Neighborhood Shrines/Temples, Part I

Today is another national public holiday here, Labor Thanksgiving Day.  As the name would indicate, it is kind of a combination of Labor Day and Thanksgiving.  Minus the turkey and Pilgrims.  I was advised to stay away from the mall today so it appears as if shopping is again a popular way to celebrate, although I hear there are some festivals here and there.   Everyone is supposed to give thanks to one another and think about peace and productivity and so on....

Anyway, a long time ago it was just a harvest festival which leads me to the shrine part of the post.  A few days ago I was looking at our neighborhood on GoogleMaps.  I noticed that the mysterious Shinto shrine a block over from our house was actually on the map.  With a name and everything.   If you recall, Chad and I found it the first week we were here but at the time we just gaped at it cluelessly.  I photographed it, sketched it once and then forgot about it.

Japanese roof tiles are fun to draw

Before I continue, if you want to know more about Shinto, go here and read about the shrines, which I think is more interesting than the page about the religion in general.  In a tiny nutshell, it's heavy on nature worship and not big on proselytizing. 

At any rate, finding this shrine on the map inspired me to visit it again.  And after much mental exertion I managed to translate the name of it ( 賀茂神社), to roughly kamo jinja or rather "celebrate thick growth shrine".  Thus, I believe it to be dedicated to praying for, and celebrating, plentiful harvests.  For the record, I haven't ever seen anyone at this shrine and it looks a little unloved.  There is litter around and it's in need of some repair. 

it says the name of the shrine.....more or less

I think this is an empty temizuya, typically full of
water to clean your mouth and hands before entering.
and I think those are tourou, or stone lanterns, behind it

massha/sessha (extra mini-shrines) off to the side--
also notice the picturesque laundry in the background.

this warehouse looking building off to the side
doesn't look like part of it but this says (roughly)
"shrine duties place" so perhaps it is the admin. offices

I think this is a komainu (lion-dog shrine guardian)
on the roof although usually they are on the ground
by the entrance. 

this is the main building.  above the door is the name of the shrine again.  I
tried translating some of the green banners but my brain locked down before
I could make much of it out.

Oh, and I named this post "part I" because I intend to eventually explore a few others that I've discovered within bicycling distance of our house. ;)