Kyoto

Jozenji in Kyoto

One of six Kyoto Rokujizo temples

Cathy Cawood Dec 13, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Wonderful chrysanthemum tiles on the roof apex</p>

<p>There is a small cafe named 'Vermeer' opposite the temple</p>

<p>Looking back along the path toward the gate</p>

<p>Bonsai pine in front of the temple steps</p>

<p>Wonderful roof-top oni (a kind of gargoyle)</p>

<p>Red leaves beside a stone lantern</p>

<p>Small pine trees either side of the path</p>

<p>The capping tiles on this wall are uneven - time they were reset!</p>

The Jizo Hall of this temple on Kuramaguchi-dori contains a very special statue. It is one of six statues carved from a single piece of wood by a monk named Ono-no-Takamura at the beginning of the Heian Era. That makes it really old! Each of the statues is housed at a different Pure Land Sect temple in Kyoto, and on August 22 and 23 pilgrims visit each of the six temples for the Kyoto Rokujizo Meguri. The temple may be crowded then, but when I visited, it was deserted in the late autumn sunshine.

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...