Cherry Blossom Viewing Party #3: Shomyo-ji

Of all the cherry trees I have seen this year, this one just inside the entrance to Shomyo-ji in Kanazawabunko takes the cake. I am so grateful to the Japanese members of JAW (Japanese and American Wives' Club) for introducing me to Shomyo-ji last week. Kanazawabunko is just one train stop from Yokosuka by limited express, and seven stops if you happen to be riding on a local train, so it will be easy to get back there to watch the seasons unfold.

After entering the outer gate and admiring that cherry tree, I followed a picturesque lane to the inner gate.

Shomyo-ji was built in 1258 by Sanetoki Hojo, a grandson of one of the Kamakura Shogunate regents. The name Hojo might ring a bell (ding!) since the infamous Masako Hojo was the wife of the first Kamakura Shogun and the mother of the second and third shoguns. And it was one of her Hojo relatives who committed suicide in the cave we passed at the beginning of our perilous camellia hunt.

This is a view inside the temple grounds looking back toward the interior gate. You already met Erin on the Minobusan trip. She was a little giddy at Shomyo-ji because the big boys were in school and Seth was at the daycare center.

Shomyo-ji is a rare example of a Jodo garden, a design that's based on a diagram of a mandala depicting the pure land where Buddha is thought to live. This garden is someone's idea of heaven on earth. I can see their point.

While my companions were busy snapping cherry blossoms from every possible angle, two women inching down the steep bridge caught my eye. I watched them surreptitiously. I wished I could hold the old lady's arm. I felt sorry for myself. I missed my mother. Poor, poor Peevish.

Then the old lady whacked her daughter with that cane and insisted on gripping the railing herself. Giggle. Boy, I really missed my mother at that point.

Hey! I do believe Saint/Daughter is wearing my peasant pants.

Oh, there's a pretty cherry tree across the pond. Are those little schoolchildren on a field trip?

Aren't those little blue and yellow hats darling? Why is the little fellow in the orange coat pointing? Is that a turtle? Good grief, I see at least six hard-shelled reptiles.

Here's a couple more sunning on a rock. Cherry blossom season must be nearing an end because the blossoms are starting to fall like snowflakes.

Those dozens of turtles are not exactly my idea of heaven. They're more my idea of Jurassic Park. But if anyone needs a turtle picture to illustrate a school project, I'm your aunt.

Before I forget, Sanetoki Hojo initially built Shomyo-ji as a shrine for his deceased wife but it was converted to a temple when he became interested in Buddhism. In 1275, a year before his death, Sanetoki added a library (bunko) to hold his extensive manuscript collection. This is the oldest library in Japan and is now a museum holding many artifacts from the Kamakura Era.

After we'd had our fill of cherry blossoms, turtles, and scenic views, we played some silly games in a field next to the temple. Sheryl and Meagan are racing while balancing ping pong balls in ladles.

Convenience store bakery products were suspended from a clothesline that was jiggled and jerked while we tried to remove the packages without using our hands. Mimi spent a long time under that clothesline.

We hiked about a mile to the restaurant where we had lunch. It was a traditional Japanese restaurant with locked shoe cubbies in the lobby.

This - because Ancient Mariner will be curious - is what we had for lunch. I did not remove the lids from the custard (upper left) or miso soup (lower right) but I ate everything else plus a scoop of ice cream for dessert.

This was the final event of the "social season" to be hosted by the Japanese members. They certainly ended the year on a high note. We get together twice more before disbanding for the summer but the Americans will host.