In October, Tsunukko and Chibitsunu visited Shitennoji Temple in Osaka for a walk. They found the autumn Daikobon Festival happening, with lots of visitors. They took a commemorative photo in front of the Niomon Gate, where the red and blue Deva Kings stand. Inside the temple grounds, there is a resting place for visitors called the "Visitor's Rest Area" where they can enjoy snacks like sweet buns and rice cakes. They also bought some treats like kinako mochi and ohagi. The rest area has a cafeteria-like setup offering dishes like curry rice, udon, soba, and gyudon. Overall, it was a cozy and enjoyable experience for Tsunukko and Chibitsunu at Shitennoji Temple.

【April 22, 2019】Visited again【April 22, 2017】Saturday Annual Grand Ceremony of Shoryoe at Shitenno-ji Temple. This festival features important intangible folk cultural assets, with a history dating back 1400 years. Shitenno-ji Temple's Buddhism predates Nara Buddhism and dates back over 200 years before Kukai and Kobo Daishi traveled to China. The festival includes lion dances, cymbals, and a mix of Shinto prayers and Buddhist sutras, creating a somewhat continental atmosphere. The stone stage where dances are performed, the Rokuji Hall, and other important cultural properties are part of the event. Gagaku, considered the world's oldest orchestra and designated as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, is also showcased. The Shitenno-ji Gagaku documents stored at Kyoto University Library contain records of dance and music ceremonies from 1684 to 1860. ●Gift Received: Shitenno-ji's hailstones handed down from Prince Shotoku. Thank you for the delicious meal.

I visited Shitennoji Temple after having lunch at Suehiro. Shitennoji Temple is a historic temple said to have been built by Prince Shotoku. The unique layout of the temple, with the Central Gate, Five-story Pagoda, Main Hall, and Lecture Hall lined up from south to north, is known as the Shitennoji-style layout. One of the must-see spots at the temple is the stone torii gate built in the Kamakura period, where you can experience the fusion of Shinto and Buddhism. The main entrance is the Southern Gate, so it's recommended to enter from there and enjoy the Shitennoji-style layout. I visited the temple after about 20 years, and to my surprise, it seemed different from what I remembered. The Main Hall and Five-story Pagoda were under construction, and the Treasure Hall was closed, which was disappointing. After exploring the temple, I stopped by a nearby shop for a Mango Soft Serve Ice Cream, which was a refreshing treat. Shitennoji Temple used to feel like a local gathering place when I visited during a seminar camp, but it now seems to be transforming into a more touristy destination. Despite the changes, the Mango Soft Serve Ice Cream was delicious, with real mango chunks inside. The visit to the temple brought back memories of the past and made me reflect on the passage of time. Later, I visited Ano Shrine on Chausuyama, believed to be the place where Sanada Yukimura met his end. The shrine, located on a small hill, offered a serene atmosphere. I then visited Ikukunitama Shrine, an important shrine from the Engishiki era, before heading back to the hotel. Osaka has a rich history, being an ancient capital even before Kyoto. Unfortunately, I couldn't visit Naniwa Palace, Osaka Museum of History, or the site of Sanada Maru this time, but I'll save them for my next visit. Back at the hotel, I refreshed with a shower, ready for the final night of my trip. Exciting times ahead! To be continued...

First of all, I would like to mention that this score includes my personal memories from over 50 years ago. The "Visitor's Rest Area" in the precincts of Shitennoji Temple is located right next to the South Gate. You can see the South Gate of Shitennoji Temple in the upper part of the shop. I remembered coming here with my late mother as a child after visiting the temple and having "kake udon". I thought it was a dining hall, but it turns out they served curry and udon at the rest area. Although it is still a prefab building, it seemed cleaner than it was back then after undergoing several renovations over the past 50 years. Back in my day, I couldn't afford to eat a children's lunch at a department store dining hall... Now, the department store dining hall is gone, replaced by specialty restaurants, but I was happy to see this place still in operation. Now, I selected "kitsune udon" at the ticket machine and took it to the counter. There were also souvenirs near the counter. I noticed that curry seemed to be popular here, as many people were eating curry rice. My order of "kitsune udon" arrived, and I sat down. Looking around, I felt nostalgic as it hadn't changed much from the past. I savored the taste slowly. The dashi had a flavor that Osaka people like, with two pieces of aburaage, two slices of kamaboko, and wakame seaweed in it.

I visited Shitennoji Temple during the New Year. There are rest areas on the north and south sides, but the one on the north side is quite impressive. It has a tiled roof, automatic doors, and the tables and chairs inside are decent. In contrast, the south side has a temporary prefab building with aluminum doors that are a bit shaky. The tables and chairs give off a vibe of a construction site office. However, it is clean. On busy days, the north side is full, so it's better to go to the south side. You can sit and take a break without entering. You can also have a simple meal there. You buy a meal ticket from the vending machine, hand it to the lady at the counter, and she prepares the meal for you. The menu is not extensive, offering curry rice, curry udon, plain soba, plain udon, tempura soba, tempura udon, onigiri, canned beer, cup sake, snacks from Morinaga and Glico, and ice cream. There is also a separate area selling traditional Japanese sweets like grilled rice cakes, three-color dumplings, bracken rice cakes, and red rice. I didn't try them, but they looked delicious. This area is apparently only open when there are many visitors. I bought a meal ticket and ordered curry udon. Oh, you have to prepare your own tea. The curry udon was simple, not particularly spicy, with chunks of ingredients, and not piping hot. It tasted like it could be from a retort pouch. For 450 yen, it was okay. The ladies at the shop were kind and pleasant. Osaka's charm shines through here.