{"id":2393,"date":"2014-02-23T23:12:33","date_gmt":"2014-02-23T14:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2014-02-23\/2393"},"modified":"2014-02-23T23:12:33","modified_gmt":"2014-02-23T14:12:33","slug":"the-many-lanterns-and-overwhelming-sumptuousness-of-the-kitano-tenmangu-shrine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2014-02-23\/2393","title":{"rendered":"The Many Lanterns and Overwhelming Sumptuousness of the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPaying Respects<\/span>\nat the sumptuous Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (\u5317\u91ce\u5929\u6e80\u5bae)<\/span>\nKyoto Japan\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a>  ·  2880×<\/span>1800<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (\u5317\u91ce\u5929\u6e80\u5bae)<\/span> in northern Kyoto is perhaps\nbest known for its huge\nplum-blossom orchard<\/a>, but in looking over the photos I've yet to\npublish from a visit<\/span> a year<\/span> ago, I realize<\/span> that there's so much more to\nshow. So today<\/span> we'll shift concentration away from the blossoms, and\ncontinue with the non-blossom theme that yesterday's post<\/a> ended\nwith.<\/p>\n\n

All the photos on this post are from a visit<\/span> a year<\/span> ago yesterday.<\/p>\n\n

The shrine has many buildings, but the main building is difficult to miss in its sumptuousness. As is common<\/span> at shrines, there's\na big<\/span> thick rope with a large<\/span> crotal bell (“<\/span>jingle bell<\/a>”<\/span>) at the top....\nshaking the rope prior to your prayer rattles the bell, perhaps awakening the gods to your petition....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>4000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nShrine Rope<\/span>\nwithout context, it's difficult to get a sense<\/span> of its scale\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Here's a shot with enough context to feel the rope's size...<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nShaking the Rope<\/span>\nto rattle the bell at its top\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThe Bell<\/span>\nperhaps the size of a laundry basket\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBull Carving<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n“<\/span>Rafters”<\/span><\/span>\nabove the bell\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Continuing the view as we move up...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 220 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOverwhelming Detail and Color<\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It was quite crowded the day I was there, so I had<\/span> to wait a while<\/span> to get the shot that leads this post.\nWhile waiting, it was enjoyable to watch the folks queue to make their prayers.<\/p>\n\n

I'd brought along a little-used Nikkor 50mm f\/1.2 that I'd bought broken for a\nlow<\/span> price and had repaired by Nikon, but it's never felt right. Sometimes\nthe “<\/span>not right”<\/span> lends a nice<\/span> sense of dreamy ambiance, and for me that's the case\nwith some of the following...<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 50mm f\/1.2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>6400 sec, f<\/span>\/1.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nQueue<\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a>  ·  2880×<\/span>1800<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This shot looks as if it's had a ton<\/span> of “<\/span>negative clarity”<\/span> added in Lightroom (like this<\/a>\nor this<\/a> or\nthis<\/a>), but here the effect is all from the lens. You can tell<\/span> from the lanterns that I hit<\/span> focus\nreasonably well, so this weird ghosting is probably because the lens is defective.<\/p>\n\n

The effect gets quite pronounced if you miss focus, as I did<\/span> to an almost comical effect in this next shot, but for some reason I really<\/span> like it:\n<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 50mm f\/1.2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>6400 sec, f<\/span>\/1.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDisfocused Effect<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/11, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMoments Earlier<\/span>\nwith a non-broken lens\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Yet, sometime, the 50mm f\/1.2 can take a pretty<\/span> good picture. I haven't<\/span> figured out why this one doesn't have that “<\/span>creamy imperfection”<\/span> sense to it...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 50mm f\/1.2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>3200 sec, f<\/span>\/1.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFairly Normal Looking<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Anyway, turning to the left and looking past the queue, there's a sort<\/span> of covered (but currently unutilized) area used\nfor market stalls and such...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>4000 sec, f<\/span>\/1.4, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBoring from the Side<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

However, from inside...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 1400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Set of Lanterns<\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a>  ·  2880×<\/span>1800<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/1.4, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nUnused at the Moment<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 8000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nExposed To Show the Wood<\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a>  ·  2880×<\/span>1800<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

And you can see above that down the center is yet another<\/i> set of lanterns. Here's the bottom of one:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 8000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBottom of a Lantern<\/span><\/span>\ndated 1879, sponsored by “<\/span>Shimada Bank”<\/span> and others\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

It's perhaps interesting to note that the lantern predates electricity\nin Japan, and as such was likely actually used to provide light. It's also interesting<\/span> to note that it predates the ability of non-Japanese to visit\nanywhere near Kyoto. I mention<\/span> this because the lantern was\nsponsored in part by the “<\/span>Shimada Money-Exchange Shop”<\/span> (presumably part of\nShimada Bank, which got top billing).<\/p>\n\n

This was a time where foreigners weren't allowed anywhere near Kyoto under pain of death, and only 11 years after\nJapan “<\/span>opened up to the outside”<\/span> and Japanese themselves were allowed to leave Japan, so I think<\/span> it's a telling<\/span> indication\nof the rapid change Japan underwent during this time that a money<\/span>-exchange shop could do well enough to sponsor a shrine,<\/span>\nespecially in an area where foreigners were not even potential customers.<\/p>\n\n

As far as I can tell, Shimada Bank has been lost to the dust of time, but its gift remains all these generations later.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 2200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDuck Carving<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nYet More Lanterns<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For some serious lanterns, visit the small east entrance. Here's a wigglegram<\/a>\nshowing the view from outside looking in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n