Japan Day 5 part 1: To-ji pagoda, turtles, and roofs

Even from outside the walls of the temple, it was clear that To-ji was going to be awesome. 

Upon entering the grounds, the first area was full of flower covered ponds that also were home to a turtle.

It was interesting to see a statue clothed in actual cloth in addition to the metal robes that were a part of it.

The early morning was an excellent time to visit the temple's well situated reflecting pool that

 perfectly doubled the impressive five story pagoda. 

In the pool were dozens of turtles that were stacked up like Yurtle.

To-ji's pagoda is the tallest in Japan, and draws the eye from every part of the temple grounds.

The roof of the temple hall had excellently wrought ornamentation.  

The hall (where photography was forbidden) contained expressive statues of guardians with six to eight arms, which sometimes held vajras, the symbolic weapon for destroying impurities and temptations and which have always jumped to my attention since I visited the vajra-covered temple complex of Guinsa. I particularly liked a statue of a man in a peasant cap who was surrounded by fire.

Actual fire was of course not as welcome in the temples, which is why buckets of water were stacked around the wooden buildings.

I took my time wandering the gardens, and kept looking back at the pagoda over the water.

I also spent a while watching the turtles. Some of them grew quite large.

Though the main hall's side held my favorite decorations, the front had interesting ornamentation as well. I wouldn't mind a tiny ceramic dragon or ten for my roof at home...

I felt reluctant to leave, and made an exception to my usual frantic pace to truly take my time and appreciate this impressive temple. It was one of my favorite sights in Japan.