Kyoto - Day Two
OK, you really need to get yourself in a Zen state of mind for this video. For three minutes it depicts our unrelenting climb up the stairs with the sounds of the cicadas in the background. Towards the end, you are staring directly down at the steps as they seem to go on forever until the scene lifts and we finally reach the top of the rise and look out at the city.
OK, so we are on our way to our last stop of the day and I was amused by this instructional sign. I suppose these are things you are not suppose to do. The first and last panels are obvious enough, don’t run out in front of the bus and don’t rush for the bus. But what’s the upper right one? Don’t dance in the aisles? I have no idea. And what about the lower left one? It looks OK, but isn’t this suppose to be things NOT to do?
Sanjsangen-do was founded in 1164, burned down in 1249 and then rebuilt as it is today in 1266. The name Sanjusangen-do means simply “A hall of thirty-three bays”. The number 33 is derived from the belief that the Buddhist deity, Kannon Bodhisattva, saves mankind by disguising himself as 33 different figures
All along one side of the hall are arranged 1000 figures of Kannon Bodhisattva with 500 to either side of the central figure of the Kannon with eleven faces and one thousand arms. In front of the 1000 figures stand the 28 guardian deities of Kannon. In the rear of the hall, along the long passageway leading back to the entrance, a single figure similar to the 1000 stands directly behind the central figure.
Our walk past these figures was thoughtfully meditative. Both Josh and I did our best to quietly reflect on and appreciate the silent majesty of the magnificent setting.Back at the Kyoto train station, we're ready to rest for a few hours before checking out the Kyoto nightlife.
Click here to move on to our evening in downtown Kyoto:
http://phoenixanime.org/Japan-2008/Downtown-Kyoto