ON THE ROAD WEEK THREE

 

On Sunday of last week we travelled to Mt Shosha near Himeji to visit Engyo-ji Temple, founded in 966 by Shoku Shonin. This temple complex is at the top of of a densely forested mountain. A really serene setting where the modern world seems to fade away.

At the top of these stairs is the temple hall, which appears to almost hang on the edge of the hill.

  

Beyond is a group of three buildings formed around a large square, open on one side. These large buildings were re-built in the Muromachi period (1336 - 1573) and, though grand in scale, are not intimidating structures. Because of their remote location these buildings have been used in many period Japanese films. As well, they have been used by Hollywood in such films as  'The Last Samurai'.

Beside the path I was really pleased to see a couple of Camellia bushes with early buds and one opened flower.

On Monday and Tuesday we visited two of the famous Art Islands in the Inland sea, Teshima and Naoshima.

We took a ferry each day from Uno Port enjoying the scene of the many small rocky-shored islands with rather dense tree cover.

On Naoshima the galleries are starkly modern. The approach into them is carefully controlled, so that a sense of anticipation is created in the visitor. This resulted in a sense of shock and surprise when the exhibition spaces were reached.

This is a very famous image: the Yellow Pumpkin installation by Yayoi Kusama at the end of a stone jetty.

Laurie and me enjoying the moment...

...and finding another at Uno Port.

When we got back to Tokyo we visited the daughter of one of Laurie's friends from the English conversation class he gave in Nagoya in 1978. She lives south of Tokyo in Chigasaki, where we went for a stroll to the (grey-sanded) beach. On the way we had to cross a highway on a pedestrian bridge.

 

The view was unexpected.

Greetings from Christopher.

19th November 2023