{"id":2471,"date":"2014-10-15T12:25:03","date_gmt":"2014-10-15T03:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2014-10-15\/2471"},"modified":"2014-10-15T12:25:03","modified_gmt":"2014-10-15T03:25:03","slug":"finding-a-rainy-25-year-old-memory-on-miyajima-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2014-10-15\/2471","title":{"rendered":"Finding a Rainy 25-Year-Old Memory on Miyajima Island"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nManiden Hall (right) and Main Hall (left)<\/span>\nat the Daishoin Temple (\u5927\u8056\u9662), Miyajima Japan\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

During past weekend's trip to Miyajima Island<\/a>,\nthe impending typhoon<\/a>\nbrought back memories of my first trip to the island, in 1989 after having\nbeen in Japan for only a month.<\/span> A friend<\/span> at work (Andy Krantz) had a nice<\/span>\ntrip planned for the week-long Obon holidays the country takes every\nAugust, and kindly invited me along. On this trip<\/span> we stopped by Miyajima Island,\nwhich I knew<\/span> nothing about (at the time I knew<\/span> nothing about Japan except\nPerl Harbor and Sony).<\/p>\n\n

On that visit I certainly would have seen the famous shrine gate<\/a>,\nbut I don't<\/span> remember it at all. My only memory<\/span> of that visit 25+ years ago\nis of a small<\/span> gazebo at a temple<\/span> where one can shake a rope<\/span> to jingle bells\nto awaken the gods' attention to your petitions, I guess<\/span> (as described here<\/a>).\nDuring the visit, we had the island to ourselves because it was nonstop\ntorrential rain... just amazing amounts of water descending from the sky in\nnonstop torrents. I remember<\/span> the little gazebo because it provided a short<\/span>\nrespite from the rain. We shook<\/span> the rope. It was probably<\/span> my first visit to\na temple<\/span> of any kind.<\/p>\n\n

So with this memory in mind this past weekend, I wondered<\/span> where that\ngazebo was. I don't<\/span> recall having seen it on any subsequent trip to the\nisland (here<\/a> and here<\/a>), so I kept<\/span> more of\nan active eye out this time.<\/p>\n\n

Part of my wanderings brought to the Daisho-in Temple, tucked in the\nmountains 15 minutes from the famous shrine gate. With buildings sprinkled\nall up the side of a mountain,<\/span> there are many levels and stairways. Every\ntime I came<\/span> to the top of a stairway<\/span> I thought<\/span> I might<\/span> find my gazebo, but\nI reached<\/span> the top without finding it...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nEnd of the Trail<\/span>\nfurthest area of the Daisho-in Temple\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I didn't know it at the time, but it turns out that my gazebo is in front of the hall at right in the photo above.\nDescending back down to where the stairs to the hall starts...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPrayer Wheels (\u6469\u5c3c\u8eca)<\/span><\/span>\nsteps leading to Daishoin Temple's Maniden Hall (\u5927\u8056\u9662<\/span>\u306e\u6469\u5c3c\u6bbf)<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The idea is that you spin them as you go by, as the person in the photo\nabove is doing. According to the note written down the first support for\nthe wheels, it's believed that spinning a wheel<\/span> once around provides the\nsame benefits as reading one scroll of sutras. Whatever that means.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

At the top of the stairs is Maniden Hall, fronted by a gazebo<\/span> with the rope and bells...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRevisiting After 25<\/span> Years<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nI Remember<\/span> This Scene<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I seem to remember more distance between the gazebo and the building proper, but it was immediately clear that this\nis the place I remembered.<\/span> I was happy<\/span> to have found it.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 26mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 280 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Back<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 44mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 5600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDetailed Carvings<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I don't recall the Hall itself on that trip 25 years ago. It was probably<\/span> shuttered up for the storm. Peeking inside this time...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>40 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nReady for a Crowd<\/span><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Following the veranda down the side and to the back, you come to a red<\/span>-velvet steep stairway...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>6 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSteep Stairway<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>25 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTwisty<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

It leads to the upper level of the two-story pagoda, which was mostly empty...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTable for Two<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The ceiling was pretty, though less symmetrical than I would<\/span> have imagined...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 5600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRemarkably Unsymmetrical<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/11, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNice View<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

You can see the five-story pagoda<\/a> in the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 4500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSide Veranda<\/span>\nback on the first floor\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 3600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOne More Look Inside<\/span>\nthe first floor\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 42mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 280 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSpinning<\/span>\nthey're heading up as I'm heading down\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During past weekend's trip to Miyajima Island, the impending typhoon brought back memories of my first trip to the island, in 1989 after having been in Japan for only a month. A friend at work (Andy Krantz) had a nice trip planned for the week-long Obon holidays the country takes every August, and kindly invited me along. On this trip we stopped by Miyajima Island, which I knew nothing about (at the time I knew nothing about Japan except Perl Harbor and Sony).<\/p>

On that visit I certainly would have seen the famous shrine gate, but I don't remember it [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,15,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471"}],"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=2471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}