Sunset Glow: Yuigahama-beach

The evening sun is slowly setting beyond the distant silhouette of Izu Peninsula. The bright blaze of the sun is spreading and leaping up through the rifts in the dark overlapping clouds, coloring the winter sky and sea with the subtle shades of crimson.

Thanks to the ever-shifting clouds and the chilly dry air brought by the north wind, the evening glow of winter can present this flaming seascape which keeps changing every moment before my eyes.

Soon the dazzling sunset fades away like a burning-out illusion and the night falls on the seashore quietly.

Sunset Glow: Yuigahama-beach

The oblique rays of the setting sun are radiantly breaking through the thick clouds and are softly illuminating the smooth sea with the golden color of the sun.

The sounds of the rippling waves and the onshore winds are completely surrounding me to tell about the hidden heartbeat of the calm winter sea.

Sunset Glow: Yuigahama-beach

The dense low clouds are lit up subtly by the scarlet evening glow. The gentle waves on the sea are dimly reflecting the glorious but transient light of the sun above the horizon.

People standing on the seashore are silently gazing toward the sea until the afterglow of the sun disappears from view completely.

Sunset Glow: Yuigahama-beach

Seascape: Yuigahama-beach

the Sea of Late Afternoon: Yuigahama_beach

Setting Sun: Yuigahama-beach

Fallen leaves: Engaku-ji (Oubai-in)

Fallen leaves: Engaku-ji (Oubai-in)

Fallen leaves: Engaku-ji

Remaining autumn: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn is deepening with hurried steps and the leaves of the trees are turning yellow and red gradually in preparation for the arrival of harsh winter.

By the side of the Sangedatsu-mon (three gates of deliverance), the vermilion-colored leaves are glistening brightly in the transparent sun of the early afternoon like the golden clouds having come down from the canopy of heaven.

Before putting on beautiful autumnal tints, many leaves have already been lost because of the severe typhoons in this summer. Even so, just as if nothing had happened, the ablazing colors of the remained leaves emerge robustly and let me feel the swift and unchangeable passage of the seasons.

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Soon the cold wind from the north blows out all of these flaming colors. As always, without any attachment for existence, the beautifully colored leaves fall down one by one and quickly break down into dark dust.

Before the chilly stillness of winter settles down in this garden, the pleasant autumnal colors fade away wholly like the evening glow disappearing beyond the distant horizon.

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

The silver moon is shining above in the clear azure sky and is gently looking over the fleet passing of autumn.

The leaves of ginkgo have turned golden yellow and are silently waiting for the time to fall one after another.

Autumn leaves: Chojyu-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Chojyu-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Autumn leaves: Engaku-ji

Statue of Birushana butsu (Vairocana) : Engaku-ji (Butsuden)

In the Buddha hall filled with deep tranquility, Birushana Buddha is sitting and shining still on a lotus pedestal with a gracious look of wisdom in the pale light calmly streaming in through the windows.

According to Avatamsaka Sutra (the Flower Garland Sutra), Birushana Buddha (Vairocana or the shining one) originates from the sun god and is regarded as the central deity of the universe.

Birushana Buddha mercifully lightens up all things in the universe with his light of supreme wisdom and compassion. This universe is called "Rengezo Sekai", which means the paradise created by billions of Buddhas sitting on lotus flowers.

Statue of Jizo-bosatsu: Kencho-ji (Butsuden)

Jizo Bosatsu is one embodiment of Kannon Bosatsu (Kannon Bodhisattva) who devotes himself to relieve all living things in this world of suffering.

He has a youthful monk-like figure holding Shakujo (priest's staff) in his right hand and Hoju (sacred gem) in his left hand.

He travels everywhere on foot with his staff to find agonizing people in the land of the living and compassionately relieves them by presenting his great wisdom (sacred gem). Furthermore, he goes into hell to rescue all lost souls from the flames of hell.

Statue of Shokannon: Engaku-ji (Oubai-in)

Buddha descends from his pure land to our earthly realm to save all living things universally. He transforms himself into various figures of "Kannon Bosatsu" to pityingly fulfill the diverse wishes of the distressed.

"Kannon" means the deity of mercy who can see through all things in this universe and "Bosatsu" means an avatar of Buddha who devotes himself to spiritually relieve all living creatures from this world of agony.

Shokannon Bosatsu is the most fundamental shape of Kannon Bosatsu and has a modest human-like figure. He wears the jeweled crown in which a small avatar of Amitabha is enshrined and he has a sacred lotus flower in his left hand as the symbol of his divine wisdom and mercy.

Statue of Shaka-nyorai: Tokei-ji

"Buddha is waiting on the other shore; that is, His world of Enlightenment, wherein there is no greed, no anger, no ignorance, no suffering, no agony, but where there are only the light of wisdom and the rain of compassion."


(Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai. "The Relief Offered by Buddha." Japanese-English, The Teaching of Buddha. 1272nd edition (2009). pp. 468. Tokyo: Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai.)

Higan-bana (Lycoris radiata) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Hagi (Lespedeza) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Jyugatsu-sakura (Prunus × subhirtella cv. Autumnalis) flowers: Tokei-ji

Nira (Allium tuberosum) flowers: Kita-kamakura

Satokimadarahikage (Neope goschkevitschii) butterfly: Kita-kamakura

Fuyo (Hibiscus mutabilis) and Sion (Aster tataricus) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kamakura Great Buddha: Kotoku-in temple, Hase

As a seasonal event for adorning the end of summer, the colossal bronze statue of Buddha is lit up at night during the final week of August.

Being illuminated by the golden light, the Great Buddha is shining gloriously in the evening darkness, which makes me see the vision of its solemn gilded figure in far distant past. A lot of lamps which symbolize lotus flowers and sacred lights are twinkling gently on the approach to the Buddha.

The sea breeze from the nearby beach is surrounding me. In the calm voice of this warm breeze, I hear the silent prayers whispered by an untold number of past people for salvation.

(Please refer to the link destination, "the Great Buddha and Kotoku-in.")

Kamakura Great Buddha: Kotoku-in temple, Hase

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is the seated image of Amitabha Buddha. In Buddhism, Amitabha or Amida Nyorai is the supreme deity who has infinite light of wisdom and measureless life to save all people from spiritual darkness and suffering in this transient world.

He is present in the Pure Land in the West and descends from there to greet the souls of the dead and lead them to his pure land.

The worshipers of the Pure Land sect of Buddhism have believed that they can certainly cross over into the Western Paradise after death by continuing to chant "Namu-amidabutu" ("I sincerely believe in Amitabha Buddha") wholeheartedly in this harsh earthly world.

Sacred lotus flower: Kencho-ji

According to the Flower Garland Sutra of Buddhism, countless lotus flowers adorn and envelop the pure land where Rushanabutsu (the central deity shining on the whole universe) is sitting. The infinite light of wisdom emitted by this shining one illuminates living things all over the universe to lead them to spiritual enlightenment.

The bright sunlight of the midday sun is making this flower shine radiantly as if a small shining deity inside this flower were emitting the limitless light of wisdom and truth to the world.

Kamakura Great Buddha: Kotoku-in temple, Hase

Fuyo (Hibiscus mutabilis) flowers: Eisho-ji

Tsumaguro-Hyoumon (Argyreus hyperbius) butterfly (female): Kita-kamakura

Kanoko-yuri (Lilium speciosum) flowers: Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

Cast‐off shell of a cicada: Engaku-ji

Sacred lotus flowers: Kaizo-ji

Stone images of Kannon Bosatsu; Engaku-ji

Summer clouds: Yuigahama-beach

Sacred lotus flower: Kencho-ji

During the brief period of only four days, the flower of sacred lotus opens quietly, comes into full bloom splendidly, and then falls apart in just one breath of air.

In the bright glaring sunlight of midsummer, I found a lotus flower which had already finished its role in life and passed its best time of bloom.

Its golden stamens were drooping gracefully around the pollinated receptacle. The bright magenta petals had begun bending gradually, waiting for the time to be scattered in the summer gentle breeze without losing their dignity.

Blue heron: Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

On the wooden floating bridge lying on the pond, a blue heron is standing still, gazing fixedly at the water surface in search of prey.

The thick green leaves of sacred lotus are flourishing vigorously and covering the water surface almost thoroughly.

Just like the ardent voice emitted by the dazzling sun of high summer, the lively chirping of cicadas is continuing to sound over the pond endlessly.

Summer blue sky: Tsurugaoka-hachimanbu

Summer rainy season had already passed by without a trace. The countless colorful flowers of Ajisai had vanished completely like a fleeting illusion which the rainy sky had let me see.

Now the intense sunlight of midsummer is blazing on oppressively to erase the faintest memories of long rain from the summer sky.

Lush green trees and plants are thirstily absorbing strong sunlight to continue their robust growth with rapture. The rows of solid-white cirrocumulus clouds are firmly suspended in the true blue sky high above me.

Sacred lotus flower: Kencho-ji

By the side of the Karamon (Chinese gate) of this old Zen temple, a white silky lotus flower is blooming in a modest and noble manner in the beaming sun of high summer.

A flower of sacred lotus patiently comes up to the surface of muddy water and opens in an untainted and pure figure in the rising sun.

Because of this, in the teachings of Buddha, a lotus flower is regarded as a blessed symbol of the infinite wisdom and compassion which Buddha gives us.

Lily flowers: Engaku-ji

Stone image of Kannon Bosatsu: Engaku-ji