Kurodani Dera
As with other posts I’m putting up in a hurry while here in Japan, I’ll later do an entire gallery and more fulsome write-up on Kurodani Dera, one of Kyoto’s lesser-known temples (at least to non-Kyotoites). Kurodani was founded in 1175, but was all-but-destroyed during the Onin Wars of the late 1500s, then almost 500 years later, fire in 1934. It was rebuilt every time. One of the older buildings that survived the 1934 fire was the pagoda built in 1633 which sits atop the hill on Kurodani’s right, atop the extensive and ancient cemetery. Right now, during November, Kurodani’s back quarters and beautiful (though small by many Kyoto temple standards) garden are open to the public. The temple’s situated in the Okazaki District of Kyoto’s “Eastern Mountain” area, and is one of my favorites. I would note that this blog’s “feature photo” at the top of all pages (taken several years ago) as well as the “Kyoto Sunset” photo (taken a couple of days ago) that appears at the end of the “Long Day” post (just below this one) were both taken at Kurodani Dera.
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Kurodani. From the garden looking Southwest. Nov 09.
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Kurodani. Inside the priests' quarters courtyard. Nov 09.
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Kurodani. A man facing west on the Main Hall portico. Nov 09.
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Priests at Kurodani following special ceremony. Nov 09.
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Kurodani priest. Nov 09.
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At one of Kurodani's two garden tea houses. Nov 09.
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LetsJapan 
Nice photogging! I’ll be up to see the extensive set.
D.
Thank you, Dr. E. I look forward to doing that, to putting up one or two new “Galleries” over the weekend.
R
great pix. I love this place too. best well-kept secret in Kyoto 🙂
Great to e-meet a kindred spirit!
R