By KENTA SUJINO/ Staff Writer
September 26, 2021 at 14:20 JST
The ornate “flower ceiling” depicting colorful flowers and plants at Hiraoka Hachimangu shrine's main hall in Kyoto. Photo taken Sept. 17 (Kenta Sujino)
KYOTO--Hiraoka Hachimangu shrine here opened up its main hall boasting an ornate flower paneled ceiling for limited public viewing until Dec. 5.
The hall's “flower ceiling” consists of 44 lattice panels, each 70 centimeters square, featuring different flowers and plants such as camelia and chrysanthemum.
The paintings, all by the same artist, are believed to date to the late Edo Period (1603-1867) when the shrine pavilions were last renovated.
One of the paintings depicts takaomomiji, a maple tree changing color.
Local legend has it that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a powerful shogun in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) who rebuilt the shrine pavilions, saw the tree in its autumn foliage when he visited the site.
The shrine is located in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward.
Special viewings will continue until Dec. 5. The hall is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last admission at 3:30 p.m.
It will be closed on Oct. 3 and 10.
The admission fee is 800 yen ($7), which includes a priest’s explanation and tea.
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