Japan : Buddhist Chanting at Chion-in temple.

Chion-in temple in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto is the headquarters of the Jodo Shu (Pure Land Sect). It wasn't actually on the list of temples that we wanted to visit, be we were lucky to stumble across it when we did because a chant was in progress. We knelt down and listened for some time. People came and went throughout, taking some time out to listen. After removing their shoes, a lot of people put them in plastic bags. In this recording, in addition to the chanting, you can hear a lot of these plastic bags rustle as they were set down on the ground.

Recorded on 25 March 2009