Experiencing lesser known temples and shrines
Entrance to Suma-dera
Suma-dera Temple
Both Suma-dera and Ikuta Shrine are in Kobe and they're sites that formed part of my everyday experience of Japan during the time I lived there.
Suma-dera is a Buddhist temple, tera or o-tera are the Japanese words for temple. The temple can be found at Suma, an area of Kobe, it's about a 15 minute walk from the JR Suma Station. The first part of the walk is along the main road from the station but then you take the road that leads into a more residential part of Suma. The temple itself is down a small street, but there are signs that will lead you to the temple.
The small suburban street that ends at the temple.
Entrance to Suma-dera, Buddhist temples have a covered gate, in contract to Shinto shrines which have the bright red gates.
Temple entrances have these areas to wash your hands, use the scoop to pour water first into one hand and then the other.
Suma-dera is different from any other temple I visited in Japan as it has these statues.
I've since found out (research!) that the temple was founded in 886 and it's now a memorial to the Gempei War. It was fought between two rival clans, the statues show the leaders of each clan Kumagai Naozane and Taira no Atsumori duelling in battle. Naozane eventually kills the much younger Atsumori, in doing so he becomes remorseful as he kill a man as young as his son. The Treasure House has items and information about this war between the clans. (In Japanese!)
Stairs lead to the upper level of the temple complex.
The upper area of the temple is where on the first Sunday or each month (or second if it's raining) a small antique market is held. When I was first told about it, the market was recommended to me as a place to buy a second hand kimono cheaply. I never did buy that kimono, I couldn't never find one! But I did manage to buy other small things such as vases at bargain prices, there were always lots of bowls and other items of crockery. (Japanese items not western!) Also no haggling of prices, what is quoted is what you pay!
A three storey pagoda next to the burial ground.
Suma-dera Temple
Both Suma-dera and Ikuta Shrine are in Kobe and they're sites that formed part of my everyday experience of Japan during the time I lived there.
Suma-dera is a Buddhist temple, tera or o-tera are the Japanese words for temple. The temple can be found at Suma, an area of Kobe, it's about a 15 minute walk from the JR Suma Station. The first part of the walk is along the main road from the station but then you take the road that leads into a more residential part of Suma. The temple itself is down a small street, but there are signs that will lead you to the temple.
I've since found out (research!) that the temple was founded in 886 and it's now a memorial to the Gempei War. It was fought between two rival clans, the statues show the leaders of each clan Kumagai Naozane and Taira no Atsumori duelling in battle. Naozane eventually kills the much younger Atsumori, in doing so he becomes remorseful as he kill a man as young as his son. The Treasure House has items and information about this war between the clans. (In Japanese!)
The upper area of the temple is where on the first Sunday or each month (or second if it's raining) a small antique market is held. When I was first told about it, the market was recommended to me as a place to buy a second hand kimono cheaply. I never did buy that kimono, I couldn't never find one! But I did manage to buy other small things such as vases at bargain prices, there were always lots of bowls and other items of crockery. (Japanese items not western!) Also no haggling of prices, what is quoted is what you pay!
A good after life is considered a main part of Buddhism, so funerals and burials are held in temples and adjoining them.
Ikuta Shrine
Ikuta Shrine (Ikuta jinja, jinja being the Japanese word for shrine) can be found in the city centre of Kobe, it's near the main restaurant and bar areas. Thanks to a helpful sign, now in English too! I found out that the shrine was founded in 201, 600 years later 44 kambe were sent to serve at the shrine and it's from there that the name Kobe originated. (The Sino-Japanese character for kambe and Kobe are the same) It's been destroyed a few times, floods in 1938, bombing raids in 1945 and the Great Harshen Earthquake in 1995, but each time it was rebuilt. I like the shrine as it was a familiar sight and represents Kobe for me.
Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan and its sites are easily recognised by these iconic gates. The gates are guarded by statues representing dogs.
Shrine guard dog, the dog statues at shrines are not all the same, they do show different breeds of dogs.
The shrine is right in the city surrounded by buildings, it's just a 5 minute stroll from Kobe's main station, Sannomiya.
When people come to pray at the shrine they make an offering of money, small amounts of money are placed in the box in the centre that has slats at the top. Some shrines have a rope with a bell attached that you ring after you pray.
Shrines have these small wooden plaques called 'ema' . People can purchase an ema and then write their wish on the plaque to leave at the shrine in the hope that the gods will grant their wish.
People can wish for whatever they want, it seems the most popular are to find a romantic partner, pass their exams and find success.
Also at the shrine you can buy small paper fortunes, called 'omikuji' if the fortune is good you take the paper home with you. If the fortune is bad you tie it up and leave it at the shrine, you don't take bad fortune home with you! These are tied to wires but people also tie them to tree branches, it makes for an interesting sight.
Shinto priests are male, but you will see their assistants, the shrine maidens at the shrines.
Both Suma-dera and Ikuta Shrine are not on the tourist trail so that makes them interesting to visit in my opinion. They are places that are frequented by locals and so gives the visitor a more authentic Japanese experience.
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