Grounds of Senso-Ji, shrine of Kume no Heinai-do

Kume no Heinai was a 17th Century samurai kenjutsu (sword) master. Legend has it he was appalled at the number of lives he had taken, so joined the Senso-Ji temple. Shortly before he died, he instructed his followers to build a stone image of himself which was to be buried and thereafter trodden upon by the people who walked past, to continue his atonement during his afterlife.

Tokyo

November 27th 2008
Politeness and the culture clash I've been a sucker for all things Japanese since I was at school. The TV broadcast James Clavell's Shogun and Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha in rapid succession and I was rather taken with the place. So I am a little disappointed in myself that it took so long to come here. I think I know why this is though. To a large extent, writing a ... read more

Asia » Japan » Tokyo

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more

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