To a friend Have you ever been to a temple? Whenever the wind blows at the edge of the eaves, a clear sound rings out. You must have been surprised to look up and see a small fish hanging there. Why a fish, of all things? ## The Fish That Never Closes Its Eyes Fish have no eyelids, so they keep their eyes open even when they sleep. That's why monks long ago thought of fish as animals that are always awake. The fish in a wind chime is telling you, "Don't doze off. Stay alert and study." It makes a sound every time the wind blows, so you'd startle awake even if you were dozing, wouldn't you? The big wooden fish drum hanging in the temple courtyard, the mokeo, carries the same meaning. They say the mokeo is also a tool for carrying sound to the creatures living in the water. ## Try This When You Go Look for the fish-shaped wind chime at the end of the eaves. Its eyes are wide open. A wind chime only makes sound when there's wind, so an autumn afternoon is a lovely time to visit. Pause for a moment beneath the wind chime and just listen to the sound. At the temple, please lower your voice and walk slowly. It's also a place where monks practice. Check the sign at the entrance first to see whether you can take photos inside the main hall. If you stay quiet, you can hear the wind chimes better.