It is a well-known fact that Kyoto City used to be the capital of Japan.
It is a well-known fact that Kyoto is home to 17 World Heritage listed temples, shrines and castles.
It is also common knowledge that the Kyoto Protocol is a protocol that encourages industrialized nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
However, it is a little-known fact that floorboards spattered with the 400 year old blood of soldiers loyal to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu can be found decorating the ceilings of various famous temples around Kyoto. You thought you knew this city! Next time you go to Genko-an Temple to contemplate the windows of Enlightenment and Confusion, look up. You may see something that resembles a footprint. It is a footprint.
In July 1600, just before the Battle of Sekigahara, Ishida Mitsunari and 40,000 troops attacked Fushimi Castle, which Tokugawa Ieyasu had left under the command of Torii Mototada and around 1800 soldiers. Yes, that’s 40,000 men versus 1800. The battle raged for two weeks until a ninja infiltrated the castle and set it on fire. Mototada was beheaded in front of his remaining troops and they subsequently cut their stomachs open in order to surrender the castle with honour. You can imagine Tokugawa’s surprise at the site that greeted him when he returned two months later. The blood had soaked into the floorboards so that no amount of washing could get them clean and it was decided that in order to honour and mourn the soldiers that had died, the floorboards would be installed in the ceilings of temples around Kyoto. These ceilings are called Chitenjou – Bloody Ceilings.
The top three places for Bloody Ceiling Viewing are Genko-an (源光庵), Yougenin (養源院) and Housenin (宝泉院).
Genko-an Temple, found in northern Kyoto, is most famous for its two windows – one square (the Window of Illusion), one circular (the Window of Enlightenment), but both looking out onto the same pretty garden. After contemplating Illusion and Enlightenment you can go searching for bloody handprints in the rafters – there are quite a few to be found! Once you are done there, head on over to Yougenin where according to the monk there, you can see footprints and marks of Torii Mototada’s face where he collapsed in death still holding his sword. Finally, round out your trip with Housenin in Ohara. Housenin’s main claim to fame is a 700 year old pine tree held up by wooden stilts. Once you are done looking at the pine tree, start searching for still life-like bloody face and hand marks decorating the ceiling of the library. They are quite life-like.
Kyoto’s bloody ceilings are a quiet, gory reminder of the violent and tumultuous past of the now modernized (and complete with its own OPA) Kyoto City.
Take a stroll around the three temples mentioned above, or discover some more bloody ceilings – they are all around the place. You will find yourself contemplating all sorts of things; and you will have something really cool to tell your Mum.
