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.

Kiyama Temple a remnant of Shinbutsu

 

Kiyama Temple is located at more than 400 meters above sea level on a mountain in the northern part of Okayama prefecture.

With a large torii at the entrance one might be forgiven for thinking that it was a shrine, and not a temple, but it is an example of what was very common in the old days, a religious site with elements of both Buddhism and Shinto, Shinbutsu.

In 1868 the government decreed that Kami and Buddhas were to be separated, a process akin to unscrambling eggs. This was done for ideological and political reasons, to create a "national" religion.

Here on Kiyama, the site used to be called Kiyama-Gu, but in 1868 it became Kiyama Temple and down below a new site, Kiyama Shrine was constructed. I covered Kiyama Shrine in a post with 24 photos earlier.

The founding legend says that Kobo Daishi himself was in the area in 815. An old woodcutter guided him to the mountain and suggested it was a good spot for a temple.

Kobo Daishi recognized the man as a manifestation of Yakushi Nyorai and founded the temple here with  a Yakushi Nyorai statue.

I visited in early August after climbing up from Kiyama Shrine, and there was not another single person, visitor or staff, around the whole time I was there. Kiyama Temple is temple number 4 on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, and this was late on my fifth day of walking it.

The entrance is across a big lotus pond with a Benzaiten Shrine in the middle of it, photo 3. 

Benzaiten is another deity that is problematic if you want to think in terms of a distinction between Buddhism and Shinto. Originally a Hindu deity, introduced into Japan by esoteric Buddhism, she later became a kami in Shinto.

The main gate, photo 4, here called Furomon, is said to be the oldest structure at the site, though I can't find an exact date for it.

The main hall also has a big torii in front of it. As well as Yakushi Nyorai, it also enshrined the two guardian deities, Gozu Tenno, and Inari.

Gozu Tenno was the deity of Gion-sha, the origin of the famous Gion Matsuri and now called Yasaka Shrine. Some sources suggest he was originally from India by way of Tibet and China, but most suggest a Korean origin for this deity.

Long equated with Susano, in 1868 the "kami" previously known as Gozu Tenno officially became Susano.

Inari as also a problem for those who think in terms of a pure, Indigenous "shinto".

There is no mention of Inari in the Kojiki and Nihongi, the texts seen as fundamental to "native" shinto. Inari is now equated with Ukanomitama, the post-1868 identity. rior to that Inari was often equated with Dakiniten, a Buddhist deity with Indian origins.

There are actually numerous secondary, small shrines to different Inari within the grounds of Kiyama Temple.

There is also a Koshin-do, a shrine to the Koshin deity, Daoist in origin, and very popular in pre-modern Japan, the Koshin cult brought us the Three Wise Monkeys, and the Sarubobo dolls.

Pictured above, the Kannon-do with its carved reliefs looks like a shinto honden, because that is what is was until 1868. It held the shintai that were moved to the new Kiyama shrine further down he mountain.

Pictured above, the Daishi-do was originally the main hall of the temple.

As well as Kobo Daishi it also enshrines Fudo Myo and Aizen Myo

So, a very complex mix of deities at this site, indicating a much richer and more diverse religious history than a simplistic shinto-buddhist duality.

There are some other large structures within the grounds, including a large guesthouse and storehouse, yet, as I mentioned before, not a soul around.

The previous post in this series of day 5 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was Kiyama Shrine down below.

Takuan Temple Izushi

 

Takuan Dera is a popular name for Sukyoji Temple in the former castle town of Izushi, Hyogo.

The name comes from Takuan Soho, a locally-born man who became quite a famous monk and for a while lived at the temple. His name has been given to the daikon radish pickles that it is said he invented while here.

The temple was founded at the end of the 14th Century and grew to be quite a sizable monastery and served as the family temple of the ruling clan. During the Warring States period the temple was mostly destroyed.

Along the approach road to the temple are several other temples with one having some rather unusual, carved wooden statues seen in the above two photos.

Takuan Soho returned to Izushi in 1616 at the request of the new Daimyo and began reconstructing the temple. He stayed 8 years and is said to have designed several of the gardens now at the temple. He is also said to have been a teacher of the famed swordsman Miyamoto Musashi.

The gardens are a popular attraction, especially in the Autumn, but the temple is also known for its "Zen Experience" activities that can be booked in advance.

This includes traditional temple food, including the famed pickles, and also sutra copying and other activities.

The primary activity though is zazen seated meditation, done in a meditation hall under the watchful eyes of a sword-yielding statue of Benzaiten

The previous post in this series on Toyooka and Izushi was the gardens of Sukyoji Temple.