kitano tenmangu

Kitano Tenmangū (北野天満宮?) is a Shinto shrine known for its red and white plum (ume) blossom. Kitano Tenmangū is crowded with students praying for success in their exams because its deity was a man of literature and knowledge.

In this photo, a women is reading an ema (絵馬?), which are small wooden plaques on which Shinto worshippers write their prayers or wishes. As seen here, these ema are then left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) receive them.

1/160s;   f/2.8;   ISO1100;   190mm;   NIKON D700

seiganji temple

Seiganji temple was opened by emperor tenchi in the Asuka period. Emperor Tenchi ordered Kenmonshi and Keshikoku, father and son, who were very famous as sculptors of Buddhist images at that time, to sculpture a 5 meter-tall Amida Buddha sitting image, and as soon as this image was finished, the main temple was built, finally, this temple was named "Seiganji Temple" in 667.

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nara daibutsu

Located at Tōdaiji Temple in Nara, this bronze statue embodies Birushana Nyorai. At 15 meters (without pedestal) and weighing 250 tons, it is reportedly the largest gilt-bronze effigy in the world.

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monk leaving daigoji

Daigoji (醍醐寺) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Daigoji was founded by Rigen-daishi (Shōbō) in the early Heian period, in 874.

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road to kiomizu dera

This road that leads up to the Kiomizu dera is especially crowded during the Sakura (cherry blossom) season.

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kiomizu sunrise

The only time one can have a peaceful moment at the kiomizu dera is within the first hour following sunrise.

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yoshida shrine

at the base of the eastern mountains of Kyoto...

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kitano tenmangu

a young maiko at the kintano tenmangu shinto shrine.

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himeji

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warrior of himeji

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kyūdō in preparation

Kyudo or Kyūdō (弓道?), literally meaning "way of the bow", is the Japanese art of archery. It is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budō) and practitioners are known as kyudoka

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kyūdō in action

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sumō

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sumō

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