Most viewed - Uji 宇治市 |
Marijuana leaf (or maybe maple leaf) design on this street gutter cover near Manpukuji. Probably hemp leaves, commonly used for making cloth.131 views
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Fire hydrant manhole. Near Manpukuji, Uji, Kyoto.125 views
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Lotus in a pot at Manpukuji temple.120 views
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Appetizers of our full-course, Chinese-style religious vegetarian cuisine at Icho-an. This plate was for four people. Very different, very colorful, and such a unique taste and deliciousness that I've never had before.103 viewsFucha ryori is healthy too. Well worth the ¥5,000 which I first thought was quite pricey for a religious meal with no meat. Got stuffed and we could take home some food too.
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A simple bento (box lunch) fucha ryori at Manpukuji temple, Uji, Kyoto 普茶料理99 views
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Fucha ryori has no fish nor meat.97 views
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Our Manpukuji priest guide admits his resemblance to Hotei and kindly posed next to it.95 views
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95 views
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Our Manpukuji priest guide spoke through our interpreter.94 views
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Manpukuji's Kaizan-do Hall (Important Cultural Property) where sect founder Yinyuan Longqi (Ingen) is worshipped. 開山堂(かいさんどう)91 views
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Daiohoden Hall (Important Cultural Property), Manpukuji's main worship hall or temple. 大雄寶殿(だうおうほうでん)89 views
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Manpukuji's famous fish board. 魚梆89 views
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Chinese wooden fish drum for beating during prayers.88 views
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Chinese design on the railing. Temple buildings are in Ming-style. Many buildings are Important Cultural Properties, but no National Treasures. 卍崩しのデザイン87 views
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Since photography inside the central hall is not allowed, here's a photo of the replica at Valley of the Temples in Hawaii. It is very similar. One thing missing are the celestial Buddhas decorating the white walls behind the Buddha.68 views
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Byodoin Museum Hoshokan displays many Buddhist art treasures of the temple. Opened in 2001. You can visit this museum after you see the Phoenix Hall.66 views
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Byodo-in on the back of the ¥10 coin.65 views
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Map of the Byodo-in temple complex. It's not that big. The Phoenix Hall has a central hall flanked by two L-shaped wings in front of a pond. 65 views
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Entrance to Byodo-in. Pay admission fee to enter.65 views
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65 views
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65 views
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Karahafu roof gable65 views
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Only part of the original Okunoyama Chaen remains as a tea field. The original Okunoyama tea field was larger. Notice the shade.65 views
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65 views
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In Uji, Kyoto, Byodo-in is one of Japan's most famous temples and most recognizable buildings.64 viewsByodo-in is acuallly a temple complex, but this building, called the Phoenix Hall (Ho'odo 鳳凰堂), is the main attraction and a National Treasure.
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64 views
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The Byodo-in admission ticket does not include admission to the Phoenix Hall's central hall (sitting Amida Buddha).64 views
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Entrance to the see the sitting Amida Buddha. Photography inside the central hall is not allowed.64 views
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Icho-an restaurant serves Chinese-style shojin-ryori (religious vegetarian cuisine) called fucha-ryori (普茶料理). This is another thing about Manpukuji. The sect's founder Ingen helped to spread Chinese cuisine in Japan from the 17th c.64 views
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The central hall houses a sitting Amida Buddha with celestial floating Buddhas on the surrounding walls. The Phoenix Hall was originally constructed in 1053 (Heian Period).63 views
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Entering the Phoenix Hall.63 views
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63 views
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In 15th century, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and Yoshinaga loved Uji tea so much that they designated seven tea fields as the Seven Reknown Tea Fields. Today only Okunoyama Chaen remains.63 views
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Although the major renovations were completed, they were still restoring the paintings on the doors, etc., of Byodo-in.62 views
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People from Hawaii would know Byodo-in since there's a ferro-concrete replica in a park-like cemetery called Valley of the Temples on the island of Oahu.62 viewsThe replica of the Phoenix Hall was built in 1968 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. I photographed the one in Hawaii last year and now I can compare the two.
As you can see, the replica is very accurate. They say that the one in Hawaii is a smaller scale, but it looks the same as the original (made of wood) in Kyoto. Perhaps only the surrounding garden is smaller. Also, the one in Hawaii seems to house offices on the upper floor. (If you look behind the building, you can see stairs and air conditioners.) The original one's upper floor is see-through with no walls.
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The center structure of both the original and replica houses a statue of a sitting Buddha.62 viewsThe replica in Hawaii has a much more dramatic backdrop with the Koolau mountains. The original Byodo-in has no mountains in the background, and thankfully and miraculously, no tall, modern buildings either.
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62 views
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Uji River is near Byodo-in.62 views
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Sitting Amida Buddha replica at Valley of the Temples in Hawaii. It is very similar to the real one at Byodo-in.62 views
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The center structure of both the original and replica houses a statue of a sitting Buddha.61 views
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Entrance to the Byodo-in Phoenix Hall where you can see the sitting Amida Buddha after paying the extra ¥300 admission. Have to buy a ticket to enter at the specified time because only a limited number can fit inside.61 views
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The pond as seen from the Phoenix Hall.61 views
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Very fine roof.61 views
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石碑61 views
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Inside the Tennoden Hall is Hotei, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. 天王殿(てんのうでん)、弥勒菩薩(布袋)61 views
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Shaka Nyorai or Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism. 釈迦如来座像61 views
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61 views
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Rice was finally served at the end with pickles.61 views
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About Koma no Ashikage-en Monument. According to legend, local people in Uji pondered over how to sow the seeds to grow tea.61 viewsIt was then Priest Myoe (明恵), from the Kegon-shu Buddhist Sect, came on horseback and trotted on the field saying, "Plant the seeds in my horse's hoof prints." This monument was built by Uji tea growers in 1926 to express their appreciation to Myoe.
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Looks like intricate work and it's gonna look fabulous when it's done.60 views
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60 views
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Manpukuji (萬福寺) is a large temple complex and headquarters of a Chinese Zen sect (Obaku-shu). It's one of the Big Three Zen sects in Japan (besides Soto and Rinzai).60 viewsThe founder was Chinese Zen master Yinyuan Longqi (Ingen) from Fujien Province in China who came to Japan via Nagasaki in 1654. Manpukuji (or Mampukuji) is part of the Japan Heritage for Uji tea history. A short walk from Obaku Station on the JR Nara Line and Keihan Uji Line.
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60 views
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From Sanmon Gate, path to Tennoden Hall. The path is modeled after dragon scales.60 views
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60 views
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Corridor to Daiohoden Hall.60 views
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Daiohoden Hall roof.60 views
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About Daiohoden Hall.60 views
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Chinese-style incense burner.60 views
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Daiohoden Hall entrance.60 views
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Side view of the Shaka Nyorai.60 views
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60 views
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Manpukuji's famous wooden fish board used like a gong to indicate the time. 魚梆60 views
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On my second visit to Manpukuji, I went with a group of foreigners and had lunch at the temple's restaurant Oryokaku (黄龍閣) serving Chinese-style shojin-ryori (religious vegetarian cuisine) called fucha-ryori (普茶料理).60 views
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A gate being renovated.59 views
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Karahafu roof gable59 views
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Tennoden Hall (Important Cultural Property). 天王殿(てんのうでん)59 views
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59 views
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In front of Daiohoden Hall.59 views
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Daiohoden Hall also has statues of the Eighteen Arhats. 十八羅漢像59 viewsThey are the original followers of the Buddha who have reached the state of Nirvana and are free of worldly desires.
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Each arhat has a name.59 views
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59 views
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59 views
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Prayer tablets (ema)59 views
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Near the Sanmon Gate is this entrance to Icho-an restaurant. 銀杏庵59 views
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Buddhist picture print too.59 views
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The Sanmon main gate (Important Cultural Property). 三門(さんもん)58 views
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Sanmon main gate. 三門(さんもん)58 views
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At the Sanmon Gate, pay the admission to enter the temple. It's a very interesting temple, but they don't really have English explanations.58 views
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The Sanmon main gate (exit side). 三門(さんもん)58 views
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From Sanmon Gate, path to Tennoden Hall. The path is modeled after dragon scales.58 views
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Manpukuji corridor lanterns.58 views
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58 views
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Daiohoden Hall (Important Cultural Property), Manpukuji's main temple. 大雄寶殿(だうおうほうでん)58 views
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Round window at Daiohoden Hall.58 views
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58 views
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伽藍堂58 views
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Women cleaning the sliding lattice doors before repapering.58 views
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Plum blossoms.58 views
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Inside Icho-an. We could immediately tell that it was Chinese since the food was served on a turntable (Lazy Susan) which you can see in the photo.58 views(This photo was taken after we finished lunch.)
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Fucha ryori became very popular after it was first introduced in Japan. No wonder. It looks exotic and tastes absolutely delicious. Salad.58 views
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58 views
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Manpukuji also has a subtemple and treasure house called Hozoin (宝蔵院) noted for storing tens of thousands of woodblocks used for printing Buddhist scriptures.58 views
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Manpukuji also has a subtemple and treasure house called Hozoin (宝蔵院) noted for storing tens of thousands of woodblocks that are still used for printing Buddhist scriptures.58 views
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Koma no Ashikage-en Monument in front of the entrance to Manpukuji temple. This can be roughly translated as "Hoof Print Field Monument." 駒蹄影園跡碑58 viewsThis monument is part of the Japan Heritage designation for Uji tea history.
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Before going to Tennoden Hall, we turned left to this small gate leading to Kaizan-do Hall.57 views
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Chinese-style architecture is obvious with the roof corners curling upward.57 views
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Manpukuji temple bell in a corridor.57 views
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Manpukuji temple bell in a corridor.57 views
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57 views
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Altar inside Daiohoden Hall, Manpukuji's main temple. It worships a sitting Shaka Nyorai or Gautama Buddha. 大雄寶殿(だうおうほうでん)57 views
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These mats on the floor are not for sitting. The priests stand behind the mats and chant.57 views
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57 views
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57 views
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About the Bell Tower57 views
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"Obaku-san Fucha Ryori" bento-type (box lunch) fucha ryori for our large tour group. It costs around ¥3,000.57 views
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57 views
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Tetsugen Doko (1630-1682), one of Ingen's Japanese disciples, started the project to make these printing blocks still used today.57 views
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"Curios" is an archaic term from the Meiji Period.57 views
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Very unusual thatched roof home near Manpukuji.57 views
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Pine tree57 views
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Chotaro Horii is the 6th-generation owner/operator of Horii Shichimeien which was originally Okunoyama Chaen (奥ノ山茶園), one of Uji's Seven Reknown Tea Fields (七名園).57 views
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57 views
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Behind Horii Shichimeien's tea shop is a small tea house for tea ceremony. Mr. Horii kindly prepares his finest marcha tea for us.57 views
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Chinese-style Somon Gate (Important Cultural Property), the first entrance to Manpukuji. It's a quite a large temple complex with numerous buildings. A few of the major buildings are open to the public. 総門(そうもん)56 views
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Lotus pond in front of Sanmon Gate. 放生池56 views
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Altar inside the Kaizan-do Hall.56 views
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56 views
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Inside Manpukuji's Tennoden Hall is Hotei, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. 天王殿(てんのうでん)、弥勒菩薩(布袋)56 views
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Statue behind the Hotei statue.56 views
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56 views
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56 views
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Behind the Daiohoden Hall is Hatto Hall (Important Cultural Property) where Buddhist lectures are held. 法堂(はっとう)56 views
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56 views
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56 views
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Entrance to Hozoin.56 views
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56 views
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56 views
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Near their tea farm, Horii Shichimeien also has a tea shop selling some of Japan's finest tea.56 views
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Kaizan-do Hall55 views
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Rear view of Daiohoden Hall.55 views
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Rear view of Daiohoden Hall.55 views
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About Hatto Hall. 55 views
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Dessert. One of the best meals I ever had in Japan. Advance reservations are required. It's not a walk-in restaurant. More info photos in Japanese: https://www.obakusan.or.jp/eat/55 views
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55 views
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Woodblock for printing Buddhist scripture. Looks very worn out.55 views
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Sample printings.55 views
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Well55 views
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Hatto Hall's bell-shaped window.54 views
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伽藍堂 (Important Cultural Property)54 views
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Bell tower (Important Cultural Property)54 views
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Little pine cones at Manpukuji.54 views
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54 views
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From Sanmon Gate, path to Tennoden Hall. The path is modeled after dragon scales.53 views
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寿塔53 views
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53 views
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Matcha tea and a confection. The tea was outstanding. It had a malty, matcha taste. Pretty thick. The aftertaste was interesting.53 views
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The big Sanmon Gate in the background.52 views
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Manpukuji has a lot of covered corridors linking the major buildings.52 views
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Mrs. Horii prepares a different kind of tea.52 views
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Small grinder.52 views
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Tourists visiting Byodo-in temple can also experience and taste Uji tea at nearby Takumi no Yakata (匠の館).52 views
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Inside Horii Shichimeien's tea factory.51 views
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It was a room full of stone grinders grinding matcha tea leaves into fine matcha power.51 views
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Stone grinders grinding matcha (tencha) tea leaves into fine matcha power at Horii Shichimeien's tea factory.51 views
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Inside Takumi no Yakata. Like a workshop or classroom for making tea.51 views
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Entrance to Takumi no Yakata (匠の館).50 views
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Our tea-making kit. Everything is provided.50 views
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Some of the finest Uji matcha powder at Horii Shichimeien.49 views
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Sample grinder. The dried tea leaves are fed through a funnel to the grinding stones.49 views
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Some of the finest Uji matcha powder at Horii Shichimeien.48 views
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Matcha tea leaves to be ground.48 views
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Grinder face48 views
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In the end, we could even eat the used tea leaves which tasted like spinach maybe.48 views
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We then got to see Horii Shichimeien's matcha tea factory. (Note that this is not open to normal tourists.)47 views
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Stone grinders grinding matcha tea leaves into fine matcha power at Horii Shichimeien's tea factory. Watching these grinders was mesmerizing..47 views
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Takumi no Yakata was where we could make our own tea (with careful instructions).47 views
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Our tea-making kit. 47 views
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Our instructor (on the left).46 views
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First cup of tea.45 views
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Another cup.44 views
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Hot water thermos.42 views
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