North Shore of Lake Shinji Part 2

 

Continuing on along the north shore of Lake Shinji, a sign that the lake is used for pleasure and not just commercial fishing.

Up ahead, Shinjiko Onsen and Matsue loom into view.

Matsue English Garden is now closed, but was still open when I passed by. Only Brits of my generation will recognize Bill and Ben, the Flowerpot Men, a childrens TV puppet show from long ago. 

Not sure that anyone at this place would know the reference, but it may also be a nod to the unique folk-art of Isshiki Kazari from Hirata, just along the lake.

With a few small beaches and shallow, calm water, I would expect swimming to be taking place, but swimming has been banned in the lake since 1959 due to water quality.

There was a plan to desalinate the lake, starting in 1974, but with algae blooms and other issues arising from the process it was abandoned in 1988.

In Winter about 40,000 geese and ducks migrate here and overwinter....

This is the largest source of Japanese Basket Clams in Japan. Corbicula japonica are found from Hokkaido to Kyushu, but Lake Shinji accounts for about 40% of the total catch in Japan.

Overfishing and pollution from agricultural runoff have decreased the catch, and now some days fishing is not allowed.

As I approach Shinjiko Onsen, the terminal of the Ichibata Railway, downtown Matsue id clearly visible.

On the opposite shore, the unique architecture of the Shimane Art Museum.

The previous post in this series was on Onotsu Shrine, where I stopped earlier along the lakefront.

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Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts & Culture

 

When I visited this place, when all these photos were taken, it was called the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Shigureden, and it had just opened.

Now it has re-opened as the Saga-Arashiyama Museum of Arts & Culture.

The Hyakunin Isshu is an anthology of one hundred poems by one hundred poets, and the most famous version is the one created by Fujiwara no Teika about 800 years ago while he was living in the Ogura district of Kyoto, and so it is known as the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

The 100 poems were made into card games, karuta in Japanese, in the Edo Period and are still very popular with serious competitions taking place.

Here, each poem is printed along with an English translation and a small figurine of the poet.

Upstairs is a huge open space with tatami flooring and various types of paintings, screens, scrolls, etc

I read that events are planned for the massive second-floor space, including karuta competitions.

The museum is situated right on the bank of the Katsura River, in the heart of the tourist area of Arashiyama.

There is a cafe with a terrace which looks oiut on a modern, but Japanese style garden.

The previous post in this series on Arashiyama was on the historic preservation district at the top of the town.

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Onotsu Shrine

 

While walking along the north shore of Lake Shinji, the first shrine of interest I visited was Onotsu Shrine.

This is yet another shrine that is listed in both the Izumo Fudoki and the Engi Shiki, indicating it is very old and important.

It enshrines Susanoo. After he slew the Orochi serpent, some of its bones and horns washed up on the shore here and are enshrined in the honden.

The shrine is known for a rain-making ritual, although it has not been performed since 1939. For three days the priests gather here and pray, and then the bones are taken out by boat to a spot offshore.

One source claims that the spot the boat goes out to is above a sunken torii that marks t where diagonal lines from the 4 sacred mountains around Lake Shinji cross.

Secondary shrines within the grounds include a Konpira, Shingu, Hiyoshi, Aragami, and  Himosaki shrines.

The dragon/serpent statue is the same style as some I have seen in the Izumo area representing Kojin, the land kami usually represented by a straw rope, yet here the statue has no altar in front of it which suggests it is not Kojin. Maybe it is just a nod to Yamata no Orochi.

The previous post was on the walk along the north shore of Shinji.

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Gongenjima & Uryu Harbour

 

Down below Cape Hinomisaki to the East is a small bay dotted with islets and a small island called Gongenjima.

The island, originally called Yamazakijima, protected the inner bay from inclement weather, and so the area became a safe haven for ships. In ancient times, it was the main harbour on the western half of the Shimane Peninsula and could accommodate 20 ships.

The island's name was changed due to the Kumano Shrine on the island, which derived from an ancient myth.

According to the myth, in AD 143, on the 5th day of the new year, a seagull repeatedly carried some seaweed, wakame, from the island and dropped it on the fence at Hinomisaki Shrine. Thde priest made the seaweed an offeringbto the kami.

In commemoration, every year a ritual is held at the Kumano Shrine on Gongen Island.

To reach the island the fishermen of the area line up all their boats so it forms a pontoon bridge for the priests to walk to the island over.

Traditionally, no one in the area harvests wakame until after this festival.

As well as operating as a fishing harbour, the village of Uryu now has plenty of lodgings, for hobby fishermen and other holidaymakers...

For my deep exploration of the Japan Sea Coast, there is no road from here to the next harbour, Sagiura, about 4k away as the crow ( or seagull) flies, so I have to backtrack a little and cut inland...

The previous post in this series on my walk along the coastline of the Sea of Japan was on Hinomisaki Shrine, an ancient and major shrine of Izumo.

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