Temples and Shrines and Gardens #5 - The Central ones

In 1945, near the end of the second World War, Japan the country may not have much reason to thank the USA's Secretary of State Henry Stimson, but Kyoto the city sure as hell did. With the decision made to drop nuclear bombs on Japan, America's largest consideration was where they should be dropped. Kyoto was a prime target favoured by many. Hitherto it had not seen any bombing raids, and so many of Japan's large company's had relocated there. It was also home to many universities where it was thought students would be more cognizant of the significance of atomic power. But Sec. of State Mr. Stimson had actually been to Kyoto himself and argues that it was of great cultural interest, rather than of military interest. the miliary men kept putting Kyoto back on the list and Henry kept taking it off, until he finally went to President Truman and pleaded his case. 

The President agreed that bombing Kyoto would only cause bitterness by such a terrible act of cruelty, and might lead to helping the communist cause that was starting to rise in Asian countries. Cold War tensions were already beginning tightening and the last thing the President of the USA wanted was a reason for the Japanese to be unreconciled to working with the USA in post-war reconstruction in favour of the Russians. So nagasaki was chosen as the second target instead. Mind you, Nagasaki was also not a military target either. And for years, many thought that Kyoto was saved by archaeologist and art historian Langdon Warner, but this has since been discredited.

So shrines and temples by the thousands were saved, including those located right by the train station, which might have been a bomb target itself. Nishi Hongan-ji, for example, with its imrpessive architectural elements and paintings, carvings and metalwork (no photos allowed inside temples or shrines BTW). when it was established in 1591, this was HQ for Jodo Shin-shu (True Pure Land) practice, and it still is, with over 10,000 temples worldwide, and more than 12 million followers.

old trees need many props

size with human to show vast scale!

Higashi Hongan-ji's main hall is the second largest wooden structure in Japan (we will see largest one in our next installment!), about 120 feet high (38 metres) and 180 feet wide (58 metres), and 240 feet long (76 metres). Of course any girl will tell you size isn't everything....great hair is! 

And this place has on show a huge rope made of human hair. Being stronger than other fibres available in the late 19th century, female followers donated their hair so that the temple, which had been recently destroyed, could be rebuilt, using heavy duty ropes to drag enormous trees in from the hills to be used for its girth. The size of this place's beams and supports is incredible, the floor planks are about 16 inches wide, and those stair treads are skookum. Many died lugging behemoth trees in the winter snows, and then in the construction itself, and that rope of hair is a good reminder of how many people make sacrifices for things beyond what our eyes see. And we need reminders like that, otherwise all we say when we see such a thing is "ew!"

the infamous rope of hair

one of the sleds