Saikyoji Temple Pagoda

 

When it was constructed, in 1989, the 3-storey pagoda at Saikyoji Temle on Hirado was probably the biggest 3-storey pagoda in Jaan, although larger ones have been built since then.

It is at the okunoin of the temple, overlooking the sheltered harbour and castle of Hirado, once a very important port for international trade before the country was closed down to most trade in the 17th century.

The okunoin is where Kobo Daishi performed his first Goma ceremony after returning from China in 806.

Hirado was also where he left for China a few years earlier and I would be visiting that site next.

Saikyoji is temple 77 on the Kyushu pilgrimage, and the main temple has lots to see so I will be covering that in the next post.

The pagoda stands 33.5 meters tall. On the first floor is an altar to Fudo Myo, and a Fudo statue also stands in front of the pagoda.

From the top floor there are great views over the town, castle, and harbour.

The previous post in this series on day 68 of my walk around Kyushu was on the Tabira Catholic Church on the mainland just across the bridge from Hirado.

Onsenji Temple

 

Onsenji is the guardian temple of Kinosaki Onsen in Toyooka, Hyogo, and is located halfway up Daishiyama Mountain overlooking the hot spring town.

According to the legend it was founded in 738 by Dochi Shonin who spent 1,000 days in ascetic practise before a spring arose. It was traditional for visitors to visit the temple before heading to the healing baths of Kinosaki.

There are some temple structures at the base of the mountain where the steps up to te main temple begin, and the temple also has its own stop of the ropeway that goes to the mountaintop where the okunoin of the temple ( photo 8) is adjacent to the ropeway station.

The main hall of the temple dates back to the late 14th century and is the oldest wooden building in the former province of Tajima.

The honzon is a "secret buddha" and is only shown to the public once every 33 years. It is a Thousand-Armed Kannon built from a single piece of wood said to be from the same tree as the honzon of the famous Hasedera Temple in Nara.

Set among some giant trees, the temple has a Tahoto, a Shingon-style pagoda, was rebuilt in 1767.

Though the honzon is not shown, the main hall does have some nice statuary and the settings and architecture of Onsenji are quite picturesque. I will cover the main gate and lower buildings in a later post. The previous post in this series on Toyooka was the Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway.

Kozanji Temple Tanabe

 

Kozanji is a popular temple complex with large cemetery and grounds in Tanabe, Wakayama.

It is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi, though another source suggests it was founded much earlier during the time of Shotoku Taishi.

The Tahoto, Shingon-style pagoda, has become the symbol of the temple. It was built in 1816 and is dedicated to Prince Shotoku.

Other buildings include 2 Yakushi-do's, a Daishi-do, a Fudo-do, and a Kannon-do.

During the Warring States Period, in the late 17th century the temple was destroyed during Hideyoshi's invasion of the area, but was rebuilt later and in the Edo Period changed its name to Kozanji.

It was pouring with rain when I visited on my way out of Tanabe heading north along the Kumano Kodo towards Osaka on the 5th day of my walk along the Saigoku Pilgrimage.

Many people visit Kozanji to pay respect at the grave of Ueshiba Morihei (1883-1969), a locally-born  man who is known as the founder of the martial art called Aikido.

With millions of practitioners in more than 140 countries world-wide, some make the pilgrimage to his grave here.

Another of Tanabe's famous sons buried here is Munakata Kumagusu, an eccentric scientist who is gaining in notoriety and is sometimes referred to as the first environmentalist in Japan.

As well as being the site of his grave, the grounds of the temple were a place he spent a lot of time collecting specimens, and where it is believed his campaign against the government program of shrine closures took form.

The previous post in this series on the Saigoku Pilgrimage was the former residence of Minakata Kumagusu.

Fumyozan Koyaji Temple 61 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Koya Temple near Takeo Onsen in Saga, is said to be named after Koyasan, the base of Shingon Buddhism, as the area is similar in appearance.

It is also said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi himself as he was wandering around north Kyushu after his visit to Tang China.

When I arrived in 2014 there was a construction site right inside the main gate. I believe the garden was being built or refurbished.

Unusually there was an exterior, stone statue of Enma, known as the King of Hell. Usually, he is found inside his own hall.

The honzon of the temple is a Thousand-armed Kannon, apparently said to be the largest in Kyushu, but unfortunately, I didnt enter any of the buildings.

There were several Fudo statues in the grounds, including this rather large one. There is also a Fudo hall with a Fudo statue that is known for answering prayers for financial prosperity.

It seems that the buildings only date back to 2006.

The temple is known for its large collection of rhododendron plants.

The garden is now known for Autumn foliage but there is now a 500 yen entry fee to the garden.

The previous post in the series was of Mizuko Jizo at this temple.

Tashima Oimatsu Shrine

 

Tashima is a small farming hamlet  north of the river in the Chikugo River Plain. I passed through and stopped in at the local shrine while walking between Nanrinji Temple and Joshinin Temple.

It was January 3rd, still well into the period when shrines have most visitors, and I suspect the two young women with girls were making their first shrine visit of the year.

For new year the banners were flying and the shrine had a length of fresh cut bamboo placed along the shimenawa.

This was another Oimatsu Shrine, the vast majority of which are located here in Fukuoka, and which enshrines Sugawara Michizane who died not far from here in Dazaifu. Most shrines for Michizane are named Tenmangu or Tenjin Shrine, and there are also numerous of those in the area, so exactly what the difference is between a Tenmagu and an Oimatsu Shrine, is unknown to me.

Unusually there was a Buddhist pagoda at the shrine. It seemed to be a modern construction, so maybe replaced an original that was removed in 1868?

Kumadaniji Temple Revisited

Kumadaniji Temple 熊谷寺

The Tahoto, two-storied pagoda, at Kumadaniji Temple. Built in 1701, it is an Important Cultural property of Tokushima. The Tahoto is usually found at Shingon and sometimes Tendai temples.Kumadaniji is Shungon.

It is temple number 8 on the Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage, but I was revisiting it on day 2 of my walk along the Shikoku Fudo Myoo pilgrimage which followed a similar route for the first day and a half.

Earlier I posted about the impressive Niomon gate that stands out in the valley. At the Sanmon, Mountain gate, of the temple there were a pair of Shitenno guardians, Jikokuten, I believe, pictured above.

The main hall of the temple burned down in 1928, but the Daishido, pictured above, survived. It was built in 1774.

A statue of Kobo Daishi as a mendicant monk stands in front of the bell tower.

A statue of Bishamointen, another of the Shitenno, at Kumadaniji Templenin Tokushima.