Morning with the Buddha of Compassion

Being in Kyoto had pretty much exhausted our original rough plan of where we would go and so it was decision time. We had originally veered towards the south coast of Japan in our thinking but now we thought we would head north and inland. We settled on the town of Matsumoto in the Japanese Alps which could be reached by a Shinkansen to Nagoya and an express train from there. 

This journey gave us time on our last morning in Kyoto to go to the temple complex of Kiyomizudera. First though, breakfast, which was gained by a brief walk and a bus trip to Kyoto station to eat at a self serve place we have come to like (good size coffees! There are French style cafes at most stations and elsewhere and while they can provide good coffee and pastries the coffee is served in dainty little cups that I tend to drain in two sips). 

The bus to Kiyomizudera dropped us at the foot of the hill it is built on. This necessitated a bit of a hike up, including many steps, which was a little unfair on our legs which were recovering from their jaunt down Hiei-Zan. At all the sights we have been to in Kyoto, and this was no exception, there have been masses of school children on school trips. We've seen them all lined up on Shinkansen platforms, or sitting on the ground in neat rows before entering the station listening patiently and quietly to their instructions and then yelling their affirmation or understanding in unison. This even applied to a small group of about eight girls in matching sports gear and bags that seemed to be a tennis team heading off for an overnight trip to play some rival school. They were unaccompanied but they still lined up in pairs and after a quick answer and response they boarded the train on command from their leader at the front. Just like New Zealand school kids. ROFL (roll on the futon laughing). 

"Smairu"

Kiyomizudera is (according to the guide book) Kyoto's most popular temple. Its central object of worship is a statue of the Bosatsu, the Japanese name for the Buddha of Compassion, a Buddha that I have a particular attraction to, and so I was very keen to be here. 

There are many aspects of Japanese Shinto and Buddhist religious practice that seem to me to be very Shamanic. On Hiei-Zan in one of the temples I was thrilled to be able to watch a priest performing a fire ceremony. He sat in the gloomy innards of the temple in front of a fire from which flames leapt into the air as he fed them with various fuels, chanting all the while. His movements and actions were familiar to me being the performance of a ritual for practical
rather than ceremonial purposes. Fire is important in that particular temple as it is where there are three Dharma lamps that have, apparently been lit continuously for hundreds of years (though, if you were a monk that accidentally snuffed one out you wouldn't tell, would you?). 

The Bosatsu here at Kiyomizudera did not disappoint. Again it was situated in the gloom of the depths of the temple. On the way in I had availed myself of the purifying water that is in a font before you get to the temple. Scooping the water out with a ladle you rinse each hand and, in some places, raise some to your mouth. Then in front of  the temples are incense pots where you place your stick of incense you have given a few coins for, make a prayer, wave the smoke around you and then place it in the pot. Shoes are removed before climbing onto the temple platform and here I knelt beside a pillar, facing the Bosatsu, and did my own little ritual of prayer and chant while others did theirs.

The temple where the Bosatsu is kept. 

We walked down from Kiyomizudera by a different route lined with shops, many of which hire out Kimono for the trip to the temple. The waters of the temple, after which I presume it is named, apparently have great powers and there are other attractions there as well. They include a walk through a dark vaginal entrance - yes, you read that right and not an autocorrect mistake and you couldn't get a lot more Shamanic than that - where you can assure future love etc.  We skipped these bits. 

At the foot of the hill we decided to go for a taxi which took us back to our Ryokan to fetch our luggage (where our effusive host was absent thus saving probably around $20 in waiting taxi costs) and then to the station to catch the Shinkansen to Nagoya and an express train toMatsumoto. Having a little time to wait, I managed to tick one more essential Japan food item  off my list, the chocolate parfait.