Temples and the like
From what I can tell, I've been pretty remiss with posting about my trip to Japan. I can only say I was too busy enjoying it to post about it. xp But I am home now, so I'll try to post a few more pics about my time there. I'm not going to be able to post all of them, since there are about 1700 of them, but they are all on my facebook, if you feel so inclined.
So as you can imagine, I went to as many temples and shrines as I could stand while there. One Saturday, 3 other girls and myself all went to Kamakura which boasts a long trail with 7 temple/shrine stops leading to the Daibutsu (Big Buddha). It was a looong walk, let me tell you, but it was also so interesting and so much fun. Plus, it wasn't a blazing hot day so we weren't dying of sweat or fatigue.
Some pre-temple cleansing is always in order. Left hand, right hand, and mouth.
These are actually 2 different temples. On the right is the zen garden of Kencho-ji temple, the oldest of Kamakura's Zen temples.
Still the most amazing Buddhist shrine I've ever seen. 2nd pic is the ceiling.
Steps leading to a Shinto shrine in Kamakura
Priestesses in the Shinto shrine
The Daibutsu aka Big Buddha
Big Buddha shoes!
There were also some shrines in some other places we went to. Like this Inari shrine in Odaiba:
And this one hidden in a corner of Shinjuku, also an Inari shrine:
We also went to Asakusa which is kind of a market town but there is also a HUGE temple there as well. Really nice, too.
Temple entrance from both sides
Yeah, that's me being silly at the shrine entrance. 2nd pic is from the bottom of the red balloon.
Two "guards" at the entrance to Asakusa
These were hilarious. There were like 5 of them dispersed around the town. One was even "climbing" up the side of a building.
Asakusa at night
And probably the cutest picture you will ever see. This little girl was actually walking the dog around the town. Really the cutest thing ever!
More pics coming soon from other parts of Japan, that don't include temples and shrines. ;)