The next and last stop of our Kyoto Temple Shrine Hopping itinerary are Adashino Nenbutsuji (ä»é‡Žå¿µä»å¯º). It’s a long walk from Sagano Bamboo Grove to Adashino Nenbutsuji – it took us more than 30mins to reach the temple tucked around the northwest outskirts. The path leads us through the quiet Sagano neighbourhood, which is a rather nice change away from the crowd.
Nison-in, one of the temples we come across…but did not enter.
We did try the mochi from this particular shop along the way. The friendly owner even posed for the shot…nice and funny fellow.
And finally!!
About Adashino Nenbutsuji
For centuries, bodies of the nameless dead were often disposed of in the open around Adashino hill. Soon after, burial with gravestones replaced the age-old method of exposing bodies to the elements. But very few commoners can afford a proper gravestone during those days, unnamed gravestones scattered around simply signify another nameless dead.
One highly respected priest came along, did proper burial rituals and prayed for the dead, for the souls to rest in peace. Then thousands more stones were found under the bamboo forest around 100 years ago.
The huge numbers of stone statues now protected by Buddha’s benevolence, said to be over 8,000 of them, were placed in memory of the dead who were left here.
Bamboo Grove of Adashino Nenbutsuji
The bamboo grove here is in a smaller scale compared to the one next to Tenryuji but still equally charming.
For the return trip, we board the local bus from a nearby bus stop back to Randen Arashiyama Station instead of walking.
And from the station, we make our way to the nearby Togetsukyo Bridge (渡月橋), one of the landmarks in Arashiyama.
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