Takahara Kumano Ginja, Japan

Takahara Kumano Ginja is a small temple that you pass on the first day of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage in Japan. It's a pretty modest little shrine, which was empty on the afternoon I stopped by with a friend in mid 2017. We were fresh on the path, and so only spent a few minutes to look around, and to stamp our Kumano Kodo 'passports' with the stamp and red ink provided, before walking on. I put this mandala together from the many ornamental features of the temple. I really liked the colours of the place, and so I've tried to stay true to that in this image...