Scallops, Symbols, Flowers and Leaves

Ah........ here it is again. The beautiful roof decorations of the traditional Japanese buildings. This building would have been somewhere within the grounds of the Fushimi Inari Shrine, but which one I am not sure. The pattern created by simply mirroring the scallop, the dropping it down half a pattern, then again mirroring the result. Simply stunning! I am sure I can use that somewhere in my stitching. Then there is the Japanese symbol of family at the end of each ridge in the roof. Not to mention the laves and the flowers. All so beautiful!

Gold Roof Decoration

This is the roof line of one of the buildings at the Fushimi Inari Shrine. I am not sure if it is real gold, but there was a large amount of it. There were embossed overlays, embossed with flowers and vines, decorating the gable. The scroll decoration at the top was edged with it, and the ends of each of those roof beams were also decorated with it. Whatever it was, it certainly added to the building.

More Roof Decorations

Just one of the many decorations on the buildings in the Fushimi Inari Shrine complex. This was on one of the smaller buildings.  I am sure I can use this as inspiration in my design work somewhere. Scallops in a row for a border, flowers in each of the scallops............mmmmmm, I could go on.......

A Roof Line

The one thing that I really enjoyed looking at is the roof lines on the Japanese buildings, especially the traditional ones. They are so different to anything that we have here at home. This it the roof of one of the buildings in the grounds of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. If you look closely, scrolls can bee seen decorating the roof.

Also, in the lower left corner of the pic you will see the prayer cards that  spoke of yesterday displayed on the wall.

A Torii Gate

Throughout the complex of the Fushimi Inari Shrine there are many buildings, structures & Torii gates. This is the torii gate across the pathway to one of the smaller shrines of the complex.  Not clear in this photo are the prayer cards and flags that are left at the shrine. Through the gate and to the right of the pathway they are displayed on the wall, the cards on the top and the flags underneath. When I first saw the flags, I thought they were scarves hanging for sale. I was soon corrected by our guide.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

The Fushimi Inari Shrine is in Southern Kyoto & was the last stop in our taxi tour for the day. It is a Shinto Shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto God of rice. The shrine was full of inspiration for me a an embroiderer, and apparently there were lots of trails behind this main building to explore. I might add here that I did not explore very far. This stop was at the end of a very long day, and only the second day that we had spent in Japan.

A Hallway

Postcard 8. The Entrance hall of the Daisen-In Temple. Very simple, but still with roof decortations.

Mt Horai - A Garden Depiction

Postcard 7. Mt Horai with the waterfall. Mt Horai is apparently a volcanic mountain in Japan that  we didn't get to see. It is interesting to note that the gardeners of the Daisen-In Temple like to depict other places in their gardens

The Treasure Boat

Postcard 5. The treasure boat and turtle covered with snow. At least that's what it says on the back of the postcard. Imagination is a wonderful thing! Someone had been busy with the rake again.

Sand, Waves and Mounds

Postcard 4. Sand, waves and mounds. This garden is raked daily into different patterns. A definite labour of love