I recently went to Kyoto and had a lovely time but I found going inside some of the temples quite creepy. A few temples I went into were really dark with lots of dark Buddhist states staring back at you. I generally find human-like statues to be quite creepy anyway but this was kind of another level. I found myself waiting outside while my friends went in.. ! Does anyone else find this? Bizarrely, I quite enjoyed the shrines, perhaps due to the lack of statues.
Just to add: I completely respect that these are sacred places to some people even though I’m agnostic myself. It may just be automatonophobia (fear of statues).
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I grew up a Buddhist so I am very used to it. But you made a good point. It does sounds very creepy indeed.
You mean sacred Instead of scared?
Nope
Temples in Japan are devoted to Buddhist deities which are revered through the statues. Shrines in Japan are devoted to Shinto or nature spirits, and so do not feature such statues. Shintoism revers the natural world (hence the motifs of animals like foxes, wood and water etc.) whereas Buddhism revers Buddha and his Values of Enlightenment.
Yes. Wonderfully creepy.