Shinto is Japan's "native" religion, dating back at least two thousand years. The Shinto temples in Kyoto date from the eighth century, when Kyoto was the most powerful city in Japan.
Zen Buddhism came to Japan from India in the 13th century. There was no direct conflict with Shintoism, so many temples honor both religions. The Kyoto Zen Buddhist complex was financed by the Shogun, the richest and most powerful man in Kyoto at that time.
Beppu is one of the most seismically active cities in Japan. It is surrounded by Onsen, Japanese hot springs. Our Beppu city tour took us to “hell,” the name given to an intense concentration of hot springs, including “mud pots” and hissing springs of boiling water. Hell was the name given by local residents to this location located within a mile of central Beppu.
In addition to Beppu’s Hell Onsen, we traveled inland from the coast about an hour to the city of Usa. Located in Usa is a complex of Shinto temples constructed thirteen hundred years ago. They are well-maintained and a popular tourist destination. Our Japanese guide was the best of our trip, due to the fact that she had studied in the US and spoke excellent English. She explained the rituals practiced by religious visitors to the Shinto temples. She also explained the distinctions between Japanese Shintoism and Buddhism. She also explained that modern Japanese people are not as religious as past generations. (This is a worldwide phenomenon.) Nonetheless, visitors follow the traditional prayer rituals of clapping (to get the gods’ attention) and bowing to the temple while making a single prayer request. Multiple requests of the gods are not allowed. I had feelings similar to those I had in visiting ancient Christian cathedrals and Islamic mosques. One can only marvel at the strength of religious beliefs that led to the construction of these impressive buildings which have survived for many centuries.
The extensive Zen Buddhist temples in Kyoto were financed by the Shogun, the warrior leader who represented the real power behind the emperor. The Shogun also created the first extensive Zen garden, placing the trees, rocks, flowers, and water pools into a special meditative design which became the art of Zen gardens.
Hiroshima is a beautiful city. Its present beauty hides the hideous past, in which Hiroshima was the first target of a nuclear weapon. Its Nuclear Memorial and Museum preserve the disturbing images which every current leader of a nuclear power should be obliged to visit.
The city of Hue is located approximately in the middle of Vietnam and was the seat of royal power from the 19th and into the 20th centuries. There were thirteen kings who reigned from Hue. Many of the ancient structures were destroyed during the Vietnam-American War, which have since been restored. The photos show scenes from the Imperial Palace as well as the three hundred-year-old Buddhist pagoda.
The city of Hue is located approximately in the middle of Vietnam and was the seat of royal power from the 19th and into the 20th centuries. There were thirteen kings who reigned from Hue. Many of the ancient structures were destroyed during the Vietnam-American War, which have since been restored. The photos show scenes from the Imperial Palace as well as the three hundred-year-old Buddhist pagoda.
Enjoy my observations about life in Sweden with photos that each tell their own stories.
Global warming is happening every day. I happened to witness it firsthand during our recent visit to Svalbard.
