So many of Rakan (Arhat) statues everywhere along the side of your way up.
They look like as if they are greeting and welcoming you to there. They wear coats of green moss that cover their small bodies; Such pretty faces.
Otaginenbutsu-ji Temple
Near Mount Otagi, located in the deepest of Sagano City, you will find Otaginenbutsu-ji Temple. Step through the Niou gate and look up to the temple ground. Stone steps, roofs of the hall, autumn leaves, the glowing sky… Going uphill, walking along where the cliff rises toward to the temple ground, the scenery gives you a bit of nostalgic feeling, indeed it is quite a walk, but you will feel rewarded.
There are fewer people here in the mountains; you are deeply in the quiet.
You can almost hear the voices of the Rakan statues.
Take your time finding funny faces of the Rakan statues.
Each statue was engraved with people's spirits and lives into their bodies. If I get to carve one sometime……I wonder how it would be…
Reflecting myself on to those faces and Rakan statues became my precious moments to think of myself.
Whenever I come here, I gaze upon the tile roofing of the main hall.
Though I don't know much about roof architecture, but these meticulously structured and laid out tiles won't stop captivating my curiosity. It is just sitting there beautifully. And I keep coming back here and admire the beauty of the lines.
This temple has higher veranda than others.
Sitting and relaxing there, you can hear the sounds of birds singing and little lives of creatures there.
Otaginenbutu-ji
This place is wonderful; located in the deepest in Sagano area. If you start hiking from Sagano at the Tenryu temple, visiting the Otaginenbutsu-ji Temple is like a course-end delicious dessert. If you start your trip with the Otaginenbutsu-ji Temple, it will be like an irresistible appetizer. This temple may not be the entrée of your delicious trip but you don't want to miss this to complete your most wonderful course you ever had. Spicing up your delicious course with the sounds of very traditional Japanese mountain temple; the sound of birds and other little lives in the mountain, water flowing, wind blowing, and Rakan statues whispering…
The Otaginenbutsu-ji Temple is famous for Rakan statues. There are more than 1,200 of them, all of which are created and donated by believers and worshippers. A smiling one, an angry one, a sleeping one… All the statues have unique faces, and time seems to slip away when I look at them. When you take a closer look, you can find the ones with babies holding, cats, and books. You can peek into each individual's lives thru those statues. It is interesting; some are holding camera or tennis racket and they must be brought in recently.
My favorite season to visit is between early summer and mid summer. The mosses growing on the Rakan statues look vibrant, and the sunlight from above filters through leaves of the maple trees and it spread most beautiful contrasting shadow on the ground. Summer mornings sounds of mountain is as attractive as the morning lights and shadows. Soaking into a nostalgic feeling while it seems like you have been here before.
If it's your very first visit, I recommend you to visit in the Wintertime. While taking a long walk along the Rakan statues, through out the crisp clear tranquility just to your self, feel all the lives in the mountain laying and preciously breathing underneath of right where you are waiting for the radiant seasons…. . If you can envision how they would look like in the lively mid summer and golden gracious Autumn, won't you want to come back to make sure to join (see) how they throw the party? Indeed it is too gorgeous to miss it. This is just like finding a good friend of yours….feels so right when you met and will have some fun along with your friendship got mature.
愛宕念仏寺 ／Otaginenbutu-ji Temple
お寺へのアクセス
- 拝観時間
- 午前8時～午後5時
- 拝観料
- 300 円（小・中学生 無料）
- 住所
- 〒616-8439 京都市右京区嵯峨鳥居本深谷町 2-5
- TEL
- 075-865-1231
- FAX
- 075-865-1231
- 公式サイト
- http://www.otagiji.com/
※拝観時間は予告なく変更になる場合があります。最新の情報は各寺院公式サイトをご確認ください。
Access
- Hours
- 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Tickets
- Adult 300 yen Child Free
- Address
- 2-5, Sagatoriimoto Fukatanicho, Ukyo-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 616-8439
- Tel
- 075-865-1231
- Fax
- 075-865-1231
- Web
- http://www.otagiji.com/
※May be changed without notice admission time. The official site for the latest information each temple Please check.
