Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/4.5, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Entrance
to the Shojiji Temple (AKA “Hanadera”)
勝持寺 / 花の寺
Kyoto Japan
Two weeks ago toward the end of a full day of fall-foliage photography that I scratched the surface of in “The Whole Gamut of My Blog In One Spectacular Visit to the Yoshiminedera Temple”, after a great lunch we made a short visit to Hanadera (“The Flower Temple”, officially called the Shojiji Temple).
Didn't see too many flowers, being the middle of November and all, but the fall colors were starting to get going.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
After Stepping Through the Door
Here's a wigglegram to give a better sense of the area in front of the main building....
写真の上をマウスで左右にゆっくり動かすと「３D」な感じが出ます。
On the veranda of the main building is the contraption that I posted for “An Among-the-Fall-Colors “What am I?” Quiz”. To refresh your memory, here's the photo that I posted then:
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Contraption in Question
something at the Shojiji Temple (AKA “Hanadera”), Kyoto Japan
勝持寺 / 花の寺
My first impression was that it was some kind of machine for pounding rice into mochi, but I was set straight by a lady I happened to ask.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Impromptu Explanation
It's a portable fire extinguisher.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Fire Extinguisher
basin, two-man pump, nozzles
It makes sense... Japan has long had a deep ethos for fire prevention, and temple buildings are designed to last thousands of years, but it takes vigilance to keep them safe over that many years.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48mm — 1/200 sec, f/5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Business End
This looks like some kind of unused part idly sitting in a holder, like an attachment to a vacuum cleaner, but it's actually sitting over the hole where water comes out. There's a hole in one of the faces toward the top into which a nozzle pipe fits, to spray the water. The whole thing can be rotated to change the side-to-side direction, though I'm not sure how they might change the up/down angle.
The pipes used as the spray nozzle can be seen resting on the back of the thing:
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
It's 125 years old, and was just sitting there, sort of falling apart.
Anyway, it was a beautiful, rustic temple. I made lots of wigglegrams, so I'll have to revisit the subject soon to post more.
To be continued...
There’s a dude with a red hat in almost every pic! And I can tell you he’s slow at processing his pictures from that day 😉
The pump was quite interesting, and I still wonder how it worked without seals. The wooden pieces were certainly better adjusted when it was built, but still…
“It makes sense… Japan has long had a deep ethos for fire prevention, and temple buildings are designed to last thousands of years, but it takes vigilance to keep them save over that many years.”
I think you meant safe, and not save, yes? Do correct me if I am wrong. 🙂
No, you’re right, it’s the text I’ve corrected, thanks. —Jeffrey