Triangle Park

Down among the pots and tree planters in Triangle Park, there was a small statue of a Hindu deity. I think it's Lakshmi, goddess of luck and prosperity.

I think.

Shrine Vending

...the best of both worlds?

The End of the Excursion

At the end of our climb down the mountain, we ended up going out through a shrine. It was rather surprising...one minute we were on an (admittedly well-paved) mountain trail, the next we were descending into a shrine.


Actually, thinking back on it now, the trail markers with the little Buddha/Kami figures on them should have been a hint.

One of the students I was walking with was actually not happy about the shrine. She said something about it being bad for progress to enter a shrine..."and once you go through the gate, you're in the shrine until you leave." So technically, since we only went through the gates on the way out, we might still be in the shrine? (She was not happy with that thought.)
It was odd...I didn't realize some people viewed shrines so negatively.

Anyway - this is my last update for a few days. I'm off to Tokyo for Golden Week! Yay!

Oh no!

I have no excuse. I simply forgot to post a picture yesterday...

In penance, I offer three scenes of Kobe:


First, a torii (shrine gate) at the entrance to Ikuta Road - which, coincidentally, leads to Ikuta Shrine.


Next, a view of the port. The boat is only blurry 'cause it was moving!


And lastly, another view of the Kobe Port Tower. For some reason I really like this one.

Awaji Island

This is another older picture...it was taken last summer on Awaji Island, near Kobe.

2.1

New rule. If I miss a day, I have to post not one, not two, but three new pictures the next day. So there.

Here's number 1:


This is a picture of Sumiyoshi Taisha, a shrine in Osaka. I went there on February
3rd for the Japanese Setsubun festival.