CycleKyoto HP LInk

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Horinji Temple Daruma Temple

Ceiling Painting at Daruma Temple法輪寺だるま寺

A short ride from Enmachi Station, in west Kyoto, is Horinji Temple.

It is more commonly known as "Daruma Temple" because of the 8,000 - so they say - daruma dolls in and around the temple.

Daruma dolls are round, playful looking figures that are modeled after the founder of zen Buddhism.

In Japan, though, they are also used as symbols of luck and perserverance. Often they come with the eyes blank. When one has achieved something - winning a political election, opening a restaurant - the eye is painted in.

The painting at right is actually on the ceiling of one of the sub-temples.

A different view of the same sub-temple can be seen below left. This temple houses a large number and quite a variety of the daruma.

This temple can be seen on the "Gothic Quarter" ride.

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