Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Day 8 Gassan Toda castle to Yasugi

Day 8 started on top of the mountain at the ruins of Gassan Toda Castle. My route today is down the mountain then north along the river before turning East.

I will head towards Daisen over in Tottori before reaching temple number 20 Chodaiji, close to the border with Tottori.

Then a little way north to Kiyomizudera and then hopefully Unjuji.

Most of the route will take me into areas I have never visited so I look forward to discovering some interesting shrines.

Takada Aragami-sha

This little shrine is located between Tokoji and Shoin Shrine in Hagi, Yamaguchi. It was founded in 771 and so precedes the establishment of Hagi as a castle town by almost a millenia. It is the shrine that protects the local area.

Aragami is most often translates as "Rough Deity", though some say it means "evil deity". I prefer "Turbulent Deity". Most instances I have come across the aragami is nameless, but here it refers to Susano. I have heard Susano referred to as aragami elsewhere in Yamaguchi too.

Also enshrined here are Okitsuhiko and Okitsuhime, a male/female pair that are often called the Kami of the Hearth or Kitchen or  sometimes the kami of the cauldron and the pot.

They are both descendants of Susano, through his son Otoshi.

East along the coast is a town called Susa, and when I was first researching Susano I made a trip there to see if there was any connection with Susano, but coulod find none. recently however I can across a local story west of here at Omijima that says Susano used to leave from Omijima on his journeys back to the Korean Peninsula, which makes sense as that is the closest point of Honshu to the peninsula.

Sunset and Sunrise from Gassan Toda castle

The view from the ruins of Gassan Toda Castle make it clear why the site was chosen for the castle.

To the north the Hirose River runs into the Nakaumi at Yasugi.

It must have looked quite different at night when the castle still stood, before the advent of electric light.

This was the second time I had slept out here, though since my first visit a structure had been built so I could sleep under a roof.

Time to head down the mountain and begin day 8 of my Izumo 33 Pilgrimage....

Manhole Whales

This first one is from Shishikui Town on the Tokushima coast down near the border with Kochi. I believe you can go whale watching there....

These next two are from Muroto City on the other side of the Muroto Peninsula in Kochi. They certainly offer whale watching boat trips.

The last two are from Omijima Island off the north coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was once a whaling area though whaling ceased in the first decade of the twentieth Century.

There is a small but interesting museum on whaling there and the traditions are still remembered in festivals.

Gassan Toda Castle

Gassan, at only 184 meters above sea level is not particularly high, but its shape makes it an obvious choice for a castle, so its not surprising that there was one here for about 1,000 years.

Gassan Toda castle is classified as one of the top 100 castles in Japan, and one of the top 3 mountain castles of the Sengoku period. It is most strongly associated with the Amago Clan who ruled over a large territory

Gradually the Amago lost ground to the Mori Clan, until eventually the Amago made their last stand here.
The castle withstood a first siege, but fell during a second siege, and if I remember correctly it was due to treachery by one of the Amago vassals. It seems that an awful lot of battles were won by vassals switching sides. So much for bushido and loyalty, treachery seems to be the norm.

In 1600 Ieyasu gave the domain to Yoshiharu Horio, but he decided to move his headquarters to what is now Matsue so he dismantled Gassan Toda and used it in the construction of Matsue Castle.

Since the last time I was here they have built a couple of small reconstructed buildings, including one right on top of the mountain where the keep once stood. Last time I slept out here I slept on a bench. Now I have a roof.

Lotus Blossoms at Yokei-ji

Started walking the Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage last week.

At Yokei-ji the lotuses were in bloom.

It's a Tendai temple, and number 2 on the pilgrimage located on a hilltop overlooking the river east of Okayama City

Thats all,..... just flower porn :)

Marine Day

Monday was Marine Day, a national holiday when everyone goes to the beach.

Well, everyone who CAN  go to the beach, go to the beach. In the Iwami region we are lucky to have many fine, white beaches.

We went to a group of small beaches and coves closest to our house. There are no signs to it, just a small road leading off the main road, but local people know it is there.

Right in front of the area where cars can be parked were several families, so we walked a few minutes to the next little cove. There was a family there.

So we walked another couple of minutes to the next little cove and there was no-one there, so we were able to enjoy our private beach.

Diamond City Soleil

When it opened in 2004, Aeon Mall Hiroshimafuchu Soleil, had the much snappier name of  Diamond City Soleil, which is the name it is still popularly called.

It was built on the site of the former brewery of Kirin beer, and the original smokestack/chimney has been incorporated into the mall after having been suitably decorated.

The chimney artwork is about the only thing to distinguish the "Mega Shopping Mall" from the hundreds if not thousands of others all over the globe housing products of global brands.

I have to admit that I find no attraction in such places and can only feel like a visitor from another world....

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 18 Iwakurader

Iwakuradera the 18th temple of the pilgrimage is just a single, small hall located right next to temple 19.

It is actually probably much older than Kannonji (temple 19) and was probably originally located higher up the mountainside.

According to the legend the temple was founded by Gyoki, which would make it early 8th Century. The honzon is also attributed to him.

It is now a Shingon temple.

Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage Temple 25 Shinshoji

Shinshoji, temple number 25, is only a few kilometers north of number 24, Hotsumisakiji on the tip of Cape Muroto.

According to the legend it was founded by Kukai in 807 who is also credited with carving the honzon, Jizo.

The ships wheel is a motif that appears around the temple and the many small jizo statues are holding a ships wheel. According to the legend the local lord was saved from shipwreck by Jizo who took the helm.

The temple was destroyed in the early years of Meiji but rebuilt in the 1890's. It belongs to the Shingon sect.

The concrete main hall was built in 1950, and from it there are great views down on the harbour.

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