Jun 28, 2014 - 1 min read

Seisui Temple in Machida

Extravagant wood carvings decorate a small temple

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

The doors are decorated with carvings of people

Small water basin that looks like a coiled dragon

Red banners on either side of the path

The building with the wood carving is at the top of many steps

A fantastical dragon broods under the eaves

Even the wooden verandah posts feature carved motifs

Carving of an iris

A carving of a crane flying over pine branches

Impressive workmanship

A carved crow perches in the corner

Grapefruit trees stand near the bell tower

Red hat statues

Simple and graceful temple building near the entrance

The first thing I learned about this temple in Aihara, Machida is that the name has exactly the same kanji as Kiyomizudera in Kyoto (清水寺) however it is pronounced differently. That made me want to investigate, and I'm glad I did. Apart from the quiet peaceful atmosphere, which is nothing unusual for temples, the striking thing about Seisui-ji was the fabulous wooden carvings that decorated the eaves. There was also an unusual and artistic dragon water basin. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, pay this temple a visit!

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Cathy Cawood

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

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