New Year’s Visit to Chinese Zen Temple
Happy New Year!
The three days of the New Year in Japan is very important same as the Christmas holidays in the western countries.
Japanese people visit some shrines and temples to pray for their happy and healthy new year.
This year, I visited Manpuku-ji temple at the Uji area, 20 minutes train-ride fro Kyoto Station. It was the first time to visit this temple for me.
Manpuku-ji was the temple of the Obaku Sect of Buddhism. It was founded in the 17th century by Priest Ingen, who came from China.
The buildings and their atmosphere looked mixed Chinese and Japanese.
Especially the New Year’s decoration of that day with red lanterns and a special decoration for the altar looked Chinese a little strongly.
I felt some unique illusion as like I was in some city of China.
The sutra I listened at the main hall sounds a little different from the sutra I’ve listened before. It seemed to by Chinese.
There are some unique decorations such as a fish-shaped wooden drum and a big Incense lamp in this temple.
What to see and what to listen there was all unique and so interesting! This was a nice choice to visit there in the New Year’s day.
Manpuku-ji Temple (萬福寺)
5 minutes walk from Obaku Station of JR or Keihan line.
Admission: ¥500
