Chez Budsmam: Japan day 7 balls of fire

I dont know where to start with today so let's start with brekkie 😆 I'm adore my wee hotel in Nara, it got mixed reviews but the main negative seemed to be the decor, bit run down outdated, shabby? Well yes I can see that but img my room us huge it has a bath and wow the breakfasts are incredible SO much food!!!! And I get a little cubicle to myself as well 😊

I started ogg looking at Nara Station, when Mark and I came here in March 2020 we had a day trip to Nara when we arrived we came down these steps. It was pouring with rain, we were pretty tired anyway so we just turned around and went back to Kyoto. Very different today and so sweet to see these steps!

There was a pop up craft fair so I got quite a lot of things there as presents for folks

Below is a stationery store ... it was closed but I hope to go back when it's open

First temple was Kohfukuju it was beautiful inside no pictures allowed, but what a lovely temple complex

Five storey pagoda

Three storey pagoda

I'm going to have to look up the significance of these stones with aprons and cups, very intriguing

OK this is what I found - "Originally, they were meant to protect children who died prematurely and are sent to a kind of limbo where they are eventually attacked by demons. Fortunately for the children, the deity Jizo Bosatsu saves them by allowing them to hide in the sleeves of his robe.

Because of this legend, it's common offerings of cloth to be made at the temples after the death of a small child (due to premature birth, abortion, etc.) and placed on statues so that there will be plenty of cloth to protect the child in the afterlife"

The queue for goshuin was very long so I'll try again tomorrow

I then pootled up towards Kasuga Taisha shrine through a beautiful park

The road up to the shrine was lined with these

The shrine itself was beautiful

And of course another Goshuin - Kasuga Taisha shrine

Coming back down I stopped in past the botanical garden of the shrine, not yet in bloom but still lovely

Then I headed up to Nigatsudo Hall the final poi to of my day, I wanted to recce it as I wanted to cone back at night. I had learned there was a fire festival on at the moment the Omizutori, I wanted to see where the hall was so I could come back later.

The hall was spectacular and the views over Nara were wonderful

Nigatsudo temple goshuin

My dilemma though! People had already started queuing this was only 3.45, the ceremony started at 7, I had read you should get there for 6 to get a spot ... I had hoped to fet back to hotel for a heat before going back ...

I did contemplate not bothering and just going back to hotel I was tired and cold and hungry. I pootled back down past the bus station where I got some food had a seat and warmed up a bit. This was enough to set me up so I headed back to the temple for 5pm to queue. A lovely staff guide came over to chat and see if I was ok, she was lovely!

So I settled down and watched the temple as the sun went down

I think this is one of my favourite photos

Now my poor wee camera phone struggled to capture the images but on the left hand side a monk is pushing up a 6 meter long ball of fire, he then bangs ot on the left side of the balcony, waits then runs it across to the right showering embers down below, this is to purify the ceremony is about repentance purifying and welcoming spring