Japan is incredible in ways more than one as we were soon to discover. While we sampled Japan's Shinto traditions and heritage at Sumiyoshi Taisha, we were soon to discover that there is a significant Buddhist influence as well over here - in fact Buddhism and Shintoism together evolved to form a common "Japanese tradition", a lot like what we had witnessed in the amalgam of Buddhism and Taoism in Taiwan.
From Sumiyoshi Taisha, we took the tramcar to Shin-Imamiya station from where we walked down through the Tennoji ward to Shitennoji Temple, which is one of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples and the first ever to be built by the state...
A quaint neighbourhood bylane as we walk towards the temple...
A temple in the neighbourhood...
Google Maps shows us the way...
Wishes of harmony on the blue flags...
Bonsai trees added to the charm of walking to Shitennoji...
Passing by Choganji Temple, which is home to a cemetery where artists of repute were buried...
Peeking into Choganji...
A Suzuki Wagon R right outside Shitennoji Temple - now this reminded me of my first car - a Maruti Suzuki Wagon R back home in India...
The gate of the Shitennoji Temple complex...
Oops...
The distinctive feature of the temple - the pagoda was undergoing repairs...
The temple was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku, who encouraged the Buddhist faith in Japan. The temple had seen several ups and downs - it was ravaged by fire several times but was always carefully reconstructed to reflect its original design.
Pebble courtyard...
Resting in the shade for a while...
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