Shiofune Kannon temple full of blooming flower, Azalea

Shiofune kannon temple is in Ome where is west side of Tokyo. It's countryside.

Mountains, river, and banboo woods are there.

In this season, it is holding flower festival.
This temple was built by a legend woman who was said that she ate mermaid's meat a long long time ago, like over 1000 years ago.

In Japan, there are a lot of this type of stories. She was said she was born in Wakasa, the old name of prefecture next to Kyoto, Fukui.

She had walked around Japan, so she might had be "they", shrine maidens.

She was said she could live forever, because of mermaid's meat. Old Japanese people thought it make people live forever.

Her name was Yao bikuni. Yao means 800, bikuni means sister, maiden.

Shiofune Kannon temple was  built in around 650.

It has a festival of Yamabushi. Yamabushi is a kind of monk　who do strict training in mountain.

In the festival, they walk on the fire!!!

Back to the topics if flowers, this flower's name is Tstustuji, kind of azalea.

It has many color, pink, white, purple and red.

Round shape is old Japanese garden style.

This area is not so close to station, so scenery has still old Japanese mood, like it used to be.

Among the flowers, there are small path.




On the hill, there is a big statue of standing Buddha.

This is a bell you can ring after paying 100 yen.

The sounds of bell reflect in the hill.

The entrance of temple

Don't forget about the trees of entrance.







Most of shrine have two tree which are worshiped like god. If you see old tree tied with white rope, people believe these tree are belonged by God.

In old ages, people worshiped big stone as a god. It's nature beliefs like whole human has in their instinct.

Even Flowers don't bloom, the atmosphere of temple is nice.