During our visit we were shown how to do some calligraphy which was then stamped and our names were written in Japanese symbols. We are taking home a beautiful souvenir, but more importantly memories if a lovely and generous experience. An inexpensive Japanese experience, with gold

I visited this temple during a three hours' guided tour of Takayama in September 2023. Of the many temples in the Higashiyama district, this temple was one of the most interesting. The temple belongs to the Buddhist Jodo sect and was relocated from nearby to this place in the late 16th century during the reign of the first feudal lord of Takayama, Nagachika Kanamori. The grand entrance Sanmon Gate is a masterpiece of Hida carpentry, reconstructed in 1807. I was also intrigued by the Juuoudou (shrine of the ten Gods of Hell) with a painting of hell in the back. The shrine was for people to repent and pray for merciful judgement by the Gods after they ended their lives on earth. This temple is certainly worth spending some time, if you are exploring the Higashiyama area.

We loved learning to write a kanji character with the Chief Monk Gene. He was patient and a very good teacher, explaining the significance of the characters and answering questions. The temple is beautiful and peaceful. This quiet hour was one of our favorite things from our trip to Japan and we hung our calligraphy in our home.

We attended a calligraphy lesson and had the most amazing time. The teacher was so gentle and patient and we really felt relaxed and ‘in the moment’ while practising the strokes before choosing our best shakyo image. We had tea afterwards while enjoying the view of the beautiful garden full of fall leaves.

I was delighted to have found this opportunity to learn and practice the art of calligraphy during my recent adventure in Japan. My dream was realized when I walked onto the Daiou-ji Temple complex and saw the sign for Shakyo. I did not have a reservation and my request for a class as a "walk-in" was graciously accepted. The setting for the class, as well as the patience and kindness of the teacher surpassed my expectations. Had I not found the work I did worth saving/ framing, neither my time nor expense would have been wasted, as the process of learning was so enjoyable and my Shayko experience will be "saved" in my mind forever. First I chose the character I wanted to create/draw. I was then provided a "map" of sorts on how to, step by step, create this character. The teacher (Naoe) gently demonstrated how to hold the brush, how to stroke, and how to approach the task with an open mind and heart. I was given the opportunity to create the character five times. I definitely improved with each attempt and my fifth "work" was definitely my best. My "work" was then stamped and "inscribed" with my name, written beautifully in Japanese. Naoe, in creating my name, chose Japanese characters that genuinely captured my essence. She was incredibly thoughtful, insightful and wise. I can't wait to frame and display my "art" so that I can forever stay connected to my experience at the Daiou-ji Temple.