Tokyo 2019

JULY 2019
Obon Festival at Yuten ji Temple 祐天寺

on 17th July 2019 the people are coming together to celebrate Obon a three days festival

Yama the Goddess of Death is worshipped here

connected with Lord Yama the spirits of one's ancestors are honored

this Lady will take off the clothes of the deceased people

this mirror was earlier used as a prediction of death: whoever can see one´s face in it will die soon, nowadays the mirror is blurred to prevent fear

the different stages of death are described in detail: for each part one deity is responsible to guide through the Bardo states

the paintings show what is describe below

translation comes soon...

Obon (お盆) or just Bon (盆) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist-Confuciancustom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japanfor more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon Odori.
See more here...
おぼん
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Festival
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obon

お盆 Obon offerings at Joenji Temple

She brings the rain

JUNE 2019

Temple Sojiji

Sojiji is located in the suburban area of Yokohama city

http://www.sojiji.jp/english/index.html

Garden of Love

MAY 2019

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢LOVELY Beings🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

April 2019
Hanamatsuri
花祭り

At Joenji Hana matsuri was celebrated on the 8th April which marks the Birthday of Lord Buddha. Amacha, a sweet flower tea is poured over the statue of Baby Buddha. Beautiful flower decoration make this event auspicious and the Birth of Buddha is celebrated in a ritual while flowers are offered.

Ohanami

still amazing new blossoms are coming up every day...

...never ending story...also after the heavy rain falls the blue sky is back and with the sky the view into the beautiful blossom of Sakura. Ohanami is celebrated...

Joenji Temple, Shinjuku, Tokyo

the daily morning cleaning of the temple area turns into a beautiful act...

like snow covered with cherry blossom...

...and when the wind blows softly... the cherry blossoms start dancing finding their way to the ground...

March 2019

One evening at Joenji...before the lights were switched off I was able to see a very inspiring visit of Matsuko Deluxe. When all the people had already left Matsuko Deluxe gave interview and a film team was on the spot while Matsuko Deluxe was posing for group photo with two of Joenji`s monks. Very inspiring aura enlightened the inside of Joenji temple under the cherry trees.

...here you can find more information about Matsuko Deluxe a Japanese columnist and essayist...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuko_Deluxe

Sakura every where...

for those who like to dive into the cherry blossom I have a special place to be discovered during the blossom in Tokyo.

Mount Hakone Yama and surrounding park "Toyama" gives a great opportunity to observe cherry blossom from above and within. The in Waseda located park is very close to Toyama Campus of Waseda University.

A pretty church is found at the bottom of Hakone Yama...

光寮門...

visiting the Shinto Shrine up on the mountain...above all the traffic and noise a world of silence and peace opens up...

27.3.2019

The Blooming season is just at the beginning...still quite cold and cloudy days make it a slowly start. You can enjoy here the change...

24.3.

25.3.

24.3.

25.3.

day by day the flowers are getting more and more---

People are coming in day time to enjoy their lunch break under the cherry blossom here at Joenji...or in the evening.

slowly also in the parks the cherry blossom is catching up...

At night the temple doors are open until 9 pm and who is around in Shinjuku might take a glimpse of the enlightened Sakura flowers...Every year the temple sets up special lights to make the cherry blossom enjoyable specially at night...

Day and Night Sakura blossom...

The light installation is working now and does a great effect in illuminating the cherry blossom scene.

Sakura Season ...the count down starts now...

At Joenji temple we can observe the cherry blossom day by day...update: 21st of March 2019...yesterday´s buds are already opening... with the morning sun the flowers are getting energy to blossom very quickly. Let´s observe the coming days...