To Koyasan & Temple Lodging
After a two day hiatus I am finally posting the pictures from our pilgrimage to Koyasan. It took me awhile to cull through and convert them for posting as I took over 150 pictures of our journey. It was quite an adventure getting 12 people from train in Kyoto to subway in Osaka to train again to cable car to bus to temple, but I can proudly say that we lost no one and only had a couple wrong turns and no missed connections on the way. We went from city to mountain countryside which was pretty dramatic. The last leg up the mountainside was by steep cable car that wheezed its way up. Definitely not for those who get vertigo that's for sure as the drops on either side were quite incredible! Check the link above for more details of the place and I'll only put in captions for my photos as they differ from this detailed account by others.
Koos & Nicolette in the cable car on our way up.
The entrance to our temple lodging, Shojoshin-in
Crossing the bridge into Shojoshin-in, looking towards the cemetery. Our temple was the last temple before entering the cryptomeria grove and burial grounds.
The entry courtyard of the temple, looking back towards the path to the guest house where we the nine women of our group stayed the night.
The monks who were our hosts at the temple, in front of the temple office.
After a brief tour of the temple we were led to the guest house where we were staying the night. This is the path and gate to the house that had four rooms, both western and Japanese style toilets, sinks and a one person Japanese bath. When we arrived there was tea, yukata robes and towels waiting for us. The rooms were bare, but while we were at dinner they were laid out with comfortable futons on the floor, buckwheat hull pillows and comforters. The house had screens on all sides and we left the shoji walls open to the night air, so I slept to the sound of cicada in the woods, quite peaceful. They do have stealth mosquitoes in Japan though and small no-see-ums so we all came back with bites. Ah life in the country...
I'm afraid this shot came out a bit blurry but it is all the women and the smiling face (second from left) of our teacher, Marcia. We are seated around the guest house table as Marcia prepares to serve us tea.
Marcia and Martina
Our view while sipping tea
The Toko arrangement in the tearoom
The room where I slept
Screens in the second room of guest house
Even the bathrooms have a beautiful view!
Dinner together in style! We were served the gourmet vegetarian feast called shojin ryori, what a filling meal and received an Ikebana demonstration by the female ohana sensei while we ate! It was heavenly, but not for those with less adventurous tastes as the dishes were completely unique to the Western palate. Lots of pickled vegies, seaweed and new ways to use tofu and wasabi.
We enjoyed the artwork and flowers along with the food.
After dinner, I requested the chance to sit in meditation for awhile in the temple. So Marcia, our teacher, spoke with the monk and he led a few of us to this room in the dark, lit the candles and then left after instructing us on how to sit. Most of the group are used to sitting on high cushions in the Shambhala tradition, whereas in this temple it's straight on the tatami in half lotus position, so they sat for a few minutes and then left. I stayed a bit longer and enjoyed the quiet peace of the darkened room and the night sounds all around. It was magical and very calming. The rest of the group went to the communal bath for a soak.
On the way back to the guest house I walked through the monastery's old kitchen which is now dedicated to ikebana arranging. The pots and containers in the background are for this purpose and several arrangements were awaiting placement around the temple.
This is a picture of the temple hearth with the Shinto blessings of white paper hung over it. The two large pots in the floor were the rice cookers for the temple in olden days. Marcia explained that the twisted rope on the other wall is also a shinto symbol as reminder of the responsibility of this life, that we are all of one strand and we must take responsibility for the impact of our actions on others.
Our view out the dining room at breakfast
On the way from the dining hall this cistern with flower arrangement. The attention to detail is paramount in Japanese culture. Their practice is always precise, beautiful and natural.
The inner gardens are beautiful and I was amazed how high up the mountains in the back of the temple the pruning and manicuring of the shrubs goes. Preciseness of the entire world is the expression. This must be gorgeous in the spring as many of the shrubs are azalea, rhododendrons and hydrangea. I got a book of postcards showing Koyasan in all seasons and it is truly amazing. I guess I will have to return to see it again!
But this was just one small piece of Koyasan. After breakfast we packed up and headed off to see the sights of the main temples, the half million tombs in the woods and of course, Kukai's resting place where he sits in meditation over 1500 years, waiting for the Buddha of the Future Times to arrive.
The entry courtyard of the temple, looking back towards the path to the guest house where we the nine women of our group stayed the night.
The monks who were our hosts at the temple, in front of the temple office.
After a brief tour of the temple we were led to the guest house where we were staying the night. This is the path and gate to the house that had four rooms, both western and Japanese style toilets, sinks and a one person Japanese bath. When we arrived there was tea, yukata robes and towels waiting for us. The rooms were bare, but while we were at dinner they were laid out with comfortable futons on the floor, buckwheat hull pillows and comforters. The house had screens on all sides and we left the shoji walls open to the night air, so I slept to the sound of cicada in the woods, quite peaceful. They do have stealth mosquitoes in Japan though and small no-see-ums so we all came back with bites. Ah life in the country...
I'm afraid this shot came out a bit blurry but it is all the women and the smiling face (second from left) of our teacher, Marcia. We are seated around the guest house table as Marcia prepares to serve us tea.
Marcia and Martina
Our view while sipping tea
The Toko arrangement in the tearoom
The room where I slept
Screens in the second room of guest house
Even the bathrooms have a beautiful view! 
Dinner together in style! We were served the gourmet vegetarian feast called shojin ryori, what a filling meal and received an Ikebana demonstration by the female ohana sensei while we ate! It was heavenly, but not for those with less adventurous tastes as the dishes were completely unique to the Western palate. Lots of pickled vegies, seaweed and new ways to use tofu and wasabi.
We enjoyed the artwork and flowers along with the food.
After dinner, I requested the chance to sit in meditation for awhile in the temple. So Marcia, our teacher, spoke with the monk and he led a few of us to this room in the dark, lit the candles and then left after instructing us on how to sit. Most of the group are used to sitting on high cushions in the Shambhala tradition, whereas in this temple it's straight on the tatami in half lotus position, so they sat for a few minutes and then left. I stayed a bit longer and enjoyed the quiet peace of the darkened room and the night sounds all around. It was magical and very calming. The rest of the group went to the communal bath for a soak.
On the way back to the guest house I walked through the monastery's old kitchen which is now dedicated to ikebana arranging. The pots and containers in the background are for this purpose and several arrangements were awaiting placement around the temple. 
This is a picture of the temple hearth with the Shinto blessings of white paper hung over it. The two large pots in the floor were the rice cookers for the temple in olden days. Marcia explained that the twisted rope on the other wall is also a shinto symbol as reminder of the responsibility of this life, that we are all of one strand and we must take responsibility for the impact of our actions on others.
We were up the next morning at 5:30 am for morning services of chanting by the monks then breakfast. Breakfast is much like dinner only lighter fare with miso soup to get the digestive juices going in the morning.
Our view out the dining room at breakfast
On the way from the dining hall this cistern with flower arrangement. The attention to detail is paramount in Japanese culture. Their practice is always precise, beautiful and natural.
The inner gardens are beautiful and I was amazed how high up the mountains in the back of the temple the pruning and manicuring of the shrubs goes. Preciseness of the entire world is the expression. This must be gorgeous in the spring as many of the shrubs are azalea, rhododendrons and hydrangea. I got a book of postcards showing Koyasan in all seasons and it is truly amazing. I guess I will have to return to see it again!
But this was just one small piece of Koyasan. After breakfast we packed up and headed off to see the sights of the main temples, the half million tombs in the woods and of course, Kukai's resting place where he sits in meditation over 1500 years, waiting for the Buddha of the Future Times to arrive.
posted by becky at 5:51 PM
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