Kyoto's most popular tourist attraction,Seikanji Temple (Seikanji Temple) is located about 600 meters southwest of Kiyomizu Temple on foot.There is a It is a branch temple of Chishakuin Temple of the Shingi Shingon sect,Ancient temple that tells the story of the tragic love episode between Emperor Takakura and Shogyochikyoku in "The Tale of the Heike".It is.

Seikanji temple

In the beautiful moss gardenKanameishi.The stone is called "the stone of the city of Kyoto". Looking down from there, you can see the whole city of Kyoto as if a fan were spread out, and theWhen you make a wish on a keystone, it comes trueThat's what it means.

View from the precincts of Seikanji Temple

In the Edo period (1603-1867), the area around this temple was crowded with travelers coming and going from the Otsu area and lined with tea stores. Even in recent years, when the number of tourists visiting Kyoto has increased rapidly, the temple does not seem to attract many visitors, perhaps because it is located further away from Kiyomizu-dera Temple.The quietness of the temple grounds is rather elegant.

There is a small path that connects Seikan-ji Temple and Kiyomizu-dera Temple along the mountain's edge. Today, it is a narrow, short, and dimly lit path, but it has been used for a long time.Known as "Uta no Nakayama," it is one of the most famous historic sites known to those who know it.It is. And on this little old road,The following anecdote is the origin of the name of the pathwas there.

Once upon a time, at dusk, a monk named Shin-en was strolling out of a temple gate when he met a beautiful woman. Immediately captivated by the woman, Shin-Yan felt the urge to call out to her. However, he could not think of the right words. He could only ask, "How can I get to Kiyomizu-dera Temple? The woman stopped and looked at Mayen intently,

How can you know the path of sincerity when your heart is so far from it?

He returned with a poem. Mayen's heart was suddenly caught and she looked down for a moment. When he looked up, the woman had vanished.

The meaning of the song is: "You seem to aspire to the path of the Buddha, but as far as I can see, you have been caught up in vexations. If you are deceived by such things, how can you realize the Way of Buddha?

Shin'en was so ashamed of the woman who saw through his doubts that she must have been an incarnation of Buddha, and that she had taught him that his training was not yet sufficient, that he spent his days reading the sutras in shame.

The anecdote led to the name "Utano-no-Nakayama" (meaning "middle mountain of poetry"), and it seems that many poets have composed poems about the path since then. The name gradually became well-known to the public through its appearance in the noh songs "Yutsu" and "Tamura.

At dusk, after visiting Seikanji Temple, I walked toward Kiyomizu-dera Temple like Mayan.

Ancient road connecting Seikanji Temple and Kiyomizu Temple, called "Utano-no-Nakayama

Although the view is ineffective because it is sandwiched between the mountain surface and dense trees,Small paths that convey the atmosphere of Kyoto's ancient roadsIt was the first time I had ever been to the temple. On the side of the path, where only the sound of rustling leaves could be heard, stood a stone monument inscribed with the words "Seikan-ji Temple, in the middle of a song mountain.

Stone Pillar at Uta no Nakayama

Suddenly, I saw a woman walking toward Kiyomizu-dera Temple. She had long hair in a sobajou, which is rare nowadays, and the hem of her flared skirt swayed as she walked. She did not look like a hiker in terms of her clothes and atmosphere.

Where are you going at this hour?

The moment we passed each other, the episode of Mayen suddenly flashed through my mind. ......

Kiyomizu Temple in Autumn