Shrine for ghosts

Actually I took this picture last winter but the shrine is still there so I have posted it (not again, I hope). This shrine is located on the main route from my area into downtown Sendai. I frequently walk by it either going to or coming from town. This was the approximate location of an execution and torture ground. There is a small river nearby to wash away the blood and bodies. The shrine itself is dedicated to the people who died here, but as far as I can tell they only have one activity - a once a year, one day festival. The big tree is a cherry but for some reason they cut all the branches off it during the summer. It is now about the same height as the top of the roof of the shrine. Very appropriately the building on the left is a funeral parlor and, although it is not in the picture, very unappropriately the building on the right is a Chinese restaurant aimed at young people. The people who live in this area claim that they frequently see ghosts of the dead. Many times I have walked past late at night but have yet to see a ghost.

This spot that was originally way out of town but as Sendai got bigger the outskirts crept closer and closer. Also the main road to the north passed very close to here. In the end they moved the facility to a spot about a kilometer from our apartment. It was at the base of a high hill and is now completely developed so they will never find the actual site (if anyone was interested).

Ian's photos 35 - the end

The view from the platform inside the tower with the hat was quite nice. Our hotel is the large building on the right - the one the sticks up into the background trees a little.
This spectacular tree was growing in one of the court yards. Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines almost always have many trees, bushes and flowers. Also they take great care of them, trimming and shaping them in artistic ways.
This open-sided L shaped building contained nothing but statues. Apparently the free standing ones on the right represent famous Buddhists. The next picture shows details of the ones on the left, the ones that are in the shade in this picture.
Buddhist, bodhisattvas, and other famous Buddhist characters are often depicted in bas-relief like this. However, they are usually found outdoors, rather then collected under a roof.
At this point the battery in Ian's camera gave up. Throughout the remainder of the pilgrimage, we searched for a replacement battery or a charger but to no avail.

This is the end of the material that I have on our Henro Pilgrimage. Ian and I are thinking about doing a 33 temple pilgrimage in this area. The temples are in three prefectures, Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate, but it will not be a continuous walking trek. We will take trains, cars, and buses to get close to the temples and then walk the last bit. In some case the round trip from the station to the temple and back will be 20 kilometers, in others just one or two. This pilgrimage is not as organized as the Henro and there are not lodges in critical places catering to pilgrims. Ian has just changed jobs so I am not sure when we will start but when we do I will post pictures and comments here. In the meantime I will start carrying a camera with me as I move around Sendai and try to post pictures and comments three or four times a week. If you are interested, you might check in once a week or so.

Ian's photos 34

This picture shows the details of the decoration on the eaves of the gatehouse.
This temple was very visitor friendly. Just inside the main gate there was a large map that showed all the buildings with their names, as well as the pathways around the grounds.
Stairways in Japan are usually very steep with narrow stairs. The stairs up to the strange building near the top were no exception. This picture is looking back down a flight from under the tall, red building with a roof that looks like a hat.
Me, looking at the altar in one of the small meditation halls. In the background you can see the earthworks that keep the hillside from sliding down into the temple grounds.
The tall red building from an unusual perspective.

Ian's photos 33

After spending hours in a coffee shop (having lunch as well as coffee), we walk over to the next temple. It was up on the side of a hill. As we approached we could see a structure on the hill, which we later discovered was simply a gate in the middle of a flight of stairs.
The gate allowing entrance to the grounds was on a main road and we had to wait for a very long traffic light to change.
Often the approaches to large temples (and Shinto shrines, for that matter) will be lined with shops sell food and souvenirs. The food shops were all closed. It looked like they were only open on weekends at this time of year. This was taken from the sidewalk after we had crossed the road. You can see the gate in the foreground and the strange structure on the hill in the upper right. In between the roofs of the various temple buildings are visible.
We saw many of these giant straw sandals during our pilgrimage. This one was very impressive and in very good repair.