#komyoji

Here's a very interesting thing from one of the Nobunaga-related history tour guides Aichi prefecture once published (I’m not sure if these has since gone obsolete/removed from circulation).

In the landmark labelled Koumyouji 光明寺 (which I outlined in blue), it says that “Nobunaga and Hideyoshi learned penmanship here”. The Hideyoshi part was rather well-known in Japanese legend. In the various Hideyoshi tales, he was described as having been sent to Koumyouji to study as a child, only for him to cause so much trouble that the temple kicked him out. Not so much  so about Nobunaga also having been sent there to study as well.

I have no idea where this legend came from either, as this is the only place where I’ve seen such a claim being made thus far. The only other remarks about it that I’ve seen online are blog posts made by people who visited the site based on this exact same guide.

A little ways away from Koumyouji is Ryou’unji 凌雲寺 (which I marked in black), another site also labelled as a place where Nobunaga had studied his penmanship. In Ryou’unji’s case, this story about Nobunaga is something that the temple itself declared on its precincts, and it’s also something that does make sense, as the temple was established by Nobunaga’s uncle. See the signboard below: 

I’d wondered if maybe there’s some mix-up about the temples because Koumyouji is located close to an Oda-relevant site, but both temples’ current location are only established in the Meiji era. I don’t know where their original locations are, or whether there are other temples nearby that could potentially cause the confusion. 

光明寺の紅葉を見に行ってきました。

次の写真はもみじ参道にある薬医門の光景です。紅葉が美しいです(^o^)

I went to Komyoji Temple to see the autumn leaves.

The next picture is the view of Yakuimon Gate on Maple Approach. We can see beautiful autumn leaves.(^o^)

↓チケット販売開始は午前9時ちょうどから。朝8時半頃に到着し30分ほど並び、チケット販売開始後は比較的スムーズに入場可能でした(^o^)

↓Ticket sales start at 9:00 am. I arrived at around 8:30 am and lined up for about 30 minutes. After ticket sales started, I was able to enter relatively smoothly.(^o^)

↓総門。

↓Soumon Gate（main gate）

↓表参道。

↓Omotesando Approach（front approach）

↓表参道を上り切り御影堂に向かう途中。

↓On the way to Miedou Hall（main hall）after going up front approach.

↓御影堂。

↓Miedou Hall（main hall）

↓阿弥陀堂から中へ。

↓From Amidadou Hall to the inside.

↓階段を登ると勢至堂。

↓We go up this stairs to reach Seishidou Hall.

↓御影堂の裏側。

↓Back side of Miedou Hall.

↓御影堂から釈迦堂へ。

↓From Miedou Hall to Shakadou Hall.

↓釈迦堂前に広がる信楽庭。

↓Shingyoutei Garden in front of Shakadou Hall.

↓釈迦堂（方丈）。

↓Shakadou Hall.

↓この玄関から外へ。

↓We go out from this hall.

↓正面に見えるのは御影堂。

↓The one in front of this photo is Miedou Hall.

↓勅使門。

↓Chokushimon Gate.

↓左に見えるのは鎮守社。この先にもみじ参道が見えてきます。

↓Chinjusha Shrine can be seen on the left. If you keep going this way, you can see Maple Approach soon.

↓もみじ参道入口。

↓Entrance of Maple Approach.

↓もみじ参道にある薬医門。今回一番のお目当ての場所(^o^)

↓Yakuimon Gate on Maple Approach. The best place in this visit.

↓総門。帰り際にもう一度見収め(^o^)

↓Soumon Gate. Before leaving here, I just take one more look.(^o^)

光明寺を見た後時間もまだ早いししばらく歩いてみようかなと歩き始めたところ、しばらくして桂川に出たのが運のつき。

ひょっとしてこの川を上って行くと渡月橋にでるのかな・・なんて思い立ち、ひたすら桂川沿いを上流に向かってウォーキング（汗）

いや〜かなりの距離ありました。光明寺から嵐山まで・・

After leaving Komyoji Temple, it was still early, so I started walking for a while, I didn't know my luck was good or not, once I reached Katsura River.

Then it occurred to me that if I went up this river, I might come across Togetsukyo Bridge, so I kept walking upstream along Katsura River.

However, more than my initial image, it was hard and long distance. From Komyoji Temple to Arashiyama（the area which has Togetsukyo Bridge）.

↓ようやく見えてきた渡月橋。この頃にはもうヘトヘト状態です（笑）

↓Togetsukyo Bridge finally visible after long walking. At this moment, I was awfully tired.

↓渡月橋を渡り、渡月小橋上から撮った一枚。優雅な感じですね。

↓This was the photo which I took on Togetsukobashi Bridge after crossing Togetsukyo Bridge. It is so beautiful and elegant scenery, isn't it.

↓せっかくなので竹林の小径まで足を運んでみました。

↓I thought it was good opportunity, therefore I visited Chikurin-no-komich（Narrow path of bamboo grove）.