Bridges at Shurakuen Garden Tsuyama

Bridges at Shurakuen Garden Tsuyama

The Shurakuen garden in Tsuyama is an Edo-period stroll-type garden that is dominated by water.

As such there are numerous bridges across narrow sections, though none of the classic vermillion bridges or Chinese style "drum" bridges found at many gardens.

This is the smallest bridge there.....

And this kind of walkway is fairly common in many traditional japanese gardens....

But most of the bridges were quite rudimentary, wooden structures....

Though these are not.....

many of these bridges were covered in earth......

As you can see, Water Lillies dominate the garden...... water Lillies here on this link, and more general views of the garden on this link.

Tojin Memorial Ishigaki

Tojin Memorial Ishigaki 石垣島

Hidden away on a remote section of the coast of Ishigaki Island in Okinawa is this colourful monument built in Chinese style to a shameful bit of history.

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Set in 1852 and often referred to as the Robert Bowne Incident, it concerns the fate of hundreds of indentured Chinese "coolies" aboard an American ship the Robert Bowne.

American and British companies were engaged in the lucrative human-trafficking trade in indentured Chinese laborers. Little more than slaves, the Chinese were abused and killed on the journey and a mutiny occurred on the Robert Bowne resulting in the death of some of the "cargo" as well as some crew and officers.

The ship floundered on the rocks of Ishigaki Island near the spot where the monument is, and the Chinese were sent overboard. Later many of them were safely shipped home, but in the meantime the British and Americans sent soldiers to round them up. Some were killed and some were captured.

A detailed article https://www.takaoclub.com/bowne/index.htm here makes uncomfortable reading. The monument was constructed in 1972 to memorialize 128 Chinese who died during the incident. The monument is becoming somewhat dilapidated.

Kitsuki Castle Town Museum

Kitsuki Castle Town Museum

The Kitsuki Castle Town Museum is a spacious and modern three storey structure on one of the high bluffs in the small coastal town of Kitsuki on the southern coast of the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita, Kyushu.

The museum is located between the Hitotsumatsu Residence, a 20th-century mansion, and the Nakane Samurai  Residence

The large model of the town as it was in the Edo Period clearly shows how little the town has changed since then, one of the reasons why the Samurai Quarter is a Preservation District.

There are permanent exhibitions of samurai culture as well as merchant and fishing culture, and also thematic temporary exhibitions.

The lobby is dominated by the colourful carriage used in the town's annual Tenjin Matsuri, and a small garden and pond outside provide a nice break.

Takehara City Museum of History & Folklore

Takehara City Museum of History & Folklore

The Takehara City Museum of History & Folklore is located in a two-storey, pale blue, western-style building in the middle of the historical district.

The building was built in 1929 and was the Takehara Shoin Library. It became a museum in 1980. Takehara Shoin was a Confucian academy on this site in the latter half of the Edo period.

Local history and folklore museums in Japan are a mixed bag. Some are excellent and free, some are expensive and quite boring, and many fall in between the two extremes...... this one is average.

It's free, so that can't be bad, although I now read that the second floor exhibition now includes a 200 yen charge.

This is because since I visited NHK has aired a wildly popular drama, Massan, about the "father" of Japanese Whiskey, Masataka Taketsuru, and his Scottish wife. He was born here in Takehara and it is said he used the library. There is now a statue of the couple in front of the museum and I suspect the second floor is devoted to him.

Disappeared Japan Rural Temple Haikyo

Disappeared Japan Rural Temple Haikyo

Nine years ago while approaching Iwami Ginzan while walking the Iwami Kannon pilgrimage I explored this derelict temple. It has now been demolished and removed.

I have actually come across quite a few derelict temples in the Iwami area. As the countryside has become depopulated at an increasing rate, there simply isn't enough people to support so many temples, whose main income is funerals.

Once a traditional Japanese structure is abandoned it doesn't take long for nature to begin its work of returning everything to the earth. The Japanese word for abandoned building is haikyo, and there is quite a sub-culture of people who like to visit them and document their visits.

I found a list of the original temples that made up the Iwami Kannon pilgrimage during the Edo period , and quite a few of the temples no longer existed which is why the current pilgrimage route is quite a different route.

Tosa Ichinomiya

Tosa Ichinomiya

Tosa Shrine is and was the ichinomiya, the highest-ranked shrine, of Tosa province, now Kochi.

It is located in the NE outskirts of Kochi City, right next to Zenrakuji Temple, the 30th on the Shikoku pilgrimage.

Most of the buildings were rebuilt by Chosokabe Motochika in the late 16th century. The drum tower in the first photo was built in the mid 17th century.

Themain kami is Ajisukitakahikone, said to be a son of Okuninushi and considered to be the ancestor of the Kano clan who ruled the area in the early days of the Yamato government.

Also enshrined here is Hitokotonushu, a kami connected to the Kamo clan in the Katsuragi area of old Yamato and also linked with En no Goja, the legendary founder of Shugendo from the same area. At his main shrine at the foot of the  Katsuragi mountains is is worshipped as a kami who delivers oracles consisting of a single word.

Mudo-ji Temple 6 Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage

Mudo-ji Temple

The Fudo Myo statue at Mudoji Temple on the Western slope of the Kunisaki peninsula is calmer and much less fierce than most, and this is said to be indicative of the style of the Heian period when it was carved.

Mudo-ji is temple number 6 on the Kyushu Fudo Myoo pilgrimage but was the first of the pilgrimage temples I visited even though I was well into day 2 of my walk.

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In its heyday it was a large and powerful temple of the Rokugo Manzan shugendo system in the Usa-Kunisaki area and had between 50 and 100 monks as well as controlling numerous temples in the vicinity. It is said to have been founded in the early 8th century by Ninmon, the legendary founder of the Rokugo Manzan.

Nowadays the temple is most known for its collection of 16 Heian period statues including the Fudo as well as the largest wooden statue in the area, a Yakushi, pictured above.

There is also a statue of Dainichi Nyorai, the Great Sun Buddha, the central figure is the esoteric sects of Tendai and Shingon. There is also a statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha who will appear at some point in the far future.

I had arrived at Mudoji after coming down from the ridge that separated this river valley from that of Tennenji and the Fudo cliff carving there.

Igatake Shrine

Igatake Shrine

Igatake Shrine is a fairly large shrine in the middle of Yokota, on the banks of the Hi River in the mountains of Okuizumo.

It is listed in the Izumo Fudoki so has been in existence since at least the 7th century.

The main kami is Isotakeru, the son of Susano who came from Korea with his father Susano who is also enshrined here.

It is right in the middle of the area where Izumo's most famous myth is set, the story of Susano's defeat of the 8-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi.

Nearby is Onigami Shrine, one site said to be where Susano descended to Izumo. Also nearby, and where I head to next, is Inada Shrine, devoted to Kushinada, the maiden rescued from the Orochi who became Susano's wife.

The shrine was destroyed during the Warring States Period and rebuilt later. The current buildings are in Izumo Zukuri style and include the iconic fat shimenawa of the region.