Higashi Honganji serves as the headquarter of the Jodo-Shin Buddhist sect founded by Shinran, one of the most prominent Japanese monks. The temple was built to promote his belief system and forced to change its location many times. A philosophical sentence ‘Now, Life Is Living You’ written on the gates adds much atmosphere to the overall serene aura of the place.
The Goei-do is the Goei-do or Founder’s Hall, is the largest wooden building in Kyoto, and one of the largest in the world. This building was rebuilt in 1895 and is the most important structure in the temple compound. The lattice is covered in gold leaf that shows heavenly figures playing lutes, bells, cymbals, and other musical instruments.
The grandest gate on the grounds is the Goei-do-mon, the Founder’s Hall Gate which was completed in 1911. This gate has two stories and two roofs and is approximately 28 meters (92 feet) in height.
The Amida-do-The Amida-do or Amida Hall is the main worship hall, or hondo, of the temple and was completed in 1760.
A Kyoto temple recently replaced a 400-year-old bell to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the death of Shinran, the founder of the temple’s Buddhist sect.
The old bell of Higashi-Honganji Temple, cast in 1604, was one of the few surviving items from when the temple first opened in 1602.
The temple of the Shinshu Oni sect was destroyed by fire several times in the past, and the current buildings date back to 1895.
The new 4.5-ton bell is 2.65 meters high and 1.6 meters in diameter. It was donated by a caster in Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture. Monks held a ceremony to strike the bell for the first time on Sunday.
I wandered across the grounds marveling at the sturdiness of the pillars and soaring architectural lines. What a nice dragon fountain they put in the center of the courtyard!
This hall is closed for renovations, so the altar with the Amida Buddha statue and its flanking portraits is temporarily being kept in the Goei-do on the far left of the main altar.
Kyoto Tower in the background.
Together we sat on this bench and took in all the scenery around us. We really weren't saying much just relaxing and taking it all in. What a peaceful place to just hang out and enjoy.
Time to leave and go pick up the luggage and get on the train to take Mary to the airport. Marlon and I have really enjoyed our journeys with Mary to Japan. We have seen so much and done so much. Good times !!!
