Visited the Shōden-in Temple today. This is the only temple I’ve ever visited in Japan that is Korean. I learned that it was erected in the 1300s by Korean refugees fleeing war (complete destruction of a kingdom) on the peninsula. For those that know their history the Japanese / Korean relationship is ancient and extremely *complex* to put it mildly. I was fascinated to learn that Korean refugees were permitted to stay, given land and had a community strong enough to thrive which over time blended in to the host culture.
I certainly learned something new today.
http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-temples-shrines/koma-shrine
