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Rikugi-en (六義園) ~ Garden of the Six Principles
Photography by Jeannette Andrea Jackson ~ March 2016
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Mizuwake-ishi （水分石), the "water-splitting rock"
Rikugi-en (六義園)
Rikugi-en (六義園) is a Tokyo metropolitan park in Bunkyō-ku.
The name Rikugi-en means "Garden of the Six Principles"~ "Six Principles or Categories" (六義) referring to the six elements in waka poetry, based on the traditional division of Chinese poetry into six categories. The gardens consist of a small pond, trees, and a hill.
As its poetry inspired name suggests, Rikugien is all about poetry.
Specifically, inspiration was drawn from famous classical Chinese and Japanese poems to create no less than 88 scenes described in the poems, and indicated by stone markers, or sekichu, throughout (only 32 such stones, though, now remaining).
The garden is designed to be strolled around, following the winding paths and admiring each specially created scene. Rikugien includes a 35 meter (115 ft) high "mountain" set in a pond, stone lanterns, footbridges, and teahouses, including the Fukiage Chaya where visitors can stop and enjoy a quiet cup of Japanese tea.
The centerpiece of Rikugien Garden is its large pond with the small island of Naka-no-shima. The two hills on the island are called Imo-yama and Se-yama, and represent the mythical male and female deities, Izanagi and Izanami, of ancient Japanese legend.
Look out, too, for garyu-seki, a half-submerged rock in the pond representing a sleeping dragon, and the small rocky horaijima islet.
Rikugien is also noted for its cherry blossom in spring and rich-colored maple leaves in fall. Rikugien's azaleas are also worth coming to see when they bloom, a short time after the cherry blossom season. For all its carefully landscaped refinement, Rikugien also has areas of "wild" dense wood.
The construction of the gardens took place between 1695 and 1702 and was headed by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu by permission of the fifth Tokugawa shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. It is a typical example of a daimyo garden from the Edo period.
After the death of Yanagisawa, it was neglected. The founder of Mitsubishi, Iwasaki Yatarō, bought the gardens in 1878 and began to restore it. This was continued by his younger brother and successor, Iwasaki Yanosuke. The gardens today are about one-third of their original size.
In 1938, they were donated to the Tokyo City government. They were specified as a special place of scenic beauty (特別名勝, tokubetsu meishō) by the Japanese government in 1953.
For short periods during spring and autumn the cherry blossoms and autumn foliage respectively are temporarily lit up and the gardens remain open until 9 p.m. The gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are a short walk from Komagome Station on the JR Yamanote line and the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line. There are no parking lots.
Eihei-ji (永平寺), the "Temple of Eternal Peace
Photography by Jeannette Andrea Jackson ~ March 2016
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Daihonzan Eihei-ji (大本山永平寺)
Eihei-ji (永平寺)
Eihei-ji (永平寺), the "Temple of Eternal Peace", officially known as Daihonzan Eihei-ji (大本山永平寺), is located in Fukui Prefecture, about 15 km east of Fukui City.
It is one of the two main temples (大本山 daihonzan) of the Sōtō School (曹洞宗 Sōtō-shū) of Zen Buddhism.
The other head temple is Sōji-ji (總持寺) in Tsurumi, Yokohama.
Eihei-ji was founded in 1244 by Dōgen Zenji (道元禅師, 1200-1253), formerly a Buddhist priest of the Tendai School who spent five years studying in China.
Upon his return, he founded Sōtō and introduced Zen Buddhism to Japan. Dōgen laid great importance on zazen, sitting meditation, as the central practice of Buddhism.
After his death, disputes over the abbacy erupted, resulting in a schism: Sōtō's second great founder, Keizan Jōkin (瑩山紹瑾, 1268–1325), continued to spread Dōgen's teachings and founded Sōji-ji first on the Noto Peninsula and later in Tsurumi in modern-day Yokohama.
Eihei-ji meanwhile lost most of its influence under a line of abbots tracing back to Jakuen, one of Dōgen's Chinese disciples.
In 1468, Keizan's line took back control of Eihei-ji. Eihei-ji was destroyed by fire several times, In the late 16th century it was burned to the ground by the Ikkō-Ikki.
The oldest structures still extant today date back to 1749.
The Eihei-ji temple complex was built on a hillside and follows the basic principles of Zen architecture (七堂伽藍 shichidō garan).
It is surrounded by tall cedars trees some of which must have seen the construction of the temple. Nowadays, the Eihei-ji consists of over 70 buildings spread over 33 hectares.
Some but not all buildings are open to visitors.
Eihei-ji is an active monastery that serves as Sōtō's primary training centre.
At any given time, around 200 monks and nuns receive regular training which lasts from three months to two years.
Visitors are free to explore the temple grounds but should be tactful enough not to disrupt monastic practice.
https://jref.com/articles/eiheiji-temple.460/
Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺), The Golden Pavilion Temple
Photography by Jeannette Andrea Jackson ~ April 2016
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Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺)
The Golden Pavilion, known as Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺) in Japanese, is one of the most famous Zen temples in the world, renowned for its two stories covered in gold leaf. Officially named Rokuon-ji, the temple today is one of the most visited attractions in Kyoto and designated as a world heritage site.
The founding of Kinkakuji is an interesting story by itself, one you might not associate with the Zen temple it is today. Founded in 1397, when the original grounds and villa upon it was purchased by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a man who loved gold and vanity.
The Shogun at that time was the most powerful ruler in Japan, and Yoshimitsu by all accounts was a successful statesman. He was a skilled negotiator and made strong trade ties with China.
These were so successful that he grew very rich, in fact he made the Chinese Diplomats so happy that they named him king of Japan. That may seem strange now, but at the time China was seen as the centre of the world, and he really must have been pleased with the title.
Yet, king was not good enough for Yoshimitsu as in later years he claimed the title Dajo Tenno, one reserved for retired emperors. Even more outrageous, he tried to set himself up as a cosmic-level Buddhist god-king. Neither of which worked out, but a man can try, and he certainly did! One of such efforts was the building of the Golden Pavilion.
He acquired the land first, then known as Kitayama-Dai, demolished the villa already standing there, and started constructing his own villa complex, and renamed it Rokuon-ji, or “deer temple”.
Where better for a deity to live, than in his own temple? He must have thought something similar because the building was not constructed as a temple but as his private residence villa and living in his own temple villa was clearly not enough for Yoshimitsu. Oh no, it had to be covered in gold – entirely!
That’s how Kinkakuji was created, a private villa to a ruler who wanted to become a god.
Unfortunately for Mr. Yoshimitsu, he died quite early and closely after the completion of Kinkaku-ji.
The temple was then donated as a Zen temple. Throughout the years the temple did burn down a couple of times and received a thorough renovation in the early 2000s.
https://www.jrpass.com/blog/kinkakuji-the-golden-pavilion-of-kyoto
The Adachi Museum of Art (足立美術館, Adachi Bijutsukan)
Photography by Jeannette Andrea Jackson ~ April 2016
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The Adachi Museum of Art (足立美術館, Adachi Bijutsukan)
The Adachi Museum of Art (足立美術館, Adachi Bijutsukan) in Yasugi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan was founded by Adachi Zenko, a locally born businessman, in 1970 as a way of combining his passions for Japanese art and garden design. He hoped that viewing the gardens and artwork together would expand peoples' appreciation and interest in Japanese art.
The Adachi Museum of Art is best known for its award winning garden. It has been named the best garden in Japan annually since 2003 by the "Journal of Japanese Gardening". The garden can be enjoyed at anytime of the year and shows a different character depending on the season. It cannot be entered, but only be viewed from the museum building.
In addition to the gardens, the Adachi Museum of Art also houses a collection of nearly 1300 twentieth century paintings and artworks which are rotated seasonally. There is also a permanent exhibit of paintings by Yokoyama Taikan, as well as a ceramics exhibit.
Ref: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5806.html
Yama-Dera (山寺) Hōjusan Risshakuji (宝珠山立石寺) Temple
Photography by Jeannette Andrea Jackson ~ November 2017
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Yama-Dera (山寺) Hōjusan Risshakuji (宝珠山立石寺) Temple
Yamadera (山寺) is a scenic temple located in the mountains northeast of Yamagata City. The temple grounds extend high up a steep mountainside, from where there are great views down onto the valley. The temple was founded over a thousand years ago in 860 as a temple of the Tendai sect under the official name Risshakuji. Its popular name, Yamadera, literally means "mountain temple" in Japanese. The rocky mountain itself is a sacred location for ascetic Zen practices.
The base of the mountain is located about a five minute walk from the Yamadera train station, and there are several shops and restaurants, which cater to the temple's visitors. There is also a small visitor center just across the bridge along the way from the station to the temple.
Visitors can enjoy breath-taking views along the one-hour path from the foot of the mountain to Okunoin Temple and Daibutsuden Hall at the top. The great Haiku master Basho Matsuo composed one of his best-known Haiku poems “Shizukesa ya/iwa ni shimiiru/semi no koe” in the work “Oku no Hosomichi” (Narrow Road to the Deep North) while walking this path.
The series of 1,015 stone steps to Okunoin Temple is said to steadily release visitors from their worldly desires as they ascend. The many historic sites and scenic locations along the way encourage visitors to continue the climb while enriching the mind and senses.
Located around the base of the mountain are several temple buildings, including Konponchudo Hall, Yamadera's main hall. The beech wood building is the temple's oldest and stores Buddhist statues and a flame that is said to have been burning since Yamadera's foundation. The flame had been brought from Enryakuji Temple in Kyoto, the head temple of the Tendai sect, to which Yamadera belongs. Also around the mountain's base stands a small treasure house that requires an entrance fee.
To reach the upper area of the temple grounds, visitors must hike up a trail that leads up the mountainside. The ascent takes about 30 minutes and begins after the Sanmon Gate, located a couple minutes' walk from the main hall, where a small entry fee must be paid.
The stone path up the mountain has about 1000 steps, which might make the approach difficult for some visitors. There are stone lanterns and small statues in the surrounding forest along the way that make for an atmospheric hike. Near the top, the route passes by the massive Mida Hora rock, which is shaped like Amida Buddha. Shortly after, visitors will reach the Niomon Gate, built in the 19th century and one of the temple's newer buildings, from where the upper temple area begins.
Past the Niomon Gate there are many temple buildings at various points along the mountainside. The area is open and affords wonderful views out into the valley, in contrast to the lack of views along the ascent through the forest. One of Yamadera's most famous buildings, the Kaisando Hall and the smaller, adjacent Nokyodo building are located up and to the left of the gate. The Kaisando Hall is dedicated to the temple's founder, Jikaku Daishi, while the Nokyodo was used for copying sutra.
The path begins with Konpon Chudo Hall, the oldest cedar wood building in Japan and a designated Important Cultural Property. Midahora Rock is a lucky location that is said to bring happiness if visitors can find the figure of Buddha on the side of the rock eroded by wind and rain over thousands of years.
Passing through the Niomon Gate with a pair of fierce guardian god statues brings you to the majestic Kaizando and Nokyodo Halls. The red Nokyodo Hall sitting on a craggy mountain outcrop is an iconic view of the Yamadera.
The steps on from Kaizando Hall take visitors to Godaido Hall which is evocative of a traditional Noh stage offering a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. The final destinations are Okunoin Temple and Daibutsuden Hall, which is said to expel evil spirits.
Past the Kaisando Hall there are more stairs that lead up to the Godaido Hall, an observation deck with the best views onto the valley below. The building dates back to the early 1700s and extends out over the cliff.
Hiking beyond the Godaido Hall is not possible, but there is a path that leads from the Niomon Gate further into the mountain to the Okunoin area. Within the Daibutsuden Hall there is a large statue of Amida Buddha that can be observed from outside.
South of Yamadera and the train station there stands a museum dedicated to Basho that focuses on his trip to northern Japan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama-dera