The Temple of Peonies in spring

Hase-dera Temple is located in Hase valley surrounded by the peaceful mountains in Sakurai City.  Hase valley has been a holy sanctuary sine ancient times.  

Different from the stillness of the mid-winter, the temple is bustling with people in early May when many peonies are in bloom.  They are blooming in the ground and along the climbing roofed corridors composed of 399 steps.  As you climb step by step, you'll gain peace of mind. Why 399 steps?  It is said that they avoided the number containing "four" because the number four is unlucky in Japanese as it sounds the same as "death". 

There are about 7000 peonies of 150 varieties.

 

Along the corridor, rhododendrons are blooming, too.

At the Bell Tower, the highest place of the temple, the priests tell the time of noon by blowing conch-shell horns.  This rite has been conducted from the time immemorial.

This is Hon-do,  Main Temple Hall (National Treasure).  Destroyed 9 times by fire or natural disasters, rebuilt each time, the Main Hall's last restoration was completed in 1650.  Floors are given a good shine being taken care of well.

Five-storied Pagoda

I remember how I enjoyed myself strolling around the temple last year. These photos were taken at that time. If you have a plan to visit the temple, leave your home early so that you can reach there before the gate is opened at 8:30 a.m., and you'll have quieter time for the high season.

Compare with The Temple of Peonies in winter.

I’m in a great mood today as my mother has gotten better miraculously.   She is amazingly tough, tougher than I had thought.  On the other hand, another health problem which is like a booby-trap was found during the hospitalization.  My siblings and I have thought what would be the best for the 91-year-old mother.   We’d like to take her back home so that she can lead the normal life as long as possible while the symptoms are mild. 

I closed “reader comments” this time.   Thanks for your visit and reading.  Have a nice weekend.  Have a nice Golden Week.

Yoko

The Temple of Peonies in winter

Hase-dera Temple dates back to 686.  It is located on the mountainside of Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture, an hour drive from my house in Nara City.  It is a beautiful place in all seasons: early spring with cherry trees, spring with peonies, early summer with fresh greenery and then hydrangeas, autumn with brilliant maple leaves, and winter with dusting of snow, and .....

Winter peonies! 

They are usually covered with straw-hat in order to avoid frost and snow. 

The wooden roofed corridors are composed of 399 steps which lead people to the Main Hall.  This is one of the longest corridors of this type in Japan.  The corridor was first built in 1039: today's dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1868).  There are many temple facilities alongside the staircases. 

In May, many peonies are in bloom on both sides of the corridor.

last May

 

last week

Now in the coldest period of the year, what catches people's eyes are red berries of nandina or coralberry.

a hint of yellow in winter



spring greenery

The Main Hall (National Treasure, reconstructed in 1650) is one of the largest wooden structures and has a large overhanging wooden veranda similar to the Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Kyoto).

There is a small door at the back of the Main Hall.  The hazy pinkish bare trees are cherry trees.  Do you know bare twigs of cherry trees have a tint of pink color?   Some people dye cloth with the twigs right before flowers bloom, as the pale soft pink color is contained in them.   (See here.)

 

 



 



  

Main Hall's veranda is the best spot to see the Five Storied Pagoda, which was built in 1954 at the north site of the original Three Storied Pagoda. 

The precinct was sunk into the stillness with few visitors in the very cold weekday morning in January.   
  

winter



spring

When spring comes, I'll report about peonies and how this temple looks.  There are 7000 peonies of 150 varieties. 

When snow comes down in large flakes,  we call it  "botan-yuki", or "peony-snow".  Japan is enveloped in the coldest wave in 20 years.  It is snowing hard in the northern parts and along the seacoast of the Japan Sea, but it hasn't snowed yet in my region except fluffy snowflakes blown from the blue sky so far.