One of the famous features of Genko-an is its two windows, the "Window of Enlightenment" and the "Window of Confusion." The circular and rectangular windows give different effects when you look through them. Another is the "Bloody Ceiling." One can see 400-year-old bloodstained hand and foot prints on the ceiling. It was made using wood floors from Fushimi Castle, where soldiers loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu were defeated and killed themselves. Next time you're in Kyoto, be sure to come to Genko-an to witness these incredible historical remains!
- 1 min read
Genko-an
Temple of bloodshed, enlightenment and confusion
By Edward Tseng
Community writer
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David Minor
a month ago
I hate to spoil the fun but...this is a myth.
These are NOT blood stains.
If they used the timber from another building, they shaved it off with a wood planes and sanded down with rocks to clean it. There is no way they used filthy wood in a visible ceiling, let alone blood.
What you are seeing here are VERY common and happens in buildings with untreated wood (like hinoki) all the time, usually the product of oils or water on the feet and hands. You can see them in a lot of buildings (temples and shrines) today.
These are NOT blood stains.
If they used the timber from another building, they shaved it off with a wood planes and sanded down with rocks to clean it. There is no way they used filthy wood in a visible ceiling, let alone blood.
What you are seeing here are VERY common and happens in buildings with untreated wood (like hinoki) all the time, usually the product of oils or water on the feet and hands. You can see them in a lot of buildings (temples and shrines) today.
David Minor
a month ago
fake
Kim
a year ago
I chuckled because the window of confusion also looks just like a regular window to me!
3 comments in total
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These are NOT blood stains.
If they used the timber from another building, they shaved it off with a wood planes and sanded down with rocks to clean it. There is no way they used filthy wood in a visible ceiling, let alone blood.
What you are seeing here are VERY common and happens in buildings with untreated wood (like hinoki) all the time, usually the product of oils or water on the feet and hands. You can see them in a lot of buildings (temples and shrines) today.