11/06/2015

Saimyouji, an old temple in this area

A Nikon has come out of a closet. It is a single lens reflex camera for beginner. I bought it a few years ago and put into somewhere after having used it for only a few times. I have ever heard there could be mold growing within the lens, so that I would know if it still takes photo. I went to a temple near by, where I took Joe AJ2Y in his visit here, with a hope I could see fall colors in the woods. I would take some photos with this Nikon.

The temple is in Mashiko town next to our city, which is famous for pottery products. I went there through a range of small mountains. As I told in the previous post on a trip to a hot spa site, we have a few ranges of small mountains running in this area, continuing to the Abukuma mountains in Fukushima. 

It was 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Very few traffic on the range trail. It ran south to north. Looking to the west from there, I could see another range. Our home is located further west over this range. It was hazy over the mountains. Some leaves were tinted colorful, if not all. It looked like early evening already. Not too cold yet, though. A few people were taking walk with their dog on the trail.     





There was the panel to explain how this temple was built and existed. I don't think there have been so many tourists visiting here. It is far away from the famous resort Nikko and takes a couple of hours to visit here. Partly due to plain week day today, there were very few people. An old couple was sitting on steps to the temple buildings and talking leisurely something like that time was passing so fast. Their being itself made me feel time was going slowly as well as satisfactorily.  

Anyway, it says this temple named Saimyouji, has the origin in the 8th century. Having been destroyed or fired, the present buildings were completed in the 18th century. I know nothing more than what this panel said. As I told elsewhere, there are many temples even in such a countryside as here. I am kind of proud that our ancient people have been believing in Bhuddism. Or it means they have lived harsh lives where they should rely on a religion. This is a proof they have lived very close to the religion.



The precincts of the temple was not large. It was still built on the range of small mountains. There were a lot of broadleaf trees there. They may turn yellow soon. 



The temple buildings were located at a higher place. We should walk up the steps, fairly steep, made of stones.



The main gate building. A gorgeous building with thatched roof.


A close up of the building. It is an exquisite wooden structure. I wondered from where the carpenters building these buildings came from. It might be to display the power of the ruling person here to the people. But I still would think their belief in Buddhism, or their wish to be relieved of this world with full of worries and anxieties. So the appearance and atmosphere of this old temple makes us feel relieved as well as soothed.     





The main building located in the depth of the temple. With the metal roof and so forth, it looked like more modern.


A water supply place at a corner.


The sun was sinking. Some trees on a side of mountains looked colorful overlooking from the precincts.



It was not only due to getting dark that the photos were out of focus. Actually, while taking these photos, I had this camera acting up with the sign of ERR on the display. I had to initialize it once. I should learn how to use it. It is like my FT2000.

Going down to the city, I bought food for dinner and ran back home,




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