Yunotsu: World Heritage Site & Historic Preservation District

 

After a short walk along the Ginzan Kaido from its start, I take a diversion into the main part of the hot spring town of Yunotsu.

Dominating the lower part of the town, the Naito Residence has been the headmans residence for centuries. I believe the family "own" the hot water that fuels the numerous public and private onsens in the town.

Their sprawling property, which has a stone lantern in the garden gifted from Hideyoshi for the family's support during the invasion of Korea, is mostly in need of repair, and recently the property was given Japan Heritage status, so funds are now available and work has begun.

As you head uphill on the narrow street towards the ryokans, you pass Tatsu no Gozen Shrine.

The shrine is where one hour, 2,000 yen Iwami Kagura performaces are held every Saturday. Sorry, but I would rather watch 8 or 9 hours of kagura for free.

A huge rock shaped like a dragons head is above the shrine.

Onamuchi (Okuninushi), Sukunahikona,and Toyotamahime are the main kami. Shrine records were lost in a fire in the 18th century, but an inscription in the main hall dates to 1601.

In the middle of the town, a large temple with impressive gate. Eikoji is a Nichiren sect temple dating to the 16th century and has the tombs of many merchants who profited from the Kitamaebune trade.

In the gate, rather than the typical Nio there are a pair of the Shitenno instead.

At the top of the town the two public "day" spas....

On the way out of town to rejoin the Ginzan Kaido I pass the pottery with its huge noborigama, climbing kiln. I have photos of it in operation and will post eventually.....

The previous post in this series on day 38 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on the Okidomari port and the start of the Ginzan Kaido.

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Picturesque East Coast of Dogo Island

Dogo, the largest of the Oki islands in the Japan Sea off the coast of Shimane, remains one of my favourite places in Japan.

Like many places far from the Shinkansen, it has no overtourism.

On the first day of my three-day walk around the coastline of the island, I left the Sasaki Residence and started walking up the east coast.

The Oki Islands are a UNESCO Global Geopark which means there are plenty of signage in English, especially around the numerous sites of geological interest.

I have little knowledge of geology, though I do enjoy seeing land without vegetation.

In Okubo port there are examples of Green Tuff.....

Soft and makes for some nice eroded shapes.....

Then up along what is called the Kuboro Coast....

There are several observation decks with nice views, but walking, to me, makes the best way to view such coastlines....

Very little traffic, so no hazard for gently strolling....

Quite unusual to see a roadside Buddhist statue ........ every single temple on the Oki Islands were destroyed in the anti-Buddhist movement of early Meiji....

I was here in early June, 2016, so not too hot to walk, but with nice, long days....

The staggering quantity of concrete poured on Japanese coasts, building breakwaters for tiny harbours, and installing millions of tetrapods, need huge numbers of these crane-barge types of boats...

Kuroshima Island is the next major sight....

For the geologically-minded, the phrase is Mantle Xenoliths....

It's mid-afternoon as I approach Fuse, the largest of the fishing harbours of my walk today. Not big enough for a convenience store though. In fact I will pass no convenience store for three days. There is a single Yamazaki store on the island. No Lawsons, no Family Mart, no 7-11.....

The previous post was on the delightful, large Sasaki Residence, a traditional village Headmans residence.

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Okidomari Port & the Ginzan Highway

 

I started day 38 of my walk alog the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage at Okidomari, the small port that serviced the Iwami Ginzan silver mines. The port and the mines as well as the road I am taking, the Ginzan Kaido, are all part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For more info on the port and Ginzan Kaido, please see this earlier post.

The next temples on the pilgrimage are a cluster around Izumo. The fastes way would be togo straight up the national highway, route 9, but it would also be the most boring. One of the temples is in the foothills of the Chugoku Mountains, so I have decided to cut inland and head along a mountainous route.

There are still a few houses inhabited in the old harbour village, but less each time I visit.

The Ginzan Kaido heads up through the settlement and then into a  bamboo grove before climbing out.

Not as manicured as the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, but 10,000 percent fewer people....

The previous post was on the last stop of the day before, Kannonji Temple in Gotsu Honmachi

If you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts.