Much nicer today…

Some warm gloves and a sweater sure make a difference. Whew! Also, the sun came out!!

Was going to go to the Japan Folk Museum, but they’re closed for a bit so I just took a walking tour of the area temples. 

Went back to the hotel for lunch, did laundry, sent some mail, and was back out for more culture until sundown.

Dinner was chicken and vegetables.

Here’s todays pictures…

The gift shop was still open, so I found some hand-made paper products.
This is the Billikin shrine, just one block from my hotel. This is a good-luck god, I guess, because it’s in a neighborhood of gambling places
Now I wasn’t stalking that guy or anything, but I watched him walk right into the pachinko parlor next door
Imamaya Ebisu shrine. This place was immaculate. I want to hire the janitor.
The plaques you can buy rotate throughout the year. Since the new year is coming, most of the animal ones are of the Chinese zodiac
Very quiet, no monks or employees visible
The lions guarding the temple here weren’t close to the gate at all. Must be a different brand of Buddhism.
So I thought I was done with shrines in the block….
This shrine, directly across the street, is the Hirota shrine
This pretty lady is called Ruby, and she wouldn’t let me pet her 😣
The shrines with a lot of orange often feature foxes as well; a characteristic of shrines that honor Inari

You can sponsor a shrine by buying a lantern post, a banner, plaques, etc
If you’re really loaded, you buy a torii
Onto the next one, called Nanba Yasaka. This is very popular at night bc it’s close to a tourist area

A little overexposed, you can still see the laundry cart full of children. Lol
Most of these tiny shrines, the gods never even get out of bed
No joke, this is the main hall. Awesome!!

Also, there was a frog
Just one more
On the way for lunch, I was trapped here. It’s a dollar store. sooooooo amazing 
My life is now complete, I have these tissues. They cost just one dollar
Katie T. Here’s a cat picture. He hated* me
Tennoji park

Lunch and errands done, we found an epic battlefield

Erm, you’ll have to imagine the epic-ness
This next place was fantastic. IsshinJi. Here’s where the epic is. I have never seen gate gods like this 
Here is a delightful cemetery
Big koi
The front door
Really delightful cemetery
Bell Tower

I lit some inscense at this one for all who struggle with addiction. If that’s you, I prayed for you today
Spoons for some reason
This isn’t even the main attraction

Now to show you something truly amazing…

Sorry, potato quality photos were stolen off the internet
Here’s another one…anyway these statutes are made from the remains of 200,000 people. Families will bring the cremated remains of their loved ones. The monks knead the cremains into clay and make a statue!!

That is amazing !!

Man that was crazy. Here’s some flowers to calm us down.

Okay, next is ShomanIn temple. It’s not nearly as interesting as the last place 
I don’t think that this is part of the temple, somebody just put it there
I’m gonna go with, a god that protects children?
Spaces are still available!!
This one’s pretty old. Not too common. Most have burned up
The next place shall remain nameless, bc i can’t figure it out

Nvr mind, it’s the Oe shrine

Lots of tiger stuff here

Its looking like people pray for their sports team here. Hope it’s working!
Katie T, this cat also not-so-secretly despised me
This time I really really cant figure it out. No clues were given me, and since my Japanese is no bueno…?
These fellow were dressed pretty well, so this shrine must have just had it’s festival. That’s when gods get new clothes
I may be wrong, but it looks like the cemetery piled all the old markers and started again. Would that happen?
The cemetery has supplies for cleaning graves handy. That’s useful!
Okay last nameless cemetery. When I walked in the guy looked dissatisfied with how alive I was
Hmmm…Tibetan prayer wheels. That’s a new one
Last one. Ikukunitama temple. Big and important. I was lucky enough to watch a ceremony. As nobody chased me off, I quietly enjoyed it. Some chanting, flute playing, dancing with bells happened. Neat
The sakura flower emblem is the sect of Buddhism that this temple is? I assume

Lots of shrines here in this large garden. Shinto, Inari, etc
Inari shrine
Another view of the garden. I stole this one

Just so you know, I only went to every 4th temple on the route….there’s that many in this neighborhood of Osaka.

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