Maya Mountain and Maya-san Tenjoji Temple
This entry is continuation of From HAT Kobe to Maya Mountain (and behind) so I start from where I stopped – the Maya view line Yume-Sanpo .
Just a short note for the view line – there are several more rope lines in Kobe (shin-Kobe rope line and Rokko cable car) but if you want to see the best view of Kobe and Osaka Bay just choose Maya Yume-Sanpo – this is the one! Also the rope line works during weekends until 20:50 so the view during the night must be fantastic.
First two movies from the cable car (I must warn you – it is really very steep but I am sure they have excellent security and maintenance):
On this one you can see the cable car:
And here comes the real beauty – Maya mountain – autumn colors. The first picture is from the real rope line – just before the jump in the abyss:
And the movie (I took it through the glass of the window but I think you still can see the beauty of the Maya mountain autumn colors):
Here are and the real autumn colors of the maple trees (momiji). All the pictures were taken on the road from Maja Yume Sanpo station toward Maya-san Tenjoji Temple (around 5-10 min):
Maya-san Tenjoji Temple
One of my favorite temples. I would like to start with some information from the booklet which I received upon buying some of the temples charms.
“The temple is founded by Hodo Senin, an indian priest, in the year 646. The main object of worship, a statuette of the Eleven-headed Kannon in pure gold, is said to have been made by the Gautama Buddha, Sakyamuni, himself and dedicated to his mother, Maya-Bunin. The Eleven Headed Kannon became the guardian deity of the people leaving along Osaka Bay and in the area surrounding this temple. In addition, it is thought to be a guardian deity of the sea, extending its protection from the summit of Mount Maya to the Osaka Bay spread out below. It has long been customary for ships passing in the lee of the mountains to lower their sails while the people on board pray for safety on the seas.
In the 9th century, the great Buddhist scholar Kobo-Daishi (also known as “Kukai”) went to study in China. He brought back to Japan an image of Maya-Bunin, who was worshiped in China as a guardian deity of women, and enshrined the image at this temple. She is worshipped as being able to save women from serious illness and suffering and is particularly famous throughout Japan as a deity of childbirth. For this reason, Tenjoji has often been described as women’s temple. It was the first temple in Japan to offer sashes that promised safe childbirth to the wearer.”
The booklet was going on with many more historical details but may be I will describe them some other time or (even better) when I create a dedicated page to the temple (it deserves it).
Here are the photos:
The big ojiisan (grandfother):
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The small ojiisans (each one is no more then 10 centimeters high)
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The interior of the main temple:
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And all of the rest of the photos:
3 Comments on Maya Mountain and Maya-san Tenjoji Temple
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Wow! Koyo is my favorite time during the Japanese year. The leaves are always so beautiful.
Thanks for sharing those lovely pictures!
Hello Joshua,
Koyo is also my favorite time (I like it more even than Sakura).
I visited your blog also. Great photos. I definitely must create something like your apple albums (I have tones of photos from the last 4 years).
Cheers
PS. In one of the next weekends I will visit minoh. I heard Koyo there is unbelievable.
Thanks for the informative information – I enjoyed reading it! I always enjoy this blog. :) Cheers, live birth video