NEWS OF TRAVEL JAPAN

This picture is “Yumedono”, the dream house, for Shotoku-Taishi in Horyu-ji Tenple . An octagonal temple is rare in Japan, it is said that a priest built it for worshipping Shotoku-Taishi after his death. Nearby Yumedono there is “Chugu-ji Temple” for females. It was built at the same time when Horyu-ji Temple was built and far from Horyu-ji Temple in Ikaruga. It was burned at the same as burned Horyu-ji Temple by a strong enemy, but it was rebuilt there. This picture is “Nyoirin-Bosatsu”, Avalokitesvara in Chugu-ji Temple. It is beautiful, soft and intelligent and the appearance is relaxed but it looks deeply meditated. The statue makes us imagine that Shotoku-Taishi had meditated like this. The seventeen-article constitution Shotoku-Taishi governing Japan first pondered on the interaction with China and the stability of Japan. In China the emperor of “Zui” unified China where many small countries had battled for a long time, so neighboring countries including Japan had fel...

Horyu-ji temple is the oldest existing wooden-built temple in Japan, as well as in the world, and it is the first world heritage site in Japan. “The oldest existing wooden-built temple” is synonymous of Horyu-ji Temple, but the significance of Horyu-ji Temple exceeds the value of the length of the passage of the time. The meaning of this world heritage site is the legacy of the man, Shotoku-Taishi, who had endeavored to build a peaceful country with Buddhism in the dawning period of the beginning of the unity of this country, Japan. The beautiful scenes of Horyu-ji Temple  Standing on the wide path to “Chu-mon” after passing through the big gate, “Nandai-mon”, a sign of the legacy spreads widely in front of you. There is a silent, clearness and peaceful atmosphere. You may perceive something noble as well. Heading in the temple you can first see the five tiered pagoda of Buddhism. This pagoda is one of the most beautiful pagodas of Buddhism in Japan. It has a stable and no...

The presence of the shrine with the stone In Takasago City, which is located between Kobe and Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture, there is a wondrous shrine which worships a large incredible artistic stone. It’s Ohshiko Shrine, but yet strictly speaking, it enshrines two great gods dwelling in the stone or this land. They are “Ohnamuji” and “Sukunahikona-no-mikoto”, and Ohnamuji was the greatest lord of old Japan and Sukunahikoha-no-mikoto was the most credible subordinate of Ohnamuji, they opposed the ancient Imperial Court. After praying at the entrance building of the shrine, you can immediately see the stone. But yet it is the front face of the stone, you can’t grasp all of the stone if you look around. You will feel something energetic from the wall-like stone which is three times taller than you. There is a narrow path on which you can walk around the stone to the right. Turning left at the right corner of the front face there is a water pool surrounding the stone, and the ...