  Kyoto
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 1878 Kyoto Tips.4073 Kyoto Photos.0 Kyoto Videos. Kyoto Pages by phoebelosophy
| Page Views: 470 Last Visit to Kyoto: June, 2003 | Zen, Temples and 5 yen coins by phoebelosophy - last update: Sep 15, 2003 |
Almost everyone has heard of Kyoto, and if you haven't, you soon will. It's an amazing city with thousands of possibilities. The problem is finding the time to explore them all! |  | | the red pagoda at kiyomizu temple |
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| the gold 'rubbing' statue |
| | 5 yen prayer You'll find statues and buddha's all over Japan - especially inside shrines and temples. And then you'll also find large wooden boxes with wooden grates. These are for 'donations', typically a 5 yen coin (considered lucky).
With this coin, you are entitled a prayer. After dropping the coin into the box, you clap twice to call the spirits (if you're in a shrine - in temples the spirit is already present) and then you pray. After your prayer is finished, you clap twice again, bow and depart - hoping to Buddha that your 'prayer' will come true.
I've asked a few Japanese people what they pray for, and their typical answer is: money, to pass an exam (high school/university students), health and babies.
This particular statue in the photo is intended to be 'rubbed', and then your wish should come true. |
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| Pros: | "hundreds of temples, ancient yet modern, you could explore this city forever!" | | Cons: | "crowded, a tourist mecca" | | In A Nutshell: | "a must-see city!" |
phoebelosophy's Kyoto Travel Tips
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