Kashii Jingu

 

Kashii Shrine is a large shrine complex a little north of Hakata in Fukuoka. Sometimes called Kashiigu, it used to be called Kashii Jingu and that is the name of the nearest station.

In front of the shrine is a delightful pond garden with a Benzaiten Shrine.

According to the records the shrine was founded in 723, although it seems that it was not technically a shrine at that time but a mausoleum, which many historians believe was the first example in Japan of this mainland Asian concept.

According to the myths, this was the site of a temporary palace for Emperor Chuai and his consort Jingu on their military campaign to subdue the local Kumaso people.

Chuai died here and Jingu built a mausoleum for him before going on to invade and conquer Korea, something for which there is zero evidence of.

It is said that later she was also enshrined here and the two mausoleums together became what is now Kashii Shrine.

According to the records the site changed into being a shrine from being a mausoleum in the 10th century.

The shrine grew in status and is now one of the 16 shrines nationwide that still receive offerings from Imperial envoys.

The shrine was burned down numerous times during its history.

The current main hall dates back to 1801. Other structures date back to the end of the 19th century.

One notable feature is the Ayasugi, photo 9, an ancient tree encircled with a vermillion fence. According to the legend Jingu buried objects here on her return from Korea including twings of sugi, Japanese Cedar, that had been carried inside her armour. According to this myth the tree is supposedly 1,800 years old.

The main kami of the shrine are Emperor Chuai and Empress Jingu along with their son, Ojin / Hachiman, and the Sumiyoshi Kami.

There are lots of other shrines within the grounds, including an Inari and a Keihi shrine, photo 11.

There is a Takeuchi Shrine enshrining the famous minister serving Chuai and Jingu and several other emperors as he is said to have died at  280 years of age. He is enshrined at many shrines in Japan but his main shrine is Ube Shrine in Tottori. Makio Shrine, last photo, enshrines another minister, Nakatomi Ikatsu Omuraji.

Other shrines are a Hamao Shrine, a Kutose Shrine, a Hirano Shrine, an Inkeya Shrine, A Takaba Shrine, and a Hayatsuju Shrine.

There are many, many shrines and sites around this part of northern Kyushu with connection to the myth of Jingu, many of which I visited, so it seems fairly certain that there was a powerful female leader in the area. The dates of 3rd century are patently absurd, though that doesn't stop many from claiming them as historical fact. Some historians in the Edo Period suggest the Jingu myths refer to Himiko. The invasion of Korea has absolutely zero evidence, though there is lots of evidence suggesting an importation of people, ideas, and technology from the Korean Peninsula in the 5th century, the more likely time of any historical "Jingu".

The previous post in this series on Day 76 of my Kyushu Pilgrimage was on Hakozaki Shrine.

Akiya Coast Ama Island

The Akiya Coast is a section of scenic coastline in the northwest of Ama Island.

Some of the inlets on the island are home to what I believe are oyster farms, though they could be another form of shellfish farming.

There are also numerous fishing harbours.

Like the rest of the Oki Islands, the sea is incredibly clean and clear, ideal for swimming, snorkelling, and diving.

Ama is the third-largest of the islands that make up the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan off the coast of mainland Shimane, four of which are inhabited.

Collectively the Oki Islands are a UNESCO Global Geopark and so there is lots of explanatory signboards, in English, of the volcanic geology you can see.

 The Akiya coastline is not quite as dramatic as some of the other sites like theKuniga Coast or Candle Rock, but is nonetheless picturesque, with views across to Dogo, the largest of the islands.

Apparently the site is being marketed as a "powaa supoto" for lovers as the offshore rock formation has an opening that is shaped like a heart when viewed from one end of the beach, and also because a nearby shrine has a myth of a goddess giving birth here.

The previous post in this series was on Tengawa no Mizu Spring.

Hakozakigu Shrine

 

Hakozaki Shrine was founded in 923 when the wakemitama, divided spirit, was enshrined here in Hakata after being brought from the Daibu Hachiman Shrine in what is now Iizuka.

By the 12th century it had become the Ichinomiys, the highest ranked shrine in the province.

During the first Mongol Invasion in 1274 the shrine was burned down.

When the shrine was rebuilt the Emperor Kemeyama sent a scroll with the message "May the enemy nations prostrate themselves (in defeat)" The carved sign above the main gate has this inscription in a copy of the emperors own hand. There are however various theories about exactly which emperors sent the inscription first, and when. 

The shrine burned down several more times during wars, and when Hideyoshi had his campaign to subdue Kyushu he made Hakozaki Shrine his headquarters.

The main gate, photo 1 above, and several buildings are all Important Cultural Properties and date to the mid 16th century when the shrine was rebuilt by Ouchi Yoshitaka.

The current carving of the inscription above the gate dates from 1573 when the gate was rebuilt.

The shrine covers a very large area and is quite spacious, though paintings show that prior to 1868 there were many pagodas and other Buddhist structures within the ground.

Originally just a short distance from the sea, as the land has encroached on the sea the road leading to the shrine from the water has gotten longer.

Being a Hachiman shrine, the primary kami are Ojin, Jingu, and Tamayorihime.

In the penultimate photo below, a red fence encircles a pine tree known as the Box Pine. It is said that when Ojin was born, not far away in the hills overlooking what is now Fukuoka, his umbilical cord was placed in a box and buried on this spot.

Hakozaki means "Cape of the box".

I visited early in the morning of  76th day of my walk along the Kyushu 108 temple Pilgrimage. The previous post was on a small. local Kumano Shrine south of Fukuoka City

The Sesshu Garden in Autumn

 

Tuesday 25th November 2014 and I begin day 22 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage with a visit to Jyoeiji Temple in Yamaguchi City.

Jyoeiji is home to what is considered the greatest garden by Sesshu, so much so that it is simply called The Sesshu Garden.

Sesshu (1420-1506) was a famous Zen monk known mostly as a painter although he was also a garden designer.

Known for creating a distinctly Japanese style of ink-wash painting, his garden are less well known, primarily I think because the majority of the ones that survive are off the beaten tourist track in Yanaguchi, Shimane, and Oita.

I mentioned in an earlier post on the gardens at Komyozenji Temple in Dazaifu that the modern garden designer Mirei Shigemori was one of the initial inspirations for my interest in Japanese gardens, and the second major inspiration was the gardens of Sesshu.

Sesshu was born in what is now Soja in Okayama Prefecture, and the most famous legend about him concerns him as an acolyte.

As a young monk he did study in Kyoto for a while, and a very small garden attributed to him still survives there, but he spent most of his life outside of Kyoto.

The garden at Jyoeiji was designed and built for Ouchi Masanori. The Ouchi were a powerful family who ruled over Suo Province and were involved in the Onin War.

The Onin War, 1467 to 1477, laid waste to Kyoto and  is considered the beginning of the long Warring States Period.

Ouchi Masanori established Yamaguchi as haven of art and culture during this time, including inviting Sesshu.

The garden was built at Masahiro's villa, some ways from his main palace.

Later he established a temple on the site, and centuries later when the Mori Clan ruled the area they transferred Jyoeiji Temple here.

The front part of the garden is grassy with many stone arrangements.

Behind it is a large pond with numerous features.

It is a stroll-type garden with a path going around. At a high point is a gazebo overlooking the pond.

The west side of the garden is planted with bamboo and maple.

One of the main features is a large "dry waterfall" stone arrangement.

The pond features a Turtle Island, a Crane island, a boat stone, and a carp stone in front of the dry waterfall.

As well as the Sesshu Garden, the temple also has two karesansui gardens including one designed by Mirei Shigemori.

In this post I have concentrated on the autumn colours, but in later posts I will cover the karesansui gardens, the Sesshu garden in more detail, and some of the artwork and statuary at the temple.

Previously I posted on the autumn colours at Kyorinbo Temple in Shiga.

There is a lot to see in Yamaguchi City, including one of the Three Great Pagodas of Japan.