Thursday, September 30, 2010

Kairakuen -3-

-continued from the post "Kairakuen -2-"

After I got out of "Koubuntei", there was this resting-place a few meters away. I sat there for a while, but as I'm tall the seat was a bit too small for me.

I said before you can find a shrine next to a temple. However, Kairakuen is not a temple, but I could see this shrine. The shrine maidens were busily doing their jobs .The right window is where you can buy charms called "Omamori".

I found multiple-fold Torii on the premises of this shrine. I searched for the reason why there were so many Torii, but in vain. It is where birds rest and in fact, "Tori" means "bird".

Did you see the first post of this year? I went to a nearby shrine to hang an Ema, which is the same as these wooden plates. If you write your wish on an Ema, it is believed to come true. Lots of examinees like to visit shrines in the winter to hang Emas. You know, the entrance examinations for college start in January or a bit earlier in Japan.

I bet you remember I showed the colorful Komainu with this picture. This isn't as colorful, but usually Komainu is plain-colored like this. It seems like a lion to me, but it's basically a dog, as "inu" off the "Komainu" means "dog". 

I'm planning to visit a shrine in January next year so that 2011 will be more fruitful for me =)