Nyohoji Temple - A small temple in the west of Aizu 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan

I have had the great honor of being a guest here in the Land of the Rising Sun for several years now and I am extremely grateful for all the wonderful experiences I have had during this time. I never really thought that I would end up in the Far East, but fate sometimes sends us on very special missions, and mine eventually led me along winding paths all the way to Japan. My path will probably not end here, and that is precisely why I am trying to see and experience as much as possible during my time in Japan. Our excursions and travels have already taken me to different corners of the country, although there are still a lot of blank spots for me to discover one day.

But sometimes you don't have to go to such unknown regions, as even familiar areas can always offer some new territory to explore. That's what happened to us on a recent trip into the heart of the country, where we walked along very familiar paths. We were on our way to Aizu-Wakamatsu and I had planned a little detour for us, simply for the sake of making a change.

There was a temple very close to our street that had made it into a tourist flyer which I came across, and that was reason enough for me to do a little more research. The Nyohoji Temple is located in Nishi-Aizu (West Aizu) and was really only a few minutes away from a rest stop, which we had already passed several times and were we had stopped as well. And as the timing was good, I really wanted to swing by there this time and have a look around. Just because this temple was there. Sometimes you don't need a special reason.

The weather was a little rainy and the first snow was already falling in the mountains, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. It's always good to explore something new and maybe learn something in the meantime. So please join me on a tour of the Nyohoji Temple, which once again showed us a piece of Japan that I have come to appreciate and cherish.

The Nyohoji Temple was only a few minutes' drive from the main road connecting the prefectures of Fukushima and Niigata, which led directly through the mountains. We were in the west of the Aizu region, which is known in particular for its samurai heritage and in which some cultural and local characteristics have been preserved to this day.

The temple complex was located on the edge of a forest and was lined with several large cedar trees, which seem to be so important for the special atmosphere that emanates from such places. And even this time, although it was quite wet and cool, you could feel this atmosphere quite well.

We first had to pass through a wooden gate, which gave us a view of the main building, with an oversized snowshoe under its arch. Here in this region, people have lived with the seasons for centuries, and those can sometimes be quite harsh.

But winter wasn't really here yet, it had only sent its first messengers, who had probably also made sure that we were the only visitors here at that time. We couldn't actually see any other people here either, although the presence of the temple operators was noticeable and omnipresent.

Right in front of the main building you could recognize a number of Jizu statues wearing their typical red decoration, which often consists of a bib and cap. These statues can be found all over the country and are supposed to protect hikers and travelers, and especially children, from harm and danger. A little help never hurts and I gratefully accepted it.

Here we see the water basin for the ritual hand cleansing, which can be found in many Buddhist temples but also in Shinto shrines, and which is often guarded by a dragon, which I couldn't spot here.

We were now standing in front of the actual temple building, which was supposedly rebuilt after the earthquake of 1611. The origins of the complex go back even further, to the year 807, when this temple was built as "Aizu Nishi Kata Joudo" 会津西方浄土. This was the "Buddhist paradise of Nishi Aizu", which at that moment seemed to open up just for us.

Inside, as is usual in most temples, we found a lavishly decorated altar adorned with a wide variety of Buddhist devotional objects, including some local celebrities. And again, we were all alone and had the moment to ourselves.

While you are praying or contemplating here, you can strike this gong, the sound of which was a little change in the silence that surrounded us here.

Of course, I didn't want to go back yet, but instead took a look at the grounds, which usually reveal the full charm of such places. Even though it was raining, I didn't want to miss this opportunity.

Next to the main building was a collection of smaller statues and altars dedicated to the salvation of children who died prematurely and way too early. You can also see a small jizo in the background, which seems to oversee this place.

Right next to it was another building with another Jizo enthroned in the middle.

Behind and next to him were several rows of small Jizo figures, all of which had the same task to fulfill. They were also dedicated to children who had died before birth or shortly afterwards, so that this place also conveyed a rather serious mood. Temples, like churches, are quite often place of mourning.

Outside, you could still find some signs of autumn, which until recently was showing its colorful side around here too. Even on that day, the late season still provided some nice splashes of color and revealed this special charms with which it had fascinated me so often.

These two imposing cedar trees are home to a kami, one of the countless gods that can be found in rocks, rivers and trees all over Japan. As usual, I didn't manage to take a complete photo of the two trees, but you can believe me that they were quite impressive.

This little stone lantern also managed to add to the excellent atmosphere around us. It is precisely sights like this that always manage to stop me in my tracks and make me pause and look around. Japan can be extremely charming.

As I wrote above, the first snow had already fallen, in which we could still see the colorful traces of autumn which was reigning just a short while ago. The seasons were changing, and I was happy to find a few splashes of color left over from the last few weeks, which here in the mountains would soon give way to a completely different picture.

Our little detour to Nyohoji Temple was just the right warm-up for our short trip, which would take us a little further to Aizu-Wakamatsu. Once again, I was able to prove to myself that it is important to always look to the left and right of our actual path, as there are so many things worth seeing and exploring there.

Sometimes it's just small hidden temples that most travelers tend to ignore and overlook. But for me, those places have turned out to be just the right sources of inspiration. Here I can switch off for a moment and completely forget my everyday life as I immerse myself in this special world that I can only find here in Japan. And on my next trip, I will continue to plan excursions like this and let my curiosity guide me. I'm sure it will lead me in exactly the right direction again. And I'm already looking forward to it...