We've gotten through the crowds at the station (there must be a better way on bicycles!) and are heading for the temple, when we see our first deer. We've arrived later than we planned because of heavy traffic on Hwy 2! Train is a much better way to come, but then I can't take my bike & my bad knee won't stand for all the required walking.


Beautiful little girl dressed up today.


And another one, having a snack.


Beautiful yellow ginko tree as we approach Daishoin Temple, where the firewalking ceremony is taking place today.


Ginko leaves on the stone steps.

Individual ginko leaves on the stone walkway. This is the shape for the topknot that that sumo "stars" wear when they perform. November Sumo tournament starts today in Japan, and I will probably miss opening day.


Walking through first gate at the bottom of the looong stairway that goes up to Daishoin Temple.


Starting up the stairway. Lots of banners out today.


Little boy playing with the twirling section below the handrail. As you walks up the stone stairs, you spin these, for good fortune. Look at the interesting design at the start of each handrail. Research tells me this: An interesting Buddhist ritual can be performed when walking up the temple's steps. In the middle of the stairs is a row of spinning metal wheels that are inscribed with sutra (Buddhist scriptures). Turning the inscriptions as one walks up is believed to have the same effect as reading them. So, without any knowledge of Japanese, you can benefit from the blessings that the reading of sutra is believed to entail.


Closer view of the twirling parts. Each is inscribed with characters.

Beautiful-sounding bell near the temple, with autumn leaves around.


A little boy pulls the rope which causes the log to strike the bell.


It's very crowded here near the firewalking ceremony. This man has already walked -- he's cleaning his feet & replacing his socks & shoes.


I climbed up to the porch of the temple to try to get a better view - not great, but you can see the smoke from the fire & the bare feet of the walkers. The monks are in yellow.


Each walker bowed at the end of the walk. There was a very long line waiting to walk the fire, so we decided to just watch . . .

Watch this video of firewalking!

Not the best view, but watch closely for bare feet as these people walk the fire! Click on the right-facing arrow in the middle of the button on left, just below the picture.

CLICK "Older Posts" BELOW TO SEE MORE OF THIS EVENT!

Looking down at the firewalking ceremony through autumn trees on the porch of the temple.


Sandy found this great link which shows a Miyajima visitor videotaping his walk - upclose & personal. Very cool & thanks, Sandy! Check it out HERE. You have to click to get it to start. It's REALLY good . . .

Looking inside, I see a monk folding something.


Margie holding on to a stone lantern. The ceremony is going on behind & below me.


Outside the temple, fortunes are tied onto this structure.


Closer view.

Shrine with gods inside.


Closer view.


Stairway going up to temple. I went up here to get a better view of the firewalking ceremony.


Beautiful roofline of the temple. Stan is still over there (in blue coat) watching, but I've wandered off to take more pictures.


Detail of carved wood decorations under roof. Their eyes must be glass -- they look so real!

Japanese come here to pray to certain gods for requests & leave donations.


A baby at her feet holding children's toys.


Coming down another stairway.


Magnificent statue & stairway lined with stone monuments.


View from the top of the temple grounds.

View of the sea & mainland over the roof of the temple.


Round roof of another building below me.


Closer view of the ornate decoration on top.


More beautiful rooftops and autumn leaves.


View from the other side of the zodiac animal statues. They're by year here in Japan, like China.

Most of the crowd has moved on now, so I can get a good shot of the Buddist Monks performing their final ceremony around the fire. The air is full of smoke and sweet-smelling incense.


CLICK ARROW TO WATCH THIS VIDEO!


Little statue with yen coins as a donation.


Margie under the wooden gate festooned in purple.

Japanese "racoon dogs" where we start down the road, instead of the long stairs. Although too steep to ride bikes, it's a little easier on my bad knee.


Instead of being cut, this pine branch is being coaxed to grow away from the walking path.


Deer down below the road.




Magnificent ginko. This is the same type tree we had in our front yard at our house on 16th Avenue in Birmingham.

We walked down the ramp (where handicapped can be driven to the top) instead of all the stairs & ended up where we left our bikes -- near the potties. This stone bridge leads to the entrance of the Temple where we were.


Closer view of the waterfalls under the bridge. What beautiful music they make!


Man taking a picture of the ginko tree. See the stone pillar next to him?


Stan took this one looking through it.


View from about half-way down the hill. The vermilion-painted Gojunoto (five-storied pagoda) is 27.6 meters high and is a beautiful fusion of Japanese and Chinese architectural styles. It was built in 1407, and used to enshrine a Buddhist statue.

Riding back down the hill from Daishoin Temple, we pass the fire station, where the firemen are letting families take pictures in front of the fire truck.


I'm sitting on the steps near the food booths & this little boy poses for me.


His younger sister is not so sure of me . . .


But elder sister was very friendly -- while she used her food stick to lead an imaginary symphony!


Then she sat on my lap for her mother to take a picture of us.