October 23-25, 2014
Senso-ji (金龍山浅草寺) is the oldest and most
significant Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism,
it became independent after 1945. Japanese legend shows that a statue of the Kannon was found in Sumida River in year 628 by two
fishermen brothers. The chief of their village, Hajino Nakamoto, recognized the
sanctity of the statue and enshrined it by remodeling his own house into a small
temple in Asakusa for the worshiping of Kannon statue.
While travelling, I always prefer ancient
churches, castles, temples or houses than modern architecture. Additionally, Nakamise-dori (仲見世通り) is a street market approximately
250 meters on the approach to the temple, there
is no way I would like to miss this path packed with Japanese traditional handicraft shops and
food stalls.
From Omotesando, Gate Kaminarimon, on the
left side performs the God of Wind, on the right, stands the God of Thunder, which
is commonly known as the ‘Thunder gate’. The enormous red lantern ‘Thunder
Gate’ was a gift from Panasonic industrialist Knontsuke Matsushita (松下幸之助) after
his health-wishes was rewarded at Senso-ji.
Before
entering the temple, it is a traditional etiquette to wash hands at the
fountain. The Kannon is behind the barbed wire, surely it is a necessarily
protection measure, still the Kannon is grounded at certain level in my opinion.
I would like to test and pray for my luck for the up-coming year, so I put a
hundred Yen coin to the donation box, shake the lots a bit, upside down the
kettle and I get a bamboo stick written 86 in kanji. Following the number and pull
the tiny wooden drawer, Oh! What the best fortune!
The last two lines of the poem on lucky charm paper go as follow:
You will become virtuous with learning; your wishes will be realized;
While riding horse in spirit, all will praise you high.
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