Busy bees

J has a little book called "Busy Bee," which is the story of a not-so-Buddhist bee who is too busy making honey for tomorrow to enjoy time with his friends today ("I'm so busy, said Busy Bee." He'll never reach enlightenment this way!). We've been busy bees lately, sorting and packing and otherwise getting ready to re-patriotize ourselves, while trying to see people and places here before departing. So, no time for blogging. "I'm so busy," said busy blogger!


Anyway, here are some recent pictures. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the lovely and elaborate dinner we had last night in a Gion restaurant, courtsey of one of S's host professors and his wife. It was truly delicious and beautiful--a meal to remember.




Below: Chionin temple in Kyoto--the large gate (Roshomon, anyone?), a garden, and the main hall. There was a small funeral the day we visited, so we got to hear the chanting of the Amida Buddha's name (said to help on to live in the Pure Land).



The garden of Sanjusangendo temple in Kyoto. Though we were unable to take photographs, this temple features 1000 adult-sized figures of Kannon, the bodhisattva of mercy. My first impression upon walking into what is purported to be the world's longest wooden building was "my goodness, the Kannon are on bleachers!" The gold-plated statues were indeed lined up on steps alongside a long corridor, diagonally so that the viewer could see all of them at once (or so that the statues could have a good view of the corridor, I suppose). It looked like they were waiting for the basketball game to begin.

Shimogama Shrine (in our neighborhood--J and I walk there frequently).

A Jizo shrine in our apartment complex. These aproned figures are said to protect and commemorate children and aborted or miscarried babies, as well as travelers. It's very common to see these in nooks and crannies in neighborhoods and by the roadside.