As we neared the temple, we left a built up area and began following the unpaved roads between some rice paddies. We found the temple, Shuroku Sai (shu = excellence or beauty, roku = foot of the mountain, and sai = room for study) at the base of a hill. In the picture the temple proper consists of the dark roofed buildings on the left. The buildings on the right with the lighter colored roofs are living quarters for the priest, his family, and any one else associated with the temple. Between the temple and the woods there is a large cemetary. Japanese cemetaries usually contain only grave stones and possibly boxes of ashes, but no bodies because people here are cremated.

We were amazed as we approached the temple itself. The stairs leading up to the main building were polished marble and the whole place just reeked of wealth, in great contrast to the Kumano Shrines which give off an aura of antiquity.

Inside this building there was a sound system playing music - some kind of cross between Buddhist chanting and popular music. I found it quite pleasing and could have easily meditated to it.



On the left side of the building, not quite visible in the above picture, there was this beautiful grotto. I would have like to sit and study it for a hour or so, but there was no place to sit. Maybe the music made it even more impressive than it actually was, but I truly liked it. The statues of the Buddhas and Bhodisatvas were both old and new, giving the place a timelessness that was entirely fitting.