The giant Buddha of Tokyo

When you live within bicycling distance of the third largest bronze Buddha in Japan, you make the trip at some point to go see it.  It was supposed to rain and be super cold today, but it held off and we were able to ride over there without fear of a wet ride.  Even though I'm getting used to riding in the rain, there is a difference between running important errands and playing.  If it was raining today, I was more than ready to stay home and do puzzles with my son.  But since it wasn't, we were happy to go out and enjoy the dry day.

The temple is about a 15 minute bike ride from our home.  I got stuck with my husband's bike (very simple with no gears), while my husband rode my bike with our son (that has the electric assist).  My son has decided that I don't ride as fast as Daddy, so he always begs to let my husband ride with him whenever we are together.  He doesn't understand that Daddy has a better sense of direction, so I usually let him lead.  There are some fairly good sized hills along the route, but I still did fine on the way there without the bike battery.

After parking our bikes, we were greeted by Enmado outside the gates.  Enmado actually is a chamber (do) containing Enma (a god of hell).  In the Buddhist religion, Enma (also known as Yama) is the god who judges whether the souls of people go to heaven or hell.  I've heard that Japanese children are told that if they lie, Enma will come and cut off their tongue!  (My husband told me he heard this as a kid, too.)  I thought he was pretty intimating with his piercing eyes and open mouth.  I'd be scared of him as a kid.

Up the steps, we entered the temple to find a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere.  The grounds were very green and many flowers were blooming.  I enjoyed seeing various statues placed along the path.

One of the large stone statues of Hotei (the god of happiness and fortune) looked so inviting, I wanted to rub his belly.  I restrained myself, especially since there was a cord to prevent people from actually touching the statue. 

As soon as we reached the top, we could see the giant Buddha.  Made in 1977, it stands about 12.5 meters (41 feet) tall and weighs about 32 tons.  The Buddha's face looks so serene and relaxed, it brought a breath of fresh air and a certain tranquility to the environment.  The bronze has been meticulously cared for, and doesn't show any signs of oxidation. 

I enjoy walking around temple grounds, as I find them to be very peaceful places.  This temple didn't disappoint.  With lots to see, my son enjoyed looking at all the statues and the pond which had several koi.

As we were exiting (from a different place than we entered), we saw two large cemeteries.  They only added to the serenity of the temple.  In Japan, the deceased are cremated and placed in family tombs, a small chamber at the bottom of a stack of stones.  When people pass over, their names are added to the headstone. 

I hear the temple is very beautiful during cherry blossom season and when the fall leaves are vibrant.  I can only imagine the beauty during these times.  I'll have to make sure to go back to see the added beauty.