Started the day bright and early on my way to Nikko. It felt like a pilgrimage of sorts - from one temple to temple all along this small area of Nikko which dates back to the 8th century. Beautifully carved designs on all the walls - crying monsters , sleeping cats , the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil monkeys , the colorful brocades around the temple, the golden shrines. It was all very intricate and exquisite - the workmanship of the workers deserves an accolade.
Not to mention the spiritual energy of the temples , given centuries of history and peoples prayers, was vibrant and ubiquitous.
A few interesting elements were a Buddha with a crown , seated on a peacock. A crying dragon painted over the ceiling of a temple, a sleeping cat - which frankly I couldn't find , except on the top of the tori entrance to the shrine and the round mirror like shrine and an H shaped shrine that seemed to be prominent in a lot of places. Also there were the omnipresent good luck charms and fortunes for sale. And this time , to humor myself, I donated 100 yen for my fortune. In hindsight, I suppose I should have paid more than the necessary to appease the fortune gods. Guess I'll have to make my own fortune.
Not to mention the spiritual energy of the temples , given centuries of history and peoples prayers, was vibrant and ubiquitous.
A few interesting elements were a Buddha with a crown , seated on a peacock. A crying dragon painted over the ceiling of a temple, a sleeping cat - which frankly I couldn't find , except on the top of the tori entrance to the shrine and the round mirror like shrine and an H shaped shrine that seemed to be prominent in a lot of places. Also there were the omnipresent good luck charms and fortunes for sale. And this time , to humor myself, I donated 100 yen for my fortune. In hindsight, I suppose I should have paid more than the necessary to appease the fortune gods. Guess I'll have to make my own fortune.
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