The Path in Autumn

The path through the garden at the former Chikurin-in Temple in Sakamoto. December 2019.

Sometimes I think I will just post a single photo that I like. I have about 150,000 to choose from.

My own tastes are for photos that I think look like paintings and/or of details......not the big picture. Often leaning towards the abstract and/or geometric.....

Of course my photos are available for purchase, either in print form, or digitally.

I have sold some photos for book and CD covers, etc, and licensed  a lot for different websites, but I would like to sell more......

Hiyoshi Taisha part 2

The first shrine building to be built here was probably built around the latter part of the seventh Century. For a brief period the “ emperor” known as Tenji moved his court from the Yamato Plain to Otsu a few miles south of Hie, and he brought with him and enshrined in what is now the western compound of Hiyoshi Taisha the kami of Miwa, Onamuchi, the Yamato aspect of Okuninushi. So both of the first kami enshrined here trace their roots to Izumo.

The Mikoshi of Hie are quite famous, and a special storeroom/museum exists to display examples of older ones. Enryaku-ji had become a powerful economic and political force by the 12^th Century, and the monks used the mikoshi to “attack” Kyoto to coerce the government to accede to demands. The mikoshi were taken up and over Hiezan and the monks marched on Kyoto and left the mikoshi at various points around the city. Kami were feared as well as revered, and fear of the anger of the kami in the mikoshi put pressure on the government.

Under the control of the Tendai monastery Enryaku-ji there developed the cult of Sanno at Hie. Known as the Mountain King, developed from the center of Tendai in China, the messenger of Sanno is the monkey.

In all a total of 108 upper and 108 lower shrines were constructed here. 108 is a significant number in Buddhism. many of the shrines have long gone, but many remain. Some of the shrines are Usa, enshrining hachiman, Shirayama, enshrining Izanagi and Izanami, Otoshi, the father of Oyamakui, the shrines main kami , and a Suga, enshrining Susano, Oyamakuis grandfather.

The frounds of Hiyoshi are very large and many visitors come for the Fall foliage. There is even a restaurant and tea room within the forest.

Hiyoshi has a unique torii. Often referred to as　symbolizing the mountain, the triangle actually symbolizes the unity of buddhas and kami. It was removed in 1869 with shinbutsubunri, but reinstated after WWII.

Hiyoshi Taisha

Hiyoshi Taisha, also known as the Hie shrines, lie at the foot of eastern slopes of Mount Hie, in Sakamoto , Shiga Prefecture.

It is a large complex of shrines, though not as large as it was. At the height of its power there were 108 shrines within its grounds.

Like many shrines the identity of the kami enshrined have undergone may changes over the years.

The shrine grew to prominence as the tutelary shrines of the Tendai monastery complex on top of Mt Hie, Enryaku-ji. Like Enryaku-ji, the Hie shrines were razed to the ground by Oda Nobunaga in 1571, so none of the building date back earlier than that.

The area around Hiezan and Lake Biwa was settled by immigrant clans from the Korean peninsular, and the very first “shrine” here was worshipped by them, although no buildings buildings yet existed. Near the top of Mt. Hachioji, a foothill of Mt Hie, stands a hug rock with a flat surface. Known as the Golden Rock as it reflects the morning sun, this was probably the first shrine, and the kami was Oyamakui, a harvest deity, a son of Otoshi, one of Susano's many sons. Many of Otoshi's other “children” were kami also worshipped by immigrant clans.

Two shrine buildings now flank the Golden Rock, and a long, wide, staircase goes up there from the lower shrines.