Part 2 of Festivities

Hello again faithful followers. I decided to make a part 2 of my last blog titled Festivities since I didn't fit everything in last time. As I explained previously, there were lots of cultural experiences to take in this past week with festivals and events lining up night after night. The whole week Japan was celebrating a festival called O-Bon. Essentially the week is for commemorating one's deceased relatives. People from all over Japan are inviting the spirits of their loved ones back into their homes for the week during a time of remembrance. Being a spiritual person myself, I thought it was a brilliant way to show your appreciation and respect for your loved ones and to also remind yourself of your heritage and your future as well. What a wonderful way to pay tribute to the afterlife as well as to those who have gone before us! 

Now rewind to before Joel, Matt, and I went to Kiyomizu-Dera temple. As we were making our way to the temple, we came upon another beautiful sight. It was Ryozen Kwan-on, a statue of Buddha that was carefully positioned between the immense hillside as well as a pond and a few shrines that lay before it. Although the enormous statue is about 80 feet tall, you feel right at home as it looks down on you while entering it's presence. The large statue and the surrounding shrines serve as a memorial of the unknown soldier killed in World War 2 as well as others that died during battle. Services are conducted frequently to honor and cherish their legacy. Buddha was breathtaking shelled in white and laying against a bed of green foliage in the background. Certainly the Kiyomizu-Dera temple and the Ryozen Kwan-on, both masterpieces, are definitely some of my favorite sights I've seen so far.

The statue against the hillside

Lanterns that dotted the shrine with light

Saying goodbye to Buddha and moving onto Kiyomizu-Dera

When you enter the shrine they give you an incense and you then place the incense into a large pit where you can offer up a prayer. 

On Friday August 16th, Japan continued it's celebration of O-Bon. This was the final night for the celebration and the city of Kyoto would be celebrating in a very interesting way. Joel and I invited several other JET programmers to our apartment to view the final phase of O-Bon called Daimonji. This is a ceremony in which they light 6 fires on several different hillsides around Kyoto to guide the Japanese relative's spirits back to the afterlife. We got very lucky because you could view all 6 fires from our apartment roof top and watch them light up and burn out. It was different this evening, you could tell that spirits ran high and that there was something unworldly swirling about. Again, being spiritual myself, I thought there was a definite magical quality to the air that evening. We were joined by several different people that live in our apartment building as well as their guests. We all watched closely as the fires lite up one by one around the city. Truly a memorable experience!

Joel and I enjoying the festivities

This is just one of the 6 symbols lite on the mountain sides

My city, Kyoto

Stay tuned for more from Kyoto Kanai!

Festivities

Konichiwa from Kyoto! I haven't had a chance to write within the last couple days, so there is much to tell! I arrived in Kyoto on August 10th, and my timing could not have been more impeccable. Joel and I were blessed with a great opportunity for quality time because he had the whole week off. We were able to explore and make up for time lost during the move and the separation for two weeks. Not only did Joel have the week off, but there were many cultural festivities happening during this past week! We were not only able to explore and see many things for the first time together, but also able to gain insight into the festival culture of Japan and also the spiritual side.

The first festival that we attended was a light festival that had displays around the city. Joel and I decided to stay closer to home and walked along the river that isn't to far from our apartment. And we were very glad we did! The displays were phenomenal and the lights glimmered so beautifully on the river and against the night sky. It was wonderful seeing the festival tied in so charmingly with nature. They had lights floating down the river and bamboo trees decorated with trinkets, lights, and prayer ornaments. The river walk was transformed into a whimsical stroll.

Floating river lights and art displays

Floating glass orbs placed under the bridge for illumination

A light canopy entitled "Milky Way" (this changed and evolved colors and shapes)

A few days ago Joel and I, along with our new found friend Matt, made the journey to the old traditional district of Gion. We headed to a festival of sorts that only happens a couple times a year. They light up all of the Kiyomizu-dera temple at night. The temple is immense and such a beautiful vision against the forest that lies next to the temple. It's situated against the vast hillside and offers fantastic views of Kyoto city. A few facts about the temple are that there are no nails supporting the structure and the present buildings were constructed in 1633. Walking through Gion at dusk was like walking through history. You were transported back to a different time in Japan where silk kimonos filled the streets and stores were filled with beautifully crafted fans, silks, and tea sets. You might even see a geisha or maiko slipping into a restaurant or bar if you watch close enough! Gion preserves that traditional feel, making it very magical!

Me in Gion

After a long hike up and down stairs and through the old stone streets of Gion, we caught the first amazing glimpse of Kiyomizu-dera. The temples brilliant colors of red and orange were illuminated perfectly against the night sky and looked absolutely majestic. As we entered the temple there were many people praying, and many with the same expression that we bared, we were in awe of what we saw. The awesomeness overwhelmed you, and it was almost emotional. Joel and I felt very sentimental and reflective because being able to experience this together made us realize how far we've come since we decided to apply for JET. Walking through the temple and seeing the nearby forest lite up was very enchanting and whimsical.

Temple with the moon on the background

The forest lite up making the trees look white. Very beautiful

When I travel to historic places, one of the things that I love to think about is standing where people from history once stood. When we were in Italy, standing where Julius Caesar stood or standing in the holding area of the Colosseum knowing that you are standing where many men took their last few breaths gave me chills! I love how the historical significance of things fills me with excitement, however I took on a different approach to seeing the Kiyomizu-Dera temple. Instead of thinking about people who made history, I thought about common people like myself who made the same journey I did to see the temple. I thought about people who sat at the temple and prayed. Maybe they prayed for wisdom or courage, maybe fertility and health, or maybe even for peace and guidance. There were many prayers running through the walls of the temple, and you could feel the spirituality. That's something I've never felt before. It was wonderful!

More adventures, reflections, and stories to come! So stay tuned!