Koyo (autumn leaves)
Today I visited the Mitaki Temple which is a ten-minute train ride from Hiroshima. It is a famous koyo spot in autumn and I made sure I arrived early, with bento lunch in tow, before the crowds gathered.
Again, I was spirited away to a magic place as soon as I`d finished the hill climb and reached the tea-shop, the first building on the ascent to the Temple. There stood a statue of buddha bedecked in purple, red and pink flowers, and next to him, little buddhas sat with woolly red caps on their heads all in a row like stone dwarves (I too was wearing my velvet red cap, and felt a little strange when I saw the red-capped buddhas grinning down at me). The rickety tea-shop was built over a babbling brook, and its garden was full of reeds and wildflowers. There a red parasol sheltered tatami-matted seats and tables - most pretty!
Numerous stone paths and steps led one astray up, up, up to red-and-white tiered temples and gates, and past mossy, life-size buddhas framed by the blaze of orange-red maple leaves. In the distance one could hear the dull toll of the temple bell as visitors rang out their prayers. Along the way I delighted in the autumnal beauty of ruby red dragonflies flitting from stone to stone; and the sight of berries - orange and red and purple - bejewling the wood. Up at the temple, the air was thick with incense and row upon row of buddhas jostled for attention by the temple door. There people scooped up water with bamboo ladles from troughs and scattered water over the statues, which were moist and black from previous showers. Candles burned in lanterns and all was haunting and ethereal, despite the bright sunshine which filtered through the leaves above.
At the very top of the hill, I sat on a stone wall and shared my sushi and inari with the temple cat - a mewling cat of cream and brown with china-blue eyes. Of course, it didn`t thank me for it but sauntered away to nearby lunchers for more. A thief of picnics! Later, on my descent down the hill path, I happened upon the temple cat in his pursuit of a red dragonfly. He jumped and skipped, and then in desperation leapt upon the head of a nearby buddha and swatted at the elusive insect, nearly losing his balance, but the dragonfly pirouetted in the air and escaped, unclawed.
After my various autumn strolls and cemetery wanderings these past weeks, I must recommend that if anyone is thinking of coming to Japan - you simply *must* come here in autumn - it is a magical time!
Again, I was spirited away to a magic place as soon as I`d finished the hill climb and reached the tea-shop, the first building on the ascent to the Temple. There stood a statue of buddha bedecked in purple, red and pink flowers, and next to him, little buddhas sat with woolly red caps on their heads all in a row like stone dwarves (I too was wearing my velvet red cap, and felt a little strange when I saw the red-capped buddhas grinning down at me). The rickety tea-shop was built over a babbling brook, and its garden was full of reeds and wildflowers. There a red parasol sheltered tatami-matted seats and tables - most pretty!
Numerous stone paths and steps led one astray up, up, up to red-and-white tiered temples and gates, and past mossy, life-size buddhas framed by the blaze of orange-red maple leaves. In the distance one could hear the dull toll of the temple bell as visitors rang out their prayers. Along the way I delighted in the autumnal beauty of ruby red dragonflies flitting from stone to stone; and the sight of berries - orange and red and purple - bejewling the wood. Up at the temple, the air was thick with incense and row upon row of buddhas jostled for attention by the temple door. There people scooped up water with bamboo ladles from troughs and scattered water over the statues, which were moist and black from previous showers. Candles burned in lanterns and all was haunting and ethereal, despite the bright sunshine which filtered through the leaves above.
At the very top of the hill, I sat on a stone wall and shared my sushi and inari with the temple cat - a mewling cat of cream and brown with china-blue eyes. Of course, it didn`t thank me for it but sauntered away to nearby lunchers for more. A thief of picnics! Later, on my descent down the hill path, I happened upon the temple cat in his pursuit of a red dragonfly. He jumped and skipped, and then in desperation leapt upon the head of a nearby buddha and swatted at the elusive insect, nearly losing his balance, but the dragonfly pirouetted in the air and escaped, unclawed.
After my various autumn strolls and cemetery wanderings these past weeks, I must recommend that if anyone is thinking of coming to Japan - you simply *must* come here in autumn - it is a magical time!
posted by Miss Ember at 6:13 pm
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