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:
Marvelous images. btw With all his drumming it must be noisy in the dead of night. SMILE.
Aloha and thank you, I feel so refreshed joining you here.
That is a very cool temple. Thanks for taking us on a tour. I enjoyed going inside and seeing everything!
just beautiful! love the statue. want the bell! :)
That is a gorgeous place. I like the idea of the bell of mindfulness, Cloudia!
Wow, wow and wow.
I need that bell.
Love the pictures, so colourful and serene.
The interior is such a delight. Aloha Tom The Backroads Traveller
Such lovely cool statues.
Wow! The temple is beautiful!
Beautiful Cloudia, it is so really superb, love it.
Arigato? Is that the way to say thank you?
Beautiful photoes today Cloudia
Aloha from Norway!
With ten degrees:)
I love each of you. Thanks so much for stopping by! <3
Japanese architecture is unique! Thank you for showing us the interiors. :)
I didn't know he made kana, which were obviously inspired by the Kanji symbols
so lovely Cloudia, i am very pleased to see the ones you do share. the architecture is just amazing. so beautiful. ( :
Last shrine I was in was in Tokio and they seemed a lot more simple, saying that this on eis impressive
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.
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