'Sange' (散華) is a ritual offering of flowers. Early each morning at Hōnen-in 25 flowers (commonly camellia) are dedicated to a statue of Amida carved by Genshin (源信 942-1017).
The flowers represent the 25 bodhisattva who help Amida take the souls of the dead to paradise.

#Honenin #PhilosophersPath

Nishida Kitarō's (西田幾多郎 1870-1945) famous poem is immortalized in stone on the path. It is an angry retort to blind nationalism.

people are people,
and I will be myself.
regardless,
the path I follow
I will follow on…
人は人吾はわれ也とにかくに吾行く道を吾は行くなり

#Japan #Kyoto #PhilosophersPath #poetry

Towards the middle of April parts of the canal beside the Philosopher's Path (哲学の道) become a river of petals.
The phrases 'hana-no-ukibashi' (花の浮橋 'floating bridge of flowers') and 'hanaikada' (花筏 'flower raft') both describe water thick with petals.

#哲学の道 #京都 #Kyoto #PhilosophersPath

In Buddhism the equinox is known as 'Higan' (彼岸).

Higan translates as 'Other Shore', a reference to the far shore of the 'Sanzu-no-kawa' (三途の川 'River of the 3 Crossings'). Similar to the River Styx in Greek Mythology, the dead would cross the river to reach the afterlife.

#PhilosophersPath #sakura

'Ao-onigiri' (青おにぎり) is a stone's throw from the Philosopher's Path.
The small store was quite recently brought to the attention of a global audience thanks to the hit Netflix show "Waffles + Mochi!", which explores food from around the world.

#Kyoto #Japan #Aoonigiri #青おにぎり #京都 #onigiri #おにぎり #PhilosophersPath