Mishima Shrine Takaoka Tosa

 

Mishima Shrine is located in Takaokacho, Tosa, at the base of the hill on which Ohenro temple 35, Kiyotakiji is found.

It shares space with an Itsukushima Shrine, though they each have their own steps.

The only history I can find is that it was rebuilt in the early 17th century.

There are numerous smaller shrines within the grounds, including a Yasaka Shrine enshrining Susano, and a Shinmei Shrine enshrining Amaterasu.

There are half a dozen komainu including several with the "Princess leia" hairstyle.

There are a lot of largish ema paintings, including one, not shown as it is too faded, registered as an Important Cultural Property.

The Mishima shrine enshrines Oyamazumi.

The Itsukushima Shrine enshrines the three Munakata Princesses, daughters of Susano.

The previous post in this series documenting the space between the temples on the Ohenro Pilgrimage was on the nearby Omirokusama Shrine.

Munakata Kannonji Temple 87 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Temple number 87 is yet another relatively modern temple. Its origins lie in 1953 when a monk, Zenkai, enshrined a Kannon statue here.

While working as a merchant seaman he had visions of Kannon that instructed him to continue the work of a monk who had founded a temple at this spot in the 17th century but the temple fell into disuse and disappeared.

Later, Zenkai's wife became a nun and she is the current head priest.

There is an Inari shrine in the grounds and a  Jizo. The Jizo is part of the 24 temple Kyushu Jizo Pilgrimage.

The current main hall dates to 1996. It became a Shingon temple in 1980. Statues of Zenkai and his wife are the last photo.

The previous post was on Miyajidake Shrine, about 5k to the southwest.

Adachi Museum of Art Gardens

 

The gardens at the Adachi Museum of Art in Yasugi, Shimane are very well known and have been classed as the top garden in Japan for many consecutive years by an American magazine on Japanese gardens.

With a total of six gardens, they cover a very large area, however, they are not stroll gardens in the traditional sense.

The gardens are viewed from within the buildings and from the connecting corridors and covered walkways between the buildings.

The museum, which opened in 1970, houses a huge collection of Nihonga paintings and also ceramics.

The works of Yokoyama Taikan (1868-1958) a major influence on the Nihonga style,  are especially featured.

In fact, some of the gardens and their features were directly influenced by some of his paintings.

One of the features is the "living paintings", where windows of the museum frame classic views of the garden. Photo 2 is the most well-known example.

While not stroll gardens, it is possible for private tour groups to be taken into some sections of the garden and have things explained by the gardeners.

Like many traditional gardens, shakkei, or borrowed scenery is also in evidence in the main gardens.

As with many of the best gardens, the scenery changes with the seasons. This visit was at the end of April.

The designer is Kinsaku Nakane (1917-1995) who created many gardens outside of Japan but is perhaps most well known as the restorer of the garden at Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto.

I have posted earlier on some of his other gardens in Japan, with the one at the Yoko Museum near Takeo Onsen in Saga, known as Keishu-en, being somewhat similar to his Adachi designs, though much smaller.

More traditional are the gardens at Ohori Park in Fukuoka which I posted on in Spring and in Autumn.

Of course, the other major influence on the design of the grdens was Zenko Adachi (1899-1990) the founder of the museum.

As a young man he sold coal from a cart but went on to make a fortune in real estate, textiles, and rice-trading. He seriously began collecting art in 1959 and his collection formed the basis of the museum.

His ideas were influential on the design of the gardens, especially the notion of "living paintings".

Recently someone commented to me that they found the gardens here a little soul-less.

Not sure I agree with that, but I stand by my intial reaction when I first visited 20 years ago, and that they made me think of a manga version of Japanese gardens....

The museum continues to expand with the newest wing being a gallery devoted to Kitaoji Rosanjin.

Somewhat off the beaten track, the museum still runs free shuttle buses from JR Yasugi station.

Another Time XX by Antony Gormley

Another Time XX is a cast-iron sculpture by British artist Antony Gormley situated on a remote mountaintop in the Kunisaki Peninsula in northern Kyushu.

Installed originally as part of a 2014 arts festival, the statue can only be seen by hiking a mountain trail after driving a very narrow mountain road.

Made from a cast from the artists body, it is one of a 100 similar statues placed in unusual locations around the globe. Made of iron, the statue is already showing signs of deterioration and will eventually disappear.

The statue weighs more than 600 kilos, and it turned out that using a helicopter was not possible so it was moved   to its location by manpower. Down below the statue is the Fudo Chaya, a renovated teahouse that has displays of how the statue was moved into position.

I have read that there is some opposition to the statue, but the head priest is supportive. My guess is any opposition is fed by narrow-mindedness and has no basis in history or culture.

I visited after passing through the Kyu Sentoji Temple area down below and just before visiting the Fudo Hall just above the statue. The views are fantastic, over the north side of the Kunisaki Peninsula and to Himeshima Island just offshore. The statue is facing East.