KOYA-KUN

Nara has been celebrating the 1300 year anniversary after establishing the old capital there. Since its preparation, the new unique character, SENTO-KUN has been arousing much controversy. Well, its shocking first impression now got used to be seen.

On the other hand, some people doesn't like to have such an anime-like character appeared in this holly site of Koyasan but KOYA-KUN is getting more and more popular. There are many stationaries, T-shirt, keychains, cell phone straps and so on. Well, Mikkyo, the esoteric Buddhism has many different Buddhas and its teaching is how happy the Buddhas' world is. Buddhas, Boddhisattva, Deities with many different appearance exist there. Why not KOYA-KUN? He looks quite popular among Japanese visiting here. You can see him at KONGOBUJI, the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism every Sunday. (KQ)

Summer Temple School Over

Saturday, July 31, Sunny/Cloudy

At Daishi Kyokai, the training facility of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, temple school for kids was open during summer vacation. Some children participated temple school here at Daishi Kyokai and enjoyed working like little monks, playing games, exploring the town, reading and writing with making many friends. Recently some foreign children got to join the school. Closing ceremony was held today.
By KQ

Wed., July 28 Cloudy/Sunny

説明を追加

  When the guests came from the bustling cities in Japan, they can feel relaxed in the cool breeze in the mountain.  The weather forecast said it would rain in the late afternoon but it gets so sunny now.  Even the sun shines strongly, once you escape into the shade, it is cooler.  Inside of the temple or under the shade of skyscraper cedar trees at Okunoin, cooler breeze blow all around you.  Well, the only problem is mosquitos in Okunoin.   Our guide is always preparing mosquito repellent but when you visit there by yourselves, I recommend you to prepare for mosquitos.  Today we have 2 people from England who arrived at Koyasan yesterday and 2 people from Switzerland who just arrived an hour ago.   Hope they would have a great time in Koyasan.   By KQ

July 20th & 21st, 2010

From this evening till tomorrow morning, on Lunar June 10th-11th, MISAISHO-KO is to be held at SAN-NO-IN (The Worship Hall) at GARAN.

MISAISHOKO is originally the special rites to chant and praise the sutra written by Kobo Daishi, "KONKOMYOSAISHO-OHGYO" to pray for the prosperity of the country and the imperial messenger participate the rites. Later its form has changed into question and answer and last 2 days. After completing this, 2 senior priests can make their way to get the special title called "JOGO." 

By KQ

July 20 & 21 Sunny

UCHI-DAN-GI this year was held yesterday and today （Lunar June 9th & 10th）at the Main Hall of Kongobuji.

UCHIDANGI is one of the traditional debates in Koyasan. Koyasan monks study hard and sophisticate themselves in the debates and make their way in their Buddhist life. Those debates are recited in the special melodious intonation. The recruits of special Institute called Kangakue to study harder about teaching of Kobo Daishi participate this debate for the first time and practice so hard for UCHIDANGI. This is the gateway to become the senior priests in Koyasan.
The traditional flower arrangement "GODANBANA (the five-story arranging)" are displayed in the ceremony. By KQ

SUMMER

Monday July 19, 2010    Sunny

At last, the rainy season is over! Summer season has just set in. In order to celebrate the beginning of the summer, Fireworks Display was held at Marina-city in Wakayama. Only a five-minute-show, however, so many people enjoyed splendid sparkling fireworks.

Even in Koyasan, it is hot today. It was 25C at 10:00am. But, unlike most places in Japan, Koyasan is not humid in summer. Why don’t you come to Koyasan to cool yourselves in a refreshing breeze? Today, a group of people are trying to write shakyo wishing for the world peace. (SKY)

RAIN

RAIN

Friday, July 9th, Rainy ( reported by KQ)

It has been raining since this morning. It is natural to have a lot of rain in TSUYU, the rainy season in Japan. But the terrible disaster of heavy rain struck some places in Japan, like flood, mud flood, and land slide. These days, unexpected guerrilla shower suddenly attack partly in some local narrow area. Koyasan is in the mountain and some unexpected shower with the crash of thunder and lightning hit the area in summer. If the weather warning for the thunderbolt is announced, you can't enter OKUNOIN, the approach surrounded by skyscraper Japanese cedars because the thunderbolt may strike the trees. We don't see thundercloud around today but it maybe good to stay inside and stay in peace with copying sutra, or just sitting inside of the temple, reflecting yourself to nature. Buddhist monks have convention that they get together and seek the teaching more deeply at this time of the
year. Why don't you try that too? And still you'd love to wandering around, please do be careful where you walk. At GARAN, the core temple complex, the ground becomes very muddy and the approach of OKUNOIN becomes slippery.
Well, the rain gets heavier in the afternoon but the temperature doesn't go up to 17 degrees Celcius.  You can feel the cool air in Koyasan today. 

Hydrangea Garden in Hanazono

Monday, July 5th, 2010  Cloudy

Twenty-minute-drive from Koyasan, there's a Hydrangea Garden in Hanazono. According to the website of Hanazono, the hydrangea will be at their best around July 10th and later this year. The 'Hanazono Hydrangea Garden' is proud of its scale and location. It is located on a hillside about 1,000 meters above sea level, nearly 3,000 hydrangeas will bloom during the summer season. The 'Hanazono Hydrangea Garden' was introduced in a popular magazine for women, JOSEIJISHIN, as one of the best spots to enjoy beautiful flowers in Japan selected by famous Japanese photographers. Drive through the Ryujin Skyline (R371) , 32 kilometers to the south from Koyasan, you can get to the 'Hanazono Hydrangea Garden' in twenty minutes. I'm planning to visit the garaden during this summer season. Then I'll paste some pictures here. (SKY)