Yasaka Kōshin-dō, Buddhist temple in Higashiyama district, Kyoto, Japan
Yasaka Kōshin-dō is a Buddhist temple in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, distinguished by walls covered with colorful fabric balls called kukurizaru. These bright elements create patterns across the building and form the temple's most visible and recognizable feature.
The temple originated during the Heian period between 794 and 1185, a time when Buddhist traditions took root across Japan. It emerged in an era when spiritual sites naturally blended ideas from different faiths into a unified practice.
Visitors write wishes on colorful fabric balls called kukurizaru, which represent binding oneself to abandon negative habits and start fresh. This practice connects Buddhist teachings with personal hopes in a way people actively experience during their visit.
The temple sits near other major sites in the area and welcomes visitors daily without requiring any admission fee. Photography is permitted throughout, allowing you to capture the colorful fabric balls and other details you notice while exploring.
Rather than using traditional wooden ema tablets, this temple employs colorful fabric balls as a prayer medium, a practice found rarely at other religious sites across Japan. This distinctive approach sets the location apart through its unusual appearance and different visitor experience.
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