1/18/2013

Shiroube News and Blog: 5 most historic temples to visit in Japan

He mentioned "Shukubo",
SAIZEN TOURS

Shiroube News and Blog: 5 most historic temples to visit in Japan : 5 most historic temples to visit in Japan In today’s fast-paced, high tech world, the lines between personal and professional ...
Shitenno-ji
Shitenno-Ji is the oldest officially administered temple in Japan.  Built in AD593 by the Prince who brought Buddhism to Japan, this temple is a favorite among the Japanese people. Prince Shotoku built this temple to celebrate his victory over the Monobe who were opposed to the Prince’s attempts to bring Buddhism to Japan. The location of the temple also meant it played a vital role in Japan’s trade. Being near to Osaka bay meant the temple was able to display’s Japan’s wealth, power and culture to the outside world.
That is just a short list of the thousands to choose from throughout Japan, but they represent some of the best the temples have to offer. However to have a true temple experience, you may want to consider going one step further: there are some temples in Japan that offer food and lodging for travelers. There are many of them throughout Japan and they offer a chance to experience a truly not only of a different culture, but of a different time. When you stay at a shukubo, you live like the monks do: you eat vegetarian food, sleep on a matt on the floor and rise early to pray. One particularly good town to visit for this type of experience is Koyasan as it has over 50 shukubo to choose from. Having so many to choose from facilitates reservations and communication. However, if you want a truly transcendental experience, you may want to find a more remote shukubo that is even farther removed from modern society. They are harder to get to, but if you are the type that likes unique and authentic experiences, it may be worth the time to really search for the perfect shukubo.
So, armed with some vacation ideas to truly remove you from the hectic, stressful, high tech lifestyle, pack your bags and take a vacation not only in space but in time. You will relax, distress and you may even find yourself reevaluating your life and your priorities. But if nothing else, it will be a truly amazing experience that will not only re-energize you, but give you a lifetime of memories.
What is "Shukubo"?
A shukubo is an accommodation facility that is part of a Japanese temple or shrine. Tranquility and the beautiful scenery of Japan, as well as abundant spiritual culture such as harmony and zen, lie within. A shukubo is an accommodation that lets you feel the culture and history of Japan, including zazen, which calms your mind, Japanese gardens, which show seasonal beauty and healthy shojin vegetarian dishes.
Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous, famous and important religious buildings in Japan. The Japanese word for a Buddhist temple is tera (寺), and the same kanji also has the pronunciation ji, so temple names often end with -ji or -dera. There is also another ending, -in (院, normally used for minor temples). Famous temples as Enryaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Kōtoku-in illustrate the naming patterns. Another understanding is that a Buddhist temple = tera (寺) means university like University of Oxford. And University of Oxford is composed of many colleges. This colleges is similar to -in (院). Actually, tera is a kind of university in ancient time.
Let's stay at Japanese temples and shrines!

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