Work In Progress Wednesday

Beady fob progress - the beads are attached. Next, I need to make the twisted cord for the strap, then put the two sides and the cording together to finish them.

Sneek Sampler progress

Pineapple Pouch progress

Futarasan Shrine

Futarasan Shrine was founded in 782 by Shonin, the Buddist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko. It stands next to the more lavish Toshogu Shrine. Futarasan is dedicated to the dieties of Nikko’s three most sacred mountains - Mount Nantai, Mount Nyoho, and Mount Taro. Shinkyo Bridge, about a kilometer away, belongs to Futarasan Shrine.

I have seen this circle at shrines before. First you walk through and go around to the left. Next, you come around, walk through to the right. The third time, you walk straight through. Doing this gets rid of the bad things of the last six months and lets you start fresh. (Or something like that).

The first part of the shrine grounds is free to visit, the rest costs 500 yen for adults.

I don’t understand everything about the shrines and temples I visit, but I am always amazed by how beautiful and well kept and maintained they are.

National Parks Quilt-a-Long Block 7

I read about this interesting quilt-a-long on this Piecework magazine website. This article directs participants to the Park’s Website for instructions for blocks 7 - 10.

The seventh block is the Road to Tennessee Block (my version).

Together We Can Help One Another

 

Shinkyo Bridge (Sacred Bridge)

The Shinkyo Bridge stands at the entrance to Nikko’s Shrines and Temples. It belongs to Futarasan Shrine. It is ranked as one of Japan’s three finest bridges, together with Iwakuni’s Kintai and Saruhashi in Yamanashi’s Prefecture. The current Shinkyo Bridge was constructed in 1636, but there had been some kind of bridge much longer.

This statue near the bridge is Itagaki Taiske (1837-1910), a prominent Meiji era politician and leader of the Freedom and People’s Rights Movement. During the Boshin War in 1868, he persuaded pro-shogunate troops to move their battle away from Nikko, saving the areas shrines and temples from destruction.

Friday Finish - Tape Measure Cover

This is our current stitch group project. I’m pleased with how mine turned out.