We crept forward in the pitch-black, using our hands to trace the Buddha beads running along the wall. I was in the womb of the Zuigu-bosatsu (the mother of Buddha), otherwise known as the tunnel of Tainai-meguri, preparing to make my wish to the Zuigo stone.
The journey through the darkened temple corridor represents a form of spiritual rebirth. While perhaps not advisable for claustrophobics, the sensory deprivation can be a meditative experience. By focusing on my footsteps, I found my mind was freed of clutter. When we finally exited the tunnel and escaped the darkness, we had apparently gained an enlightened state.
This spiritual journey takes place at the UNESCO World Heritage Kiyomizudera temple. Many of Kyoto's 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines boast this status, but this is one of the oldest and most revered. The temple is situated halfway up Mount Otowa, in Kyoto's Higashiyama ward, but a certain level of
