{"id":1651,"date":"2010-10-31T22:24:15","date_gmt":"2010-10-31T13:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2010-10-31\/1651"},"modified":"2010-10-31T22:24:15","modified_gmt":"2010-10-31T13:24:15","slug":"kyotos-slightly-odd-tanukitanisan-fudouin-temple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2010-10-31\/1651","title":{"rendered":"Kyoto’s Slightly Odd Tanukitanisan Fudouin Temple"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\nNOTE<\/b>: Images with an icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm cropped — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nGrinding It Out<\/span>\nRunning stairs at the Tanukitanisan Fudouin Temple, Kyoto Japan\n\u72f8\u8c37\u5c71\u4e0d\u52d5\u9662 (\u4eac\u90fd\u5e02)\n<\/div>\n\n

The guy in the photo above was finishing his 8th trip from the bottom, a\nround<\/span> trip that takes about 8 minutes. He told me<\/span> that he intended to do\nten round trips, but said it in a way<\/span> that implied that he knew he'd never\nmake it.<\/p>\n\n

I was in north-east Kyoto this morning to pick up a cake<\/span> for Fumie's\ndad's birthday, at a shop<\/span><\/a> that\nsells a Japanified<\/span> green-tea tiramisu<\/a>.\nScouting the\nlocation on Google Maps<\/a> I noticed<\/span> that the road it was on wound up into\nthe mountains, ending at a temple,<\/span> so I popped<\/span> over on my scooter to check\nit out.<\/p>\n\n

Past some parking lots at the end of the road was the temple...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 2500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTanukitanisan Fudouin Temple<\/span>\n\u72f8\u8c37\u5c71\u4e0d\u52d5\u9662\n<\/div>\n\n

“Tanukitanisan” means “Tanuki valley mountain”,\nwith tanuki being a kind<\/span> of animal between a raccoon<\/span> and a dog.<\/span> Tanuki have\nan odd place in Japanese culture, about which you can read an earful in the “Tanuki”\nWikipedia entry<\/a> (and slightly less delicately, in this Alice\nGordenker “What the Heck is That?” Japan Times column<\/a>). You can see<\/span> a lot<\/span> of ugly tanuki statues — there are no other kind of tanuki statue — around the\nbase of the monument above.<\/p>\n\n

But something told me that this temple was most importantly related to\nsports. I gathered<\/span> this from the large group of high-school baseball\nplayers milling about in full uniform, and from this set of monuments\nbetween the main temple-name monument and the entrance stairs...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSports Monuments<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The big gravestone-looking monument with a tiger<\/span> engraving commemorates the Hanshin Tigers<\/a>\nbaseball team's league championship in 2003, while the pillar next to it is a\nmemorial<\/span> monument for Yoshio Yoshida<\/a>, one\nof their famous players in the 50s and 60s, and later a (relatively)\nsuccessful team manager. Despite the “memorial” nature of the memorial, Mr.\nYoshida is still alive and well.<\/p>\n\n

Anyway, I started<\/span> up the long winding path...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMain Entrance Gate<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Back Down<\/span>\nlots of gates and an athlete running stairs\n<\/div>\n\n

With the row of orange gates I thought it might be a smaller<\/span> version of\nthe Fushimi Inari\nShrine<\/a>, but the gates covered only a short<\/span> distance of the entire\n(long) path. There were a lot<\/span> of athletes going back and forth, running\nstairs, who I'm sure wished the entire path were shorter.<\/p>\n\n

But it wasn't short... it kept going. At one point<\/span> there was a larger<\/span>-than-life statue\nof a Buddhist<\/span> Monk standing for alms...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>80 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStanding in Silent Disinterest<\/span>\nas a monk is trained to do\n<\/div>\n\n

It's wearing a hat (as seen held by a real<\/span> monk in this photo<\/a>) and\nis covered by little mini-sandal talismans. All the athletes<\/span> running stairs,\nalong with the footwear nature of the talismans left by individuals for\ngood luck, makes me think this statue is supposed to be good luck for\nrunning-related sports, but that's just a guess.<\/span> The athletes<\/span> running stairs\nran right by without pausing.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMid-Way Plateau<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The path was lined with short stone pillars as prayers for some inscribed wish.\nMost that I noticed<\/span> were for household safety, many listing both a husband<\/span> and wife making the wish...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPrayers For Family Safety<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I really liked these, both for the thought, and for their looks (all the more because of the beautiful veneer of lichen).<\/p>\n\n

Eventually the stairs disgorged you at a large<\/span> courtyard, with a building<\/span> towering over to the left, and more stairs\noff in the distance...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2500 sec, f<\/span>\/1.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFinal Flight<\/span>\nTiny in the distance, guy in white shirt and blue pants takes the final flight of steps\n<\/div>\n\n

This photo was taken at the base of a bunch<\/span> of pillars supporting the main temple building far above,\nat the level of a courtyard<\/span> where larger events are evidently held.<\/p>\n\n

Here's a photo looking down at the courtyard from above...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/16, ISO 1250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nCourtyard From Above<\/span>\nwith remnants of some kind of fire festival staining the dirt\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/16, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMain Temple Building<\/span>\nas two boys race for the final flight\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/16, ISO 1100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHappy To Be Done<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOffering Placards<\/span>\nat the main temple building\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 220 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBaseball Team Streams Up<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAilment Placards<\/span>\nspecific areas of pain are marked\n<\/div>\n\n

I'm guessing that these wooden placards will go up in smoke during a\nrite<\/span> in the courtyard, along the same lines as seen in my “Intense\nBurn<\/a>” post a few<\/span> years ago.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I didn't have much time before having to pick Anthony up from swimming\nclass, but on the way down I decided<\/span> to document all the flights of stairs....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Down the Final Flight<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Descend those stairs, then cross the courtyard, and you're at the top of...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 280 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nA Couple<\/span> More Flights Down To “The Plateau”<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Descend those flights, cross the plateau, and you're at the top of...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSurprise! More Steps!<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Descend the long flight, then a few<\/span> shallow steps, and you're at another flight overlooking....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 900 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFlight Overlooking the Monk<\/span>\nbeing attended to by a non-athlete, treating it with respectful devotion\n<\/div>\n\n

Descend past the monk, then down some more stairs to where the path bends...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nGetting Twisty Toward the End<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPast The Area of Gates<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

.. and finally to the lowest flight:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nEnd of the Road<\/span>\nliterally, this is where Kyoto's Manjuin Street ends\n<\/div>\n\n

Looking at the temple's web\nsite<\/a> (warning: flash, circa 1998) I don't<\/span> notice anything about\nathletics. The temple<\/span> is apparently famous for car dealers, and for people\nto get talismans for their cars. Odd. But much about<\/span> Kyoto is. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The guy in the photo above was finishing his 8th trip from the bottom, a round trip that takes about 8 minutes. He told me that he intended to do ten round trips, but said it in a way that implied that he knew he'd never make it.<\/p>

I was in north-east Kyoto this morning to pick up a cake for Fumie's dad's birthday, at a shop that sells a Japanified green-tea tiramisu. Scouting the location on Google Maps I noticed that the road it was on wound up into the mountains, ending at a temple, so I popped over [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1651"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1651\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}