Brocaded Shrine

We went to 談山神社（Tanzan-shrine) to go maple viewing. It takes about two hours from Nara city by car. As the temple locates in the mountain  people come to there by their own car. So all parking lots were filled to capacity. About 50 cars were making a long line along the road to wait for parking. I was disappointed the length of the cue and I didn't want to line. We made U-turn and descended and found a vacant somehow. But I had to go up the road on foot again.

Around 7 century, there was the center of politics near this shrine.
A football game was held at one temple. At that time, one of shoes of a prince,中大兄皇子（Nakanoooe-no-oji ) has come off and flied. A member of a powerful family,蘇我入鹿（Soga-no-iruka) scorned it. But a member of another family,中臣鎌足（Nakatomi-no-kamatari) pick it up and handed over the prince. Like this、both 中大兄皇子and 中臣鎌足 met at the game. They went behind this shrine ( this shrine wasn't built then yet. later this shrine was built for 中臣鎌足）and talked over about to assassinate 蘇我入鹿. Because 蘇我入鹿 became to have stronger power than the Emperor in the palace. After this assassination (A.D.645), a political reform took place and the politics by the Emperor started again.

I heard from one Canadian that we Canadian don't have a custom to enjoy colored leaves. Huh? I naturally admire trees aflame with red and yellow leaves. Maple trees in Japan are more beautiful than other country because of Japanese climate ,I wonder? Or it's for our DNA? According to a book,
 around 9 century, aristocrats held a banquet, enjoying colored leaves and they wrote tanka poetry about the beauty of them to compete.

Also according to legend, A goddess, 竜田姫（Tatuta-hime) had been living in Mt.Tatuta where locates at west of Nara. She administered Autumn. She was wearing autumn's plant of  brocade with vivid scarlet or golden color and dyed mountains,swinging sleeves.

　　　　Thank you for coming, Friends!
 
 I will leave here in Nara and stay in Yokohama for a while because of upcoming my daughter's child-birth.
 So I'll take a break. Have a nice day!   Until next time.