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Shrine guardians, Jonangu Shrine, Anraku-ji, ume plum blossoms

The wonders of ume plum blossoms at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

This post covers 4 main themes: Shinto shrine animal pair guardians; Jonangu Shrine: Where emperors retreated or retired; The dangers of new Buddhism at the end of the Heian period; and the wonders of ume plum blossoms and the start of spring 2025. But first a few comments about the US election and the return of Mr. D. Trump in relation to Japan and Japan travel. Just to cut to the chase: Japan will be safer than ever! And 2025 will be a bigger than ever year for foreign tourism in Japan.

Analysts are already saying that Trump’s victory could lead to higher interest rates in Japan, and a weaker yen (current projects are for Yen 160 to the dollar; the JPY-USD exchange rate jumped from Yen 151 to 154 on the day Trump won the race!). The weaker yen is, of course, great for foreign tourists visiting Japan. To counter the weakening of the yen, Japan will likely be forced to raise interest rates again in mid December and this will dampen the weaking of the yen.

At the same time, the new Trump administration is planning to place higher tariffs on the things America imports from everywhere. And that could lead to higher prices in Japan. But Japan is a major ally for the US in Asia, so the tariffs will likely hit China and other countries very hard, and Japan not so much.

Japan's (and the American) military budget and security spending will likely increase dramatically with Trump's return. And we can assume that the Taiwan issue will recede with superman and friend of Vladimir Putin at the helm. So, all in all, Trump isn't a negative for Japan but a positive. Time will tell and it will tell us what's coming sooner than later.

Early opinions, political and diplomatic opinions, suggest that Japan is scared of not being in the loop of Trump's transactional "America First" approach. All evidence points to a president who will listen to few and be much more radical and heavier handed than most presidents of the last decades. This means that Japan may not be given a chance to fully understand emerging instabilities between the US and China, Taiwan, and North Korea. But not so fast, in the last few days or less allies of Trump have "promised" Japanese officials that the trilateral U.S., Japan, and South Korea will be strengthened to counter China and North Korea.

Finally, Trump will certainly be the kind of Uncle Sam that wants major financial contributions and assurances from Japan. During the Gulf Wars, Japan probably handed over more cash than any US ally in the world. Maybe Trump will ask Japan for more than it can afford. But I would guess that Japan has no choice but to pay whatever is asked (within reason, natch). It's not like they will find an ally that "trumps" Trump USA today!

In conclusion, Japan will probably be less expensive in 2025, safer and a lot more foreign visitors will flock to experience the almost endless wonders of Japan. Learn more!

And now the meat & bones of this post in 4 sections. Enjoy the read! And learn more!

Content by Ian Martin Ropke, owner of Your Japan Private Tours (est. 1990). I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. I work closely with Japan private tour clients and have worked for all kinds of families, companies, and individuals since 1990. Clients find me mostly via organic search, and I advertise my custom Japan private tours & travel services on www.japan-guide.com, which has the best all-Japan English content & maps in Japan! If you are going to Japan and you understand the advantages of private travel, consider my services for your next trip. And thank you for reading my content. I, Ian Martin Ropke (unique on Google Search), am also a serious nonfiction and fiction writer, a startup founder (NexussPlus.com), and a spiritual wood sculptor. Learn more!

Shinto shrine animal pair guardians

The entrances to Shinto shrines are usually guarded by pairs of stone animals of two basic types: koma inu (Korean dogs) and messengers of the spirit of the shrine. In Kyoto, you may spot monkeys, wolves, cattle, horses, and even wild boar guarding shrines. If you look closely, you will see that they all have one thing in common: the beast on the right has its mouth open and the one on the left has its mouth closed. Henpecked males who jump to the conclusion that the animal with its mouth open must be the female are, in fact, wrong. The female is the one with its mouth closed, but it does represent all that is dark, cold, and evil.

I find these animal pairs very interesting and have used the gaurdian pair motif in my spiritual sculptures over the decades. My exhibition of 7-9 animal pairs was held at Honen-in Temple (Anraku-ji Temple below) in the summer of 1996. I was living in the village of Kurama at the time. All the figures were carved by hand from enormous pieces of hinoki cypress, which I believe were imported from Taiwan! Hinoki is a valued forest crop in Japan but big trunks were impossible to source! I also made all the paints for the statues using rabbit bone glue and mineral pigments. I am currently working on pairs that are more human and not very animal at all.

A few of my gaurdian animal statues from 1996; exhibition at Honen-in Temple

The male, on the right, makes the sound 'AH' as he breathes out and the female makes the sound 'UN' as she breathes in. Christians pronounce the combination of these two sounds 'ah-men' whilst Hindus say 'A-hum'. You may also notice that the female Korean dog has a horn growing out of the middle of her forehead.

In Japan the link, or messenger between man and god is generally considered to be the monkey. It is also supposed to get along with horses so you may sometimes see monkeys carved in the eaves of shrine stables. In fact, the female monkey is the personal messenger of the god who lives in the mountain where the shrine is located. Shrines dedicated to such deities are called hie shrines and, as well as stone statues of monkeys, you can frequently see live ones kept on the premises.

Inari shrines, dedicated to Princess Ukatama, the Rice Goddess, are guarded by foxes: the male fox usually holds the ball of wisdom in his mouth, while the vixen holds the key to the rice storehouse. Foxes are said to love fried tofu and a well-known kind of sushi consisting of rice in a thin envelope of fried tofu is called inari-zushi, while bowls of noodle soup containing a piece of fried tofu are known as 'fox' noodles.

You will frequently see people at shrines rubbing parts of their bodies and then the same part of a shrine messenger in the belief that a specific pain or illness they have, will be cured. This is especially noticeable at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, where people often line up to rub the statues of cattle.

The traditional guardians of Buddhist temples are two strong, muscular figures usually carved in wood. They stand on either side of the gate, and are known as Ni-O, or 'Virtuous Kings'. In Nara, you can see both Japan's oldest and largest Ni-O. The former, which date from 711 A.D., guard Horyu-ji Temple, while the latter, masterpieces of Kamakura Period realism, stand watch at Todai-ji Temple.

Jonangu Shrine: Where emperors retreated or retired

Jonangu Shrine was the heart of ex-Emperor Shirakawa's extensive domain. His grandson the Emperor Toba also renounced the world to run a cloister government from here, but his sons became rival emperors, like European rivals for papacy. One son - Emperor Go-Shirakawa - abdicated, retreating to Jonangu to exercise his power from there. Like his father, he was married into the Fujiwara clan. The Fujiwaras were the Rockefellers, or shall I say the Mitsubishis, of medieval Japan. To this day, the affluent, almost institutional, calm and variety of Jonangu are immediately obvious. It is home to 19 priests and their families, and nine miko shrine maidens.

The shrine buildings were all reconstructed about 20 years ago and show nine different architectural styles in the roof styles alone and then there are the four gardens. In one garden, blossoming plants hang heavily over the banks of a stream which flowed from a moss-banked pond rising from the center of the garden. A half-hidden waterfall splashed in an upper corner, and draping boughs of green gathered the shade into a glen.

And there are rocks. Rocks of every color, size, texture and aesthetic function. Rocks rising from the streams; rocks posed in idyllic landscape formation; rocks gaping in a cliff about the waterfall.

There is also a teahouse with glass walls on two sides, affording a view of the steaming spring and stones of the Muromachi-style garden on one side, and the massive emptiness and bold scale of a modern garden on the other. The modern garden is about half the size of a football field. The hedges, undulating and mountainous, are 4 and 5 meters tall, and come from far away.

Jonangu Shrine is open from 10:00-17:00. Entry is ¥800. The shrine is a short walk south of Takeda Stn. on the Karasuma subway line (about 10 minutes south of Kyoto Stn.).

The dangers of new Buddhism : Anraku-ji & two executions

Just south of Honen-in and Ginkakuji along the Philosopher's Path lies a temple called Anrakuji (Anraku-ji Temple). A masterful example of Muromachi Era architecture and landscape design, its quietly compelling buildings and garden have survived since the early fifteenth century.

The Japanese aesthetic of subtle refinement and unobtrusive beauty imbues the entire temple grounds with an air of tragic lyricism and makes Anrakuji a place for a truly spiritual adventure. No Coke machines, no tour guides, no "biggest of this" or "oldest of that" here. But if you can slow down enough, if you can get out of your own way and drink in the ancient atmosphere, Anrakuji will unbalance you, move you, and teach you some secrets about perception, both historical and visual.

Anrakuji was built to honor the memory of the Buddhist priest Anrakubo. He and another priest, Jurenbo, had established a dojo (training center) for their numerous disciples near present day Honen-in, only a couple hundred meters directly north of Anraku-ji Temple. Their teachings of a Savior Buddha, of escape from the wheel of life and death, and of Karma and absolute nothingness were wise, seductive and very accessible to the average Japanese. In 1180 or so the dominant forms of Japanese Buddhism had already lost a lot of power to newer forms of Buddhism; new Buddhist ideas and practices that were accessible to anyone, high born or low born, anyone. And this was revolutionary. Today those very new Buddhist sect, Pureland and True Pureland or Chan Buddhism, dominate 90% of Japanese society and most of Southeast Asia! They became popular and threatening because they offered a world view, with heaven known as the Western Paradise, home of the welcoming Amida Buddha. This differed greatly from the indigenous Shinto and its raw pagan animism. In fact, these new Buddhist sects increasingly pressure the Shinto religion to imitate aspects of Buddhism. For example, statues that represented Shinto gods, which was unheard of and not at all the nature spirit belief system of original Shinto.

But back to the story of the two monks and their new ideas. Over a relatively short time growing popularity of Anrakubo's Buddhism began to threaten the existing power structure. When Emperor Gotoba learned that both his daughters, Matsumushi and Suzumushi, aspired nuns in the new faith promoted by Anrakubo and Jurenbo, he exercised his authority. All the priests save two were executed. Honen the founder of Pureland Buddhism was exiled to Tosa Island, and Honen's greatest disciple, Shinran, was exiled to Echigo.

The executions ordered by Emperor Gotoba, however, only created powerful martyrs for the cause of Trueland Buddhism. Before long even the Shogunate and the elite of the nobility had converted to the new Buddhist strains. The graves of Anrakubo and Jurenbo became places of pilgrimage, and finally, more than one hundred years after their deaths, Anrakuji Temple was built in their honor.

So how does Anrakuji reveal its message of purity and faith in the face of authoritarian rule? If you look, you'll find that the gardens and main temple artistically suggest images of purity amidst encroaching outside forces. Everywhere, the small leads to the great--the microcosm revealing the real universe.

The great stone stairway leading to the temple is overhung with maple boughs. You must duck your head to avoid hitting them on the way up! The main garden, celebrated for its massively sculptural azaleas, makes effective use of two gardening devices: the use of moss to create the illusion of flowing water, and the creation of miniature landscapes such as mountain ranges, by skillfully manipulating hedges and bushes. The azaleas, for instance, seem to give way to a stream of soft green moss which suddenly flows before you. What appears to be an empty space is actually a pond, replete with stone bridges which cross the waves of moss beneath. Looking east, the horizon recedes into infinity. The azaleas and neatly sculpted maple hedges appear as billowing clouds one moment, and as far-off mountain ranges the next.

These false horizons blend so harmoniously with the real western mountain range of Kyoto that the entire image created by this small garden is that of a vast and ideal land. On the east the mountainside cascades so dramatically that it nearly devours the low cloister and house. But the main temple rises securely in its sacred space. Its two roofs quietly assure you that within this green profusion of visual drama, there is a sanctuary just within.

This quiet temple offers you ever-varying perspectives in any direction. Inside blends with outside, false horizons with real horizons, and garden and mountain dissolve into a spiritual house of mirrors with everything half seen, but fully felt. Confusion gives way to serenity as the mastery of Anrakuji's design leads your spirit to a sure and quiet reality.

Plum blossoms: Spring start & health & protection

Plum trees were introduced to Japan from China in the 8th century and are believed to ward off danger. On many older plots of land in Japan you will find plum trees planted in the northeast corner, the so-called demon’s gate, from where danger and evil are believed to enter. Because of this belief, many family crests also incorporate the plum blossom into their design. Ume boshi, pickled sour plums, are also believed to keep danger away, when eaten. But most of all, plum blossoms herald spring and offer the perfect occasion for the year’s first picnic, a sure sign that cherry blossoms and the first warm days of summer can’t be far away.

Kitano Tenmangu: Home to nearly 2,000 plum trees, this shrine has become synonymous with plum blossoms, which are a prominent decorative motif in its lanterns, tiles, and woodwork. From about February 10 to the end of March, the plum orchard southwest of the main shrine is open for public viewing. Admission to the area is ¥400 (¥200 for children under 12), which includes a cup of plum tea and a sweet. Tenjin-san Flea Market and Plum Viewing Festival on the 25th: This very popular event, on the 25th of the month, started as a ceremony of prayer for the repose of the soul of the 9th century scholar, Sugawara Michizane, a victim of court intrigues who died in exile on this day and is now enshrined here. The highlight of the Baika-sai (Plum Festival) is an outdoor tea ceremony, performed by the geisha of nearby Kamishichiken. A bowl of whipped green tea with a sweet costs Yen 1,500. Prayers said at 10:00, tea ceremony held 10:00 to 15:00. Located at the west end of Imadegawa. Tel: 461-0005.

The Old Imperial Palace: Another favorite spot for plum viewing is the Old Imperial Palace. There are plum groves southwest of the inner palace. From the moment the two hundred trees begin to blossom, people can be found sitting beneath the trees sharing food and sake. Think amazing picnic and totally legal; the entire complex is patrolled 24/7 by special black and white security cops (imperial family police squad maybe?).. Best ume viewing from early Feb. to the first week of March. The Old Kyoto Imperial Palace and giant park is just north of the downtown machiya townhouse core of Kyoto City.

Zuishin-in: After Kitano Tenmangu, this temple is the most famous in Kyoto for its plum trees. Located in Yamashina, Zuishin-in also has a particularly fine garden featuring a wide expanse of moss, a pond and a stunning arrangement of rocks. Located a 5-min walk east of Ono Stn on the Tozai subway line. Tel: 571-0025.

Kanshu-ji: The famous old plum here was transplanted from the Imperial Palace. It is best viewed during February. Kanshu-ji’s garden has a wide perspective much like a small park (the pond alone is 200 meters long); in the background looms Mt. Daigo. Located west of Ono Stn on the Tozai subway line. Tel: 571-0048.

Content by Ian Martin Ropke, owner of Your Japan Private Tours (est. 1990). I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. I work closely with Japan private tour clients and have worked for all kinds of families, companies, and individuals since 1990. Clients find me mostly via organic search, and I advertise my custom Japan private tours & travel services on www.japan-guide.com, which has the best all-Japan English content & maps in Japan! If you are going to Japan and you understand the advantages of private travel, consider my services for your next trip. And thank you for reading my content. I, Ian Martin Ropke (unique on Google Search), am also a serious nonfiction and fiction writer, a startup founder (NexussPlus.com), and a spiritual wood sculptor. Learn more!