11 Jan 2015

Fukui's Taichoji Temple in Snow

Silent snow-covered temple off the beaten track

Oleh Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Snow-capped statue of the monk Taicho standing silently on the temple grounds

The stone stairs to Taichoji Temple were all buried in snow

Belfry at the entrance of Taichoji Temple

Main hall of Taichoji Temple in a sleety rain

Close-up look at the snow-capped statue of the monk Taicho. Come rain or come snow, his face is always serene.

Red torii gate of a small Fox Shrine on the temple grounds half buried in snow. Snow blocked me from getting closer to it.

I couldn't get closer to the main hall either

Snow-covered trees in the temple grounds

Temple grounds buried in snow with the statue of the monk Taicho flanked by stone lanterns

Temple grounds covered with knee-deep snow!

Stone marker of Taichoji Temple at the entrance

On January 3rd this year, we had a miraculous sunny day in Fukui, so I ventured out to take some photos at Taichoji Temple, which I also visited in early October last year. However, by the time I reached the temple, the whimsical Fukui weather changed, and I ended up taking photos in a cold, sleety rain. Furthermore, as this temple is generally unknown, nobody had stepped in the snow, meaning, I had to MAKE the pathway with my own legs to explore the snow-buried grounds. However, once I stepped in the knee-deep snow I couldn't move, so I twisted my upper body like a clumsy robot while squatting in the same position, which resulted of course in a severe muscle pain afterward. But I was just happy to see one of my favorite temples in white snow!