Thousands of candle lights

A classic annual event, "Cyugen-man-toro "was taken place at Kasugataisya-shrine in Nara city on the 14th and 15th in August. This shrine's origin dates back to the 8th century. All lanterns in the shrine are lit and ancestor's happiness or everyone's  happiness are prayed. Those lanterns are donation by the rich or the poor in many age. So every lantern has a family  heraldry that contributed it.

                                     Many lanterns are hanging at cloisters surround the shrine.

                             I like this pattern, wisteria. I wonder which family's heraldry is this?

             Here is dark usually. But anyone can light a candle in a lantern today.

Here in Nara Park, an annual event " Tokae"is taken  place at night  from the 5th to the 14th in August. About twenty thousand  plastic vessels with lit a candle  in make some pictures on the ground in Nara Park or even World Heritage Site. They were put on the ground, shaping something like river, heart shape etc.  Anyone can  light a candle and place a vessel, hoping  everyone's happy.

Candle lights' magnificent pattern silhouette prey.

         Candle lights waver in Forest-of-Kasuga quietly, gently,hopefully.

This is made by ice and a candle is burning in it.  This was put in front of the entrance of Himuro-Shrine. Himuro means ice house .There was not refrigerators in old days. But  ice was kept in the place like an ice house from winter to summer about 1300 years ago and offered it to the emperor.

There is a custom "the Bon Festival" in Japan from a long time ago. The spirit of our ancestors come back to our home during the Bon Festival (generally from 13th to 15th in August). So we visit the family tomb ,clean it, lay flowers or incense sticks on the family tomb .

                                           Candle light is burning in bamboo.
As the spirits of ancestors stay our home during the Bon Festival, we prepare the meals for them or make offerings, fruits, vegetables  etc at our family Buddhist altar for them.  Of course their meal is a little  syojin-ryori(Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine) in five small tableware lacquered are set on a tray with legs in our case. We also ate Syojin-Ryori during the Bon Festival generally. But recently  people have a feast with meat because for example children are on their own come back their parents' home during the Bon Holiday. Bon Holiday is a good chance to family gathering.
The family priest comes our home to sing sutra for the spirits of our ancestor.
We see the spirits off on the 15th.

World Heritage Site in Nara Park are lit up.  Kongo-rikisi-zo (This is a god guards Todaiji-temple and stands at its gate with another god)was lit up during this term,too. I've never seen well but a powerful statue. This was made with wood  about 800 years ago. It's 8.36m tall and the weight is 6.6t.

This is a hanging scroll. We hang it at an alcove at Buddhism affair in our case. Forty-four temple's vermeil seals are stamped on it.


 The unprecedented big earthquake and tunami struck in Tohoku area in Japan on 3.11. It has past  five months. But about four thousand and six hundred people are still missing .
And the tunami washed  innumerable houses. I wonder where the spirits of  ancestor  was washed their house come back to during the Bon Festival and where the spirits of missing people will wander? It's very bitter for people stayed behind the missing.  I can do nothing but pray.

                                         

While daytime in Nara Park, too hot!
This is a building of hexagon called Ukimido. This is built in Sagi-Pond.
Crepe myrtle around this pond are in full bloom now. These petals look like crepe.

His eyes and my eyes met by chance.

Oriental lily in Matuo-temple.

I

                                                                   In my garden.