, at around noon or so, I had toured the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji Temple, the Okochi-Sanso Villa and the Jojakko-ji Temple. Then I was rushing to Nison-in Temple before I would be having my reserved lunch at the Unagiya Hirokawa. I really hurried through these sites. However, at every temple I felt calm. The tranquility in Arashiyama was contagious, despite the throngs of tourists everywhere.
Sightseeing in Kyoto necessarily involves a whole lot of temples. That is because there are thousands of them in the city alone. When you travel in Kyoto during the fall, the temples are also where the red foliage is featured prominently, in a perfect fusion of natural and human footprints. I went through tens of temples in this trip and I never got tired of seeing more. That is because in every temple there is something special to offer, unique either in terms of its history, its basis of faith, its architecture or its ambience. They do not look the same or feel the same at all.
Readers of this series on Japan would notice that I tend not to show photos of the Buddha statues inside the temples. The main reason is that I am Christian and I tend not to like Buddha images. But the other side of the coin is that I am able to enjoy all these temple visits even though I do not share the faith. It is with ready recognition in the value of faith in human society that I came to fully appreciate the Buddhist temples of Japan.
At Nison-in Temple, I felt an indescribable sensation when I heard the ringing of its temple belfry. It was more than calmness — the auditory stimulation touched off a spiritual yearning for joy, gratefulness and fulfillment. And then the bell rang again, and then again, and then again. I realized that people were lining up at the belfry to do a prayerful ritual.
Indeed, it was the sound from the Bell of Happiness, the sonoric reminder of life’s blessings.
Photo: Three emperors of Japan were entombed here
At Nison-in Temple, I found an unlikely gem. Beyond the proper grounds for temple structures, I came upon a cemetery. That was where I felt the most at ease that morning, with a sober respect for the spirited, yet also joyful in celebrating the tranquility that lied before my eyes.
A few notable people are buried here at the cemetery of Nison-in. Three emperors were entombed here, Emperor Tsuchimikado, Emperor Go-Saga and Emperor Kameyama. The Mausoleum of Priest Tanku is also inside the temple.
I did not see one soul that ventured into this part of the temple. The seclusion was golden.
The name Nison-in refers to the two revered images that are the resident deities in the Nison-in Temple, with Amida Nyorai on the left and Shaka Nyorai on the right. According to the temple leaflet, Shaka Nyorai “is the one is the one who sends those seeking rebirth in paradise from this side of the world… Amida Nyorai receives them on the other side. The pair represents the beginning and the end of one’s life.”
The temple came from the early Heian period, circa 834 A.D., by the order of Emperor Saga.
The temple practices Tendai Buddhism, with Chief Abbot Ennin taking leadership. During the Kamakura period, Homen Shonin lived and taught Buddhism in Nison-in. He developed a good relationship with the aristocracy. The third generation Chief Priest Tanku taught Buddhism to Emperor Tsuchimikado and Emperor Go-Saga. Properly speaking, the Nison-in Temple had a long standing relationship with the nobility and imperial court of Japan for many eras, besides being the official temple during Emperor Saga’s reign.
During the Onin War (1467-1477), all of the structures of the Nison-in Temple were destroyed by fire. The Main Hall and the Imperial Envoy Gate were reconstructed in 1521.
The Tendai school of Buddhism embraces the Lotus Sutra as its doctrinal foundation. It gained prominence during the Heian period. The chief proponent of Tendai was Japanese monk Saicho, who introduced esoteric elements into the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. By the Kamakura period, Tendai had become a dominant form of Japanese Buddhism. As seen with the Nison-in Temple’s history above, Tendai had official support from the imperial family.
To highlight a point of relevance to the touring of Arashiyama temples, Nichiren Buddhism, as one of the six “Kamakura Buddhism,” was the basis of faith for the Jojakko-ji Temple. It is also located in Mount Ogura, pretty much “next door” in Arashiyama. It arose in response to the corruption and inadequacies of Tendai and its rival Shingon school.
Tendai Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the Lotus Sutra and its unifying nature for all Buddhism. In Tendai’s “One Great Perfect Teaching,” all teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be brought together in one comprehensive perfect system (Wikipedia on Tendai). Tendai Buddhism advocates for the universality of Buddhism.
Descriptions on site at the Nison-in Temple.
The Wikipedia on Tendai.
The Wikiepedia on Nison-In.
After touring the Okochi-Sanso Villa, I made my way to the Jojakko-ji Temple, also in the vicinity. In terms of natural environ, the Jojakko-ji Temple brings to the large selection of temple visits in Arashiyama another kind of aura. The red foliage at Jojakko-ji Temple …