Achi Shrine Kurashiki

 

Achi Shrine is located on a hilltop overlooking the Bikan Historic District in Kurashiki, and is now the pre-eminent shrine of the area.

The chinowa, the circular "rope" of grass for purification can be found at different times of the year at diferent shrines. Here it was mid August.

It is believed that in ancient times this was the site of a garden belonging to the local ruling clan and there is supposed to be remnants of a cran and turtle island stone arrangement from that time.

Around tye time the area started to develop as a political and merchant centre, a Myoken Shrine was moved here from a nearby temple.

Until 1868 it was known as Myoken-gu and changed the name to Achi Shrine at the time of Shinbutsu bunri.

The first shrine buildings were built in 1620.

The three main kami are now said to be the Munakata Princesses, Tagirihime, Tagitsuhime, and Ichikishimahime, collectively known for marine safety.

Myoken was a very popular shrine in Japan, dedicated to the Buddhist deity of the North Star. When most Myoken shrines were changed in 1868 they switched to a pair of obscure kami from the Kojiki. Why they chose the Munakata Kami here is a mystery.

There are a wide variety of secondary shrines and kami in the grounds including a Susano shrine that also brought in several other local shrine kami in the so-called shrine mergers of 1910.

A Tenmangu shrine also enshrines Yamato Takeru, Sarutahiko, and Omononushi as well as Sugawara Michizane. Curiously there were lots of Daruma dolls at this shrine.

Another sub-shrine enshrines Okuninushi, Kotoshironushi, and Homusubi.

There is also an Inari shrine brought here from nearby in the early 20th century. The shrine grounds has quite a famous Wisteria, and a Noh stage also.

I visited at the start of day 8 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage as I headed south out of Kurashiki towards the next temple, Rendaiji. The previous post was on Kurashiki Silhouettes the evening before.

Asaharasan Anyoji Temple

 

Anyoji Temple is located just below Asahara Pass in the mountains between Kurashiki and Soja.

It was a large and important temple complex in earlier times and is now a little off any of the main tourist routes.

Its origins lie in the late 8th century when it is said Kobo Daishi performed ceremonies here before he travelled to China. Many sources suggest the involvement of a legendary mink, Hoon Daishi, who is said to have founded 48 temples in what is now the Okayama area, including Kinzanji 

The honzon of Anyoji is Bishamonten, and many statues of him, at least 42 I believe.

In the 11th century, when the temple was very powerful, 100 life-size statues of Bishamonten were carved. Some of the surviving ones are on display in the Jogando.

One of the pair of Nio guardians in front of the temple bell. Weighing about 11 tons is said to be the biggest temple bell in the Chugoku and Shikoku region.

During the height of its power quite a few high-ranking monks served here.

In 1201 the temple converted from Tendai to Shingon.

Many treasures have been excavated from sutra mounds built behind the temple in the 11th century.

A castle stood on the mountain not far from the temple complex and in 1336 much of the huge temple complex was destroyed in a battle between the Northern and Southern Courts.

The temple was rebuilt and continued to be an important centre.

In 1667 the temples surrounding Anyoji were closed down by the anti-Buddhist policy of the ruling Ikeda Clan. Perhaps Anyoji was spared because of its syncretic nature?

There is a lot to see at Anyoji. In previous posts I have covered the 

"floating" Dragon Kannon Hall

The Seven Lucky Gods

The Pagoda

The Teahouse.

More recently,

 the Tie-Cutting Fudo Myoo 

and Bishamonten statues nd other Treasures

In Japan Bishamnten has become associated with the Tiger because of a legend about Shotoku Taishi.

The main hall has a shimenawa and there are multiple Torii in the grounds, indicating this is a syncretic site where distinctions between Buddhism nd Shinto are blurred. In the Daishido, photo below, is a statue of Zao Gongen, protector of the mountain, and the main deity of the syncretic Shugendo.

The new Daishi-do was under construction when I visited but opened in 2018.

Inside the main hall.

Possibly this is a small sculpture of Fukurokuju, one of the Seven Lucky Gods.

The photo below is of what is now called Susano Shrine, though earlier it was known as Gion-sha and Gozu Tenno-sha. It was established here in the late 9th century.

Mishima Shrine Kawakudari

 

Kawakudari is a small settlement on the Gonokawa River between Imbara and Kawamoto. I arrived here  towards the end of my 7th day walking the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage, ready to catch the bus downriver to my home.

The village shrine was established in 1394 by the son of the first Iwami-Ogasawara Clan lord to enshrine Mishima Daimyojin. The main kami is Oyamazumi whose head shrine is on Omishima Island between Honshu and Shikoku, and I believe Mishima shrines derive from the main one in Shizuoka.

The tengai inside indicates that in earlier times kagura would have been performed here, but seems to not be in use nowadays. In the grounds is a small kasuga shrine and an Inari shrine, quite possibly moved here from nearby early in the twentieth century.

The previous post in the series was on Chokoji Temple, the 10th on the pilgrimage.

Miho Shrine

 

Miho Shrine is a major shrine located at the Eastern tip of the Shimane Peninsula and is the head shrine of about 3,000 Miho shrines throughout Japan.

It is also said to be the head shrine of all Ebisu shrines nationwide, though that is also claimed by Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo.

There are two quite distinct origins for Ebisu, one as the "leech child" born to Izanagi and Izanami, and the other as Kotoshironushi, one of the sons of Okuninushi in Izumo. The former si the basis for Nishinomiya Shrine, and the latter for Miho Shrine in Izumo. In early Meiji Period the government officially classified Ebisu as Kotoshironushi.

Miho Shrine was mentioned in the Izumo Fudoki, the 8th century local gazeteers published shortly after the more famous Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.

It seems quite possible that at first the kami Mihosumi was enshrined here but that later Mihotsuhime and Kotoshironushi became the two kami under the influence of the Kojiki and Nihnshoki.

Mihotsuhime is a wife of Okuninushi, and step-mother to Kotoshironushi.

Their twin hondens are in a unique architecture style and registered as Important Cultural Properties. They were constructed in 1813.

I have not noticed before at other shrines, so am not sure how prevalent the custom is, but above the entrance gate hang two Onusa purification wands.

Kotoshironushi used to go fishing often at his favorite spot on an offshore islet.

He was there when his father, Okuninushi, sent for him to consult about the offer from Amaterasu envoys to hand over the land to her descendants in what is known as the Kuniyuzuri myth.

This event is recreated in two unique festivals involving boats, the Murote Fune held on December 3rd involving two large canoes, and the Aoshibagaki held on April 7th.

The shrine also has an impressive collection of hundreds of musical instruments that have been donated over the centuries.

846 are registered as Important Tangible Folk Cutural Properties and include the first accordion and organ in the country

Often depicted carrying a Sea Bream, Ebisu is well known as a kami of fishing but also safety at sea, and prosperity in business.

Mihotsuhime, a daughter of  Takamimusubi, is known for abundant harvest, marital harmony, safe childbirth, prosperity of descendants, and music and dance.

Mihonoseki is a small port in a sheltered position that was used as a lay-over for the Kitamaebune ships in the Edo period.

Served by buses from Matsue, it is a nice place for a quiet visit and the guesthouse used by Lafcadio Hearn is still in business.

The previous post on sights to see in Matsue was on Jozan Inari Shrine, another shrine with a famous boat festival.