Sunday, March 15, 2015

Shingon Shu Hawaii

A  L  O  H  A   from   Honolulu!
Shingon Shu Temple, Honolulu
click on photos!

Built in 1917-1918 by Nakagawa Katsutaro, 
a master builder of Japanese-style temples.
 Renovated in 1929 by Hego Fuchino,
  first person of Japanese ancestry 
to become a licensed architect 
in Hawaii. 

Note the steep, hipped-gable  
"Irimoya" roof.




Placed on the 
National Register of Historic Places 
 26 April 2002.







Just inside the gate, 
one may relax and prepare
to commune with the eternal verities.
Click on photo to see the taps (right)
where one may wash and make clean.

[yes, that is a lotus pool]









Statue of Kūkai 

 Known posthumously as Kōbō-Daishi
"The Grand Master 
Who Propagated the Buddhist Teaching"
[in Japan] 774–835 B.C.E
Monk, civil servant, scholar, poet, artist
engineer & founder of 
the Shingon or "True Word" 
school of Buddhism. 

Kūkai is famous as a calligrapher  
and inventor of the kana, 
the characters with which, in combination 
with Chinese characters kanji, 
the Japanese language 
is written to this day!









As you climb the stairs,

you must pass Füjin,

 Shintö god of wind 

to your left.

[See his bag of winds?]













On your right,

Raijin, god of thunder.

[Look at all his percussion!]



[ This IS a Buddhist temple,
but it is also very Japanese
to mix faith traditions.
This was a piece of 'Home'
to hardworking immigrants! ]










"The bell of mindfulness
 is the voice of the Buddha 
calling us back
 to ourselves. -
















- We have to respect 
each sound of the bell, 
stop our thinking and talking,
 and get in touch 
with ourselves, 
breathing and smiling. 
This is not a Buddha 
from the outside.
 It is our own Buddha 
calling us home."
                            Thich Nhat Hanh













Shall We Enter?












Click Photos!















Ceiling Detail

Like Being in a Jewel Box









Many of These Appointments

Were Brought from Japan




















The glittering altar 

 Anthuriums = Hawaii
















Imbued With 

Lessons & Meaning











Side View: Altar

Note Tibetan Singing Bowl











Turning to Leave

I feel suffused by light













 View From McDonald's Parking
















Oh My!


Linking to


Thank You
for visiting
one of my favorite
Honolulu buildings!
                        Warmly, cloudia

19 comments:

Birdman said...

Marvelous images. btw With all his drumming it must be noisy in the dead of night. SMILE.

21 Wits said...

Aloha and thank you, I feel so refreshed joining you here.

Teresa said...

That is a very cool temple. Thanks for taking us on a tour. I enjoyed going inside and seeing everything!

TexWisGirl said...

just beautiful! love the statue. want the bell! :)

RedPat said...

That is a gorgeous place. I like the idea of the bell of mindfulness, Cloudia!

Elephant's Child said...

Wow, wow and wow.
I need that bell.

Akelamalu said...

Love the pictures, so colourful and serene.

Tom said...

The interior is such a delight. Aloha Tom The Backroads Traveller

Charles Gramlich said...

Such lovely cool statues.

William Kendall said...

Wow! The temple is beautiful!

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful Cloudia, it is so really superb, love it.

Intangible Hearts said...

Arigato? Is that the way to say thank you?

Anita said...

Beautiful photoes today Cloudia

Aloha from Norway!

With ten degrees:)

Cloudia said...

I love each of you. Thanks so much for stopping by! <3

Indrani said...

Japanese architecture is unique! Thank you for showing us the interiors. :)

Adam said...

I didn't know he made kana, which were obviously inspired by the Kanji symbols

Elizabeth Edwards said...

so lovely Cloudia, i am very pleased to see the ones you do share. the architecture is just amazing. so beautiful. ( :

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Last shrine I was in was in Tokio and they seemed a lot more simple, saying that this on eis impressive

Kay said...

I love this! We've never been there. Now we're going to have to find it and check it out. Thank you for this lovely post, Cloudia.