Let's go and see turtles ! (20)
Shitennouji temple (Osaka)

Shitennoujji temple is known well as the popular turtle-seeing spot in Osaka.

There is a pond named "Kame no ike" that means "the pond of turtle" in its precinct and we can see a lot of turtles there.

There are two kinds of basking places made to be easy for them to climb in both sides of the pond.

(Lower left)
One of them is a ramp from water. It has good looking though it made by wood that seems to be easy to go bad
I'm sure that it'll be maintained frequently.

(Lower right)
Another is terraced space made of cement. It' also easy to climb because of low stepwise differences.
(April 2016)



When we give them pellet food there.,a great number of turtles Turtles have gathered in front of us.

If you don't like turtles, you must scream.

Even only we stand near the pond and see them they come one after another. It' s maybe because many people give them food.

They all are very friendly.
(April 2016)




There are other ponds where we can see turtles in the precinct.


This is the pond named '"Maruike"
It means round shaped pond.
Its shape are round as the name.
There are a few turtles here.
(April 2016)



This is Japanese garden in precinct.

We could see a turtle also here.
But only this one.

This turtle looks like reeves turtle.
There are few people and it is very quiet here. So this turtle is very coward unlike turtles that we saw in the "pond of turtle"

It fled into water soon after feeling signs of us.
(April 2016)








There is a stone monument standing on the turtle shaped pedestal under trees in this garden. It's long and narrow one.



When we look at it carefully, we can see legs, tail and also ears that is popular on turtle shaped pedestal.
(April 2016)



They say that this garden is called "Garden of the land of Perfect Bliss"due to become the place to remind the land of Perfect Bliss.It's so calm and quiet space that we forget about staying in the middle of big city.

There is also a western style building like left photo in the garden. So we have also the exotic atmosphere there.It is unusual as a garden of temple.
(April 2016)


There is another spot connected turtle
in the precinct though there are no photos because of no photograph area.

It's a turtle made of stone and water is running from its mouth. The water is miracle-working water called "Kamei no mizu"and it is used for memorial services

And a black paperweight shaped turtle like this was sold near there.

(Left) The poster read that this paperweight will become to shine black while using like the photo of upper right.

(Lower right) The turtle pattern on the side of lantern.
(April 2016)





We went out the gate of temple and went for getting souvenir after enjoying turtle seeing enough.


"Tennouji Gennjido" is well known for turtle shaped sponge cake. The shop is near the gateway at the entrance to temple (Upper left)


They say that the sponge cake connected with turtle's pond of Shitennouji temple.



When we entered in the shop, fresh sponge cake were piled there.


They all are made by hand. and just out of the baking machine.



(April 2016)



(Left) A package of turtle sponge cake.Sweet smell spreads as soon as a package is opened. It remembers me old days somehow.

The texture is fluffy.
And the taste is very delicate.

The side of carapace (Upper right)
The side of plastron (Lower right)
Even back side is expressed carefully.

It's easy to eat because of small size.But I am even reluctant to eat them a little because they look just like baby turtles in size and too cute.
(April 2016)





This is a machine for baking the turtle shaped sponge cake.

The shopkeeper allowed me to take pictures of them through the kindness.


Its left side is for carapace.
And the right side is for plastron.
When both sides are put together such cute sponge cake shaped turtles as upper pictures bake.


They are made from fine ingredients without food preservative.
(April 2016)






A lot of turtle's items were decorated in the shop.



"Shitennouji Genjido" has other two shops than here near Shitennouji temple.
(April 2016)