Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Incense Burner
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A giant bronze
incense burner
(left)
stands in
front of the main
hall. The faithful
burn pink sticks of
incense, wafting
the smoke over their
clothes for good luck.
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Senso-ji Main Hall
Senso-ji has a lavish interior, the centerpiece of
which is a richly decorated gold and lacquer altar.
Walls have votive paintings and the ceiling has a color-
ful dragon motif surrounded by angels and lotuses.
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Giant Straw
Sandals
Two large straw sandals
(below)
hang on the walls
of the Hozomon Treasury
Gate. Made for deities
with feet of mythic size,
the sandals symbolize
the traditional footwear
of the Buddhist pilgrim.
Mystery of the
Golden Kannon
On March 18, 628, two
fishermen brothers
found a golden statue of
the goddess Kannon in
their nets. The 2-inch
(5-cm) image is today
enshrined in Senso-ji.
At the moment of
discovery, according to
legend, a golden dragon
danced from heaven to
earth. A Golden Dragon
Dance is held in the
temple grounds every
spring and fall to mark
the occasion.
*
Denbo-in Garden
(
Benten Mound
This tranquil garden
was designed in the early
1600s by the Zen
gardener Kobori Enshu.
Tea ceremonies are
performed in a small
pavilion beside the pond.
Dedicated to Benten,
goddess of beauty and
the arts, a red shrine sits
atop a hill built over an
ancient burial mound. A
bell rings for the opening
of the temple grounds.
Nakamise
The main
avenue to the city's
holiest sanctuary is
crammed with more
than 150 stalls and
booths
(right)
,
selling a wide range
of traditional goods
and souvenirs.
)
11
Request a pass from the booth next to the five-story pagoda
for admittance to Denbo-in Garden.
