Buddhist Temple Grounds

 After our hike over the mountain and a short train ride we stroll through a business area that takes us to the Suma-dera temple grounds.

This is a local temple in Kobe with historical importance. The building behind Rachel and Dad is the entrance gate.

Entrance gates have statues that pay homage to warriors. Back in the 800's warriors were VIPs.

All the entrance gates to the temples we have seen so far have a bay on each side with a statue of a warrior.

The temple was erected in 886 under Emperor Koko. This was the time of the Gempei Wars. Samurai appeared around the year 900. The Samurai clans boasting the greatest influence were the Taira and the Minamoto. A major battle took place in Kobe. The winners, the Minamoto clan went on to establish the Kamakura Shogunate. It was from there that Japan transitioned toward a society that centered around samurai.

The Tale of Heike tells of duel between Taira no Atsumori and Kumagai Naozane set in the area around Suma-dera. Dad and Rachel are in front of the depiction of this battle. The waves and sand are created by painting gravel.

Kumagai Naozane, although agonizing that the young commander of the Taira clan is the same age as his own child, kills him.

That young samurai's identity was not known at the moment of his death.

But on his waist he was carrying the famed flute Aoba-the possession of the celebrated flutist Taira no Atsumori.

It is said that Naozane, in anguish over what his duties as a samurai entailed, abandoned his position and became a monk.

Atsumori's burial mound is here at Suma-dera. His flute along with other items of the clans are on display here.

We are leaving the garden area.

Here I'm tying to figure out what photos I can delete so I have more room on my card for this amazing place.

This is the area leading to the cemetery.

A three story pagoda. 

They don't cater to tourists here so there is no English on signs to explain what we see here.

The grave sites are exquisite. They each have a place to make offerings.

I don't know the significance of these rocks or what the writing says but in typical Japanese style it is beauty made from simplicity.