Yoshitsune-sai Festival, Kurama Temple

Kurama Temple's long history includes - deep in its past - a long run-in from one of the great names in Japanese history: Minamoto Yoshitsune.

Minamoto Yoshitsune was sent to Kurama Temple in his youth (around 1159), after having been spared by Taira Kiyomori. The Tairas had been responsible for the assassination of the young Yoshitsune's father, and they decided that the child would pose no threat to them should he be raised as a monk deep in the mountains North of the capital. It was in those very hills that Yoshitsune crafted himself into a warrior of formidable ability, though exactly how he did this is a mystery to this day. Legend has it that he was trained by the mythical Tengu, a demon said to live in the hills.

From his beginnings at Kurama Temple, Yoshitsune grew to be one of Japan's most famed generals, reuniting with his brother - from whomhe had been separated after the assassination of his father - to sweep away the Taira clan in a long series of bloody battles.

Yoshitsune's brother, Yoritomo, eventually became threatened by the power of his sibling, and conspired to have him assassinated. The intrigue has woven itself deeply into the Japanese mythos, and to this day (more than eight hundred years later) his name is still widely known. He is especially remembered not only for his tactical abilities, but also for his personal prowess on the battlefield.

There is still a shrine honouring Yoshitsune on the top of Kurama Mountain, on the spot where he hadsupposedly trained during his youth. This is also the spot where I trained during a winter shugyo last year. Yoshitsune is honoured every year at Kurama Temple during the Yoshitsune Festival, which usually includes a martial arts demonstration of some kind.

This year the festival had members of the Igo Dojo performing an Aikido demonstration on the temple steps, and I was asked by Igo Sensei to participate...and invitation which I gladly accepted.

The festival gave me another chance to go up to Kurama Temple, which is beautifully situated in the hills North of the city. I have developed a certain affection for the place, not only for its beauty but also because of the experiences that I have had there.

The demonstration itself was held on the front steps of the temple, which posed its own difficulties. Aikido is generally practiced on crash mats, as it involves throwing. The temple steps, however, are (predictably) made of stone.

It was a very interesting opportunity to not only attend such a small and obscure festival, but also to be a part of it. The actual demonstration itself was not too difficult, and after doing my small part I was free to snap pictures from my rather advantageous position on the stage.

Sitting in on the ceremony before the festival.

It was also another great opportunity for me to experience Buddhist rituals first hand, as we were expected to attend the rites that were to be at the heart of the festival.

This, of course, meant sitting in traditional Japanese fashion for about an hour...on hardwood floors, no less. I've gotten somewhat used to losing feeling in my lower extremities at this point, so I was able to enjoy the novelty of the ceremony itself.

After it was all said and done, Laura and I were able to retire to the dining hall in the temple for a light meal before trekking back down the mountain to civilization.