Daitokuji

 This is a place to hang written wishes in the hope that they will become reality. Actually in Buddhism this sort of thing is not possible in the strictest sense, but many people believe anyway.

 This shows a detail of how traditional buildings are made in Japan. There are no nails. Here a slot was cut in the upright and a horizontal piece was slid into it, spanning the space between uprights. Then rather than nailing the horizontal piece in place a wedge is pounded into the slot, holding everything together. In an earthquake this type of construction allows a huge amount of movement of the individual pieces, while maintaining the integrity of the whole structure.

 As I was leaving I saw a newer building behind one of the others. This building is quite large and seemed to be in use at the moment. Also there was a bicycle parked by the building on the left. Then three people came from behind the building.

 The walked around to the front of this building, climbed the stairs, and after unlocking the door entered. At this point I did not have my camera in my hand and by the time I got it ready they were inside.

 Temples and shrines always have a large sign, usually stone, announcing their name and sect affiliation. This temple is, as I have said, Daitokuji of the Shingon Sect. A little ways down the hill on the same road I had arrived on, I saw a parking lot full of cars. I now knew that this lot was directly behind the new building in the third picture above so I assumed that these cars belonged to the people in the building.

Back at the Shinkansen tracks I decided to see where this road went. I crossed at the lights and found this, an auto repair shop specializing in 4x4s.