Tag Archives: temples

Fukuoka | 10/28

police-embassy-DSC_5713Japanese riot police guarding the Korean Embassy.

Inspiration?

monk-DSC_5718Komainu-DSC_5783Komainu-DSC_5790Komainu (狛犬)

“Meant to ward off evil spirits, modern komainu statues are almost identical, but one has the mouth open, the other closed. This is a very common characteristic in religious statue pairs at both temples and shrines. This pattern is however Buddhist in origin and has a symbolic meaning. The open mouth is pronouncing the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, which is pronounced “a”, while the closed one is uttering the last letter, which is pronounced “um”, to represent the beginning and the end of all things. Together they form the sound Aum, a syllable sacred in several religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.” Wikipedia article.

Komainu-DSC_5752Komainu-DSC_5766torii-DSC_5757Gokoku Shrine 護国神社. fukuoka-DSC_5764fukuoka-DSC_5760fukuoka-DSC_5759yellow-pumpkin-statue-DSC_5742Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生 pumpkin パンプキン sculpture at Fukuoka Art Museum 福岡市美術館. Ohori Park. More Yakoi Kusama pumpkins (INHALE MAG).Fukuoka_Art_Museum-福岡市美術館-DSC_5739Ohori Park.Ohori_Park_DSC_5732Ohori_Park-大濠公園-DSC_5726 leaves-DSC_5816leaf-DSC_5788leaf-DSC_5837Maizuru_Park-DSC_5800Fukuoka Castle ruins 福岡城.Maizuru_Park-DSC_5828Maizuru_Park-DSC_5821October 28, 2014.

three temples

buddha’s birthay.
we travel to three temples as it is tradition:
we start in 백연화사 baekyeonhwasa,

DSC_4543we eat bibimbap and watermelon.

DSC_4546under the serene stare of a thousand golden buddhas.

DSC_4552we walk under the shadows of a thousand rainbow lanterns

DSC_4561we travel south to gaya-dong. we hike up to 선암사 seonamgsa.

DSC_4558guardian pets

DSC_4587we sit down to makeoli, tofu and kimchi on an industrial wire spool table.

DSC_4632we drive towards mandeok. up dusty roads. we reach 석불사 sokbulsa hidden up in the hills that divide western and eastern busan.

DSC_4630we play throw-the-coin at the pagoda.

DSC_4642carvings of two heavenly kings and buddhas.

DSC_4645a guardian .

DSC_4684we ride east. from the road we see western busan, mandeok, deokcheon, the nakdonggang and the floodplains.

DSC_4687we cross the pass into the east of the white city. we find a view of sajik and the yeonsan neighborhood, baesan hill and the distant towers of marine city.

happy birthday buddha,

happy blated bday bob.

girl from the north country fair