From the cable car we had a hazy view of Kanaya and surrounding forests.
A famous look out point Jigoku-nozoki (peep into hell).
The hundred shaku Kwannon or hundred foot Kwannon (aka Kannon, Guanyin or Goddess of Mercy).
A beautiful high rock formation with vegetation growing on and beside it.
An older stair trail no longer in use. The newer cement stairs (approx 2600 steps total-and no we didn't climb them all) are much safer but not as picturesque.
One or if one looks closely one and one-half of the 1500 stone figures of arhats that are in carved out sacred areas throughout the area.
Yes, indeed, watch your head!
Another group of Arhats. Many of these were destroyed during an anti-Buddhist movement in the Meiji period. A support group of the temple is now having them repaired and restored.
The Buddha completed in 1783 took three years to carve. It was damaged by erosion in the late Edo period and remained in this condition until restoration began in 1966. It's an image of the Ruriko Bhechadjaguru Tathagata Buddha and symbolizes the universe is a "pure field confined in a lotus world" and stands for world peace. [Information from the Temple brochure]
Notice the green growth on the halo. Many of the rocks had green moss covering parts of them.
A close up of the lovely face of the Buddha.
Comparison of three Buddhas - from left to right- Nokogiri-yama, Nara and Kamakura. The Buddha at Kamakura is probably the most famous Japanese Buddha.
Picture map of Nokogiri-Yama. We started at the ropeway in the upper left corner and walked downhill to the Buddha in the almost lower right corner. The map does not really show how steep the uphill and downhill steps are.
A view as we made our way back up to the ropeway. A great outing for an afternoon.
What happened to my dog? Is this his ghost or just a weird double exposure.
We called this the Ju-on house as it reminded us of the 2003 Japanese horror/ghost movie JU-ON: THE GRUDGE. The light was on all day and night.
And during the last year and a half we haven't seen anyone entering or leaving the house.
When I first saw the photo I thought a man was leaping from the roof. I quickly realized it was a bronze sculpture as the photo was taken in the courtyard of the Asakura Choso Sculpture Museum in Yanaka, Tokyo. The Museum was the home and studio of famed sculptor Asakura Fumio (1883-1964). The photo was taken with a Holga and the dark effect created by processing Ektachrome film as print film-called cross processing.
The designs on the concrete walls, houses and apartment buildings add to the look and feel of the neighborhood.
A bit of color. A yellow van with a gorilla advertising curry or a yellow gorilla curry van??
Another house in Okubo. The greenery was a treat on this street.
An apartment building is being constructed which towers over this area of Okubo. However it was a good landmark when I ventured into the maze like streets and didn't know quite where I was.
