Page 188 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan
P. 188
EXPERIENCE MORE
3 " THE BENTO BOX
Toji Temple
A bento is a take-home meal in a compartmentalized box:
東寺 office workers buy them for lunch, schoolchildren eat
from them at their desk, and business travelers buy them
EXPERIENCE Kyoto City 691-3325 @ 42 to Toji bullet train. In its compartments there will invariably be
B5 ⌂ 1 Kujyomachi,
at stations, such as Kyoto’s, to enjoy with a beer on the
Minami-ku § (075)
a portion of rice, a main serving of meat or fish, pieces of
Higashimon-mae; 19 & 78
omelet, some vegetables, and
to Toji Minamimon-mae;
pickles. But part of the
16 to Toji Nishimon-mae
charm of the bento is that
# 8am–5pm daily (to
anything goes. You may
4:30pm winter)
Although it lacks the mossy
a small octopus or
beauty of many Kyoto temples, open a bento and find
a tiny whole fish
dusty Toji (actual name Kyo-o- gazing up at you.
gokoku-ji) impresses by the
sheer weight of its history. Its
Buddhas have been watching
over the city ever since Kukai his attendants Gakko and Kukai is remembered on the
founded the temple in 794. Nikko, are enshrined in the 21st of each month, when
The city’s religious foundations two-story Kondo (main hall). a flea market is held in the
were laid here, and echoes of First built in 796, the present temple precincts. Many shop-
bygone rituals seem to linger structure dates from 1603 pers take time out for a brief
in Toji’s hallowed halls. and is considered a master- pilgrimage to the Miei-do,
Kukai turned Toji into the piece. Rebuilt in 1644, Toji’s where they offer money and
main headquarters of Shingon magnificent five-story incense, some rubbing the
Buddhism. The sect’s rituals pagoda – at 180 ft (55 m) smoke onto whatever body
relied heavily on man dalas, the tallest wooden pagoda part is troubling them.
and in the Kodo (lec ture hall), in Japan – has become a
21 statues form a mandala, at symbol of Kyoto. Inside are
the center of which is Dainichi images of four Buddhas
Nyorai, the cosmic Buddha and their followers. 4 "
who first expounded the Northwest of the Kodo Kyoto National
eso teric teachings. About is the Miei-do or Taishi-do Museum
1,200 years old, these and (great teacher’s hall) where 京都国立博物館
other major images were Kukai lived. It houses a Secret
carved from single Buddha, a Fudo Myo-o image, D5 ⌂ 527 Chayamachi,
Higashiyama-ku @ 100,
blocks of wood. shown on rare occasions, as 206 & 208 to Hakubutsukan
Statues of Yakushi well as an image of Kukai. A Sanjusangendo-mae
Nyorai, the Buddha National Treasure, the graceful
of healing, and structure dates from 1380. # 9:30am–6pm Tue–Sun (to
8pm Fri & Sat) ∑kyohaku.
go.jp/eng/indextop.html
The city’s National Museum
was established in 1895 and is
noted for its pictorial works,
including Bud dhist and ink
paintings, textiles, and Heian-
period sculptures. Special
exhibitions are held in the
Meiji-era brick building to
the right of the entrance.
The five-story wooden
pagoda in the grounds
of Toji Temple
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