falling words: Museums and shrines (and bookstores)

As the approaching typhoon Lan ruined tomorrow's Jidai matsuri, there was some talk to go to see the Heian shrine (the end location of the festival's parade) today. Last I checked the weather forecast, it was supposed to still be nice weather today. Woke up, looked out of the window, and it was pouring. >_> I decided not to let some water bother me and went anyway. Not going to let that *censored* typhoon to destroy all plans, you know. After a quick search of the museums near the shrine I also found Hosomi museum, which specializes in old Japanese art - had a feeling a museum visit might be a good option for a rainy day.

So I took the bus to the district and, as it's Saturday and there's no way I'd get myself out early in the morning, I started by having lunch in a nice soba place I happened to pass. Though first things first: before that I checked out the Tsutaya bookstore that as well happened to be on the way. For once didn't by anything, though I did keep eyeing Sōseki's I am a Cat. I liked the atmosphere of this bookstore. I think it seemed bigger to me than it really was, because of the layout of different rooms. There's also a Starbucks connected to it.

Ok, then I went to eat, and then to the museum. The current exhibition at the Hosomi museum is about mappō, the last age of Buddhism (lit. "the end of law") during which the law of Buddha degenerates. The museum had translated it as apocalypse, but I don't think that's quite the right word for it... though I'm hardly any expert in this matter. And because I'm no expert, and also not quite able to read the Japanese only explanations, I didn't quite realize what all the art they had there had to do with mappō. This didn't matter much, though; I enjoyed the exhibition greatly. So many beautiful things - and old ones. The oldest were from Asuka period, I think, but there was quite a lot from Heian period too.

My favorites were Maruyama Okyo's painting 'Sudden rain over a village' (18th century), and a sutra roll from Kamakura period (1266, to be exact), with chapter 2 of the Lotus sutra. Especially the latter, it was so beautiful. I just stood there and stared at it and wondered how could get it. xD I could have the painting on my wall, too. So lovely, and the haziness of the rain was just masterfully done.

I tried to google for photos (you couldn't, of course, take any there) but didn't yet find either. Maybe I need to go there and buy that book with pics of all exhibition objects. Here's a different picture by Maruyama instead:

After the museum I left for the shrine. Despite the weather, I wasn't the only one there, but there surely were no crowds either. Walked around a bit, decided to leave the garden for a sunnier day. There was some kind of a ceremony going on in the inner sanctuary, I've no idea what it was about. There was a dozen people sitting, in perfectly ordinary modern clothes. I don't know, can you have some private ceremonies at the shrine? maybe it was something like that. I'd have loved to take some pics of the kannushi and miko present, but again, you were not allowed to take photos in that area.

But anywhere where you could take photos, I sure did. Here we go:

Here I was coming to the no-photos area. In the background, on the left, you see that white and pale blue spot. That's where the ceremony was happening. (This is a small part of bigger, not very sharp pic. Here mainly for the cutest ever little girl. <3)