Hozo-in Temple 84 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Temple 84 was hard to find as it is in a built up area and accessible via a narrow lane. It ios located on the old Karatsu Kaido in Meinohama.

It was founded in the early Showa Period, so probably before WWII.

The founder worked as a follower of the abbot of the famous Daikakuji Temple in Kyoto and was apparently "awarded" the chrysanthemum seal carved in the gates.

Interestingly it was the third head priest who envisaged the Kyushu Pilgrimage and did all the work finding the 108 sites around Kyushu connected to Kobo Daishi.

The honzon is an Eleven-faced Kannon, and being only a small place has a wide range of diverse statuary in the small grounds.

This was the final day of my 77 day walk along the pilgrimage and just needed this short ten kilometers section through Mrinohama to finish. The previous post was on temple 108 I visited yesterday.

Sutra Storehouse at Anyoji Temple

 

Anyoji Temple in Iwami Ginzan, the World Heritage silver mine area in Shimane is known as the Crustal Temple, but I will cover that in a later post. For now we are looking at the Sutra Storehouse of the temple.

Originally located on top of the mountain, it was founded as a Tendai temple in the early15th century but converted to Pure Land sect in 1523.

The storehouse, said to be from when it was a Tendai temple, has an excellent piece of kote-e above the door. Kote-e, literally "trowel picture" are plaster reliefs found mostly on temples and storehouses, though sometimes on homes. Further examples can be found in this post on Kitsuki.

The storehouse also houses a statue of Shaka Nyorai, Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha.

Flanked by attendants, it is also said to date from when the temple was Tendai.

Kameyama Hachimangu Shrine Ikeda

 

Kameyama Hachimangu shrine in Ikeda Port on Shodoshima is the town's main shrine and one of the major shrines on the island.

I can find no date for its founding, but neighbouring Choshoji Temple now houses three statues that were the shintai for Kameyama Hachimangu until 1868.

These statues depicting Hachiman in Buddhist form are dated to the late Heian Period, which suggests that the shrine is at least that old and  it is also registered in the Engi Shiki of the early 10th century

Down below I earlier visited the Ikeda Saijiki, a kind of seated area area where the shrines annual festival takes place.

Taking place in mid October, the festival features a parade and the main attraction of giant drum floats from each of the villages that make up the town.

However, it used to be a much bigger affair. A painting dated to 1812 showed boat races, kagura or kabuki performances, and horseback archery as well as the drum floats.

Being a Hachiman shrine, the main deity is Homuda Wake, otherwise known as Emperor Ojin, his mother, Okinagahime, otherwise known as Jingu, and Nakatsuhime, his wife/consort.

There didn't seem to be many secondary shrines in the grounds, though there is a small Gokoku Shrine. The priest was very kind and helpful. He brought me some tourist literature in English and offered to give me a ride back to my room, but on this third day of walking the Shodoshima Pilgrimage, I still had a few more temples to visit.

The previous post was on Choshoji Temple next door.

Chinkokuji Okunoin Temple 108 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Up a flight of steps overlooking the main temple grounds is the okunoin of Chinkokuji Temple, the cave where Kobo Daishi performed rituals after returning from China in 806.

I reached it on Friday, March 28th, 2014, the 76th day of walking along the longest pilgrimage route in Japan, and I would guess somewhat over 2,200 kilometers.

I started on Christmas Day in 2012, and so it has taken me just about 15 months, usually in 2 week segments to finish it.

BUT!!!!!... on yesterdays walk I missed the last ten kilometers as I came into Fukuoka City from the south, and that includes two pilgrimage temples, so tomorrow I must go and do that section.

Haibara Samurai Residence

 

The former Haibara Samurai Residence is located in Takahashi, the castle town in the mountains of central Okayama, on the Takahashi River.

It is on a road of former samurai residences at the north of the town, near the base of the mountain on top of which sits Bitchi Matsuyama Castle, known as the highest castle in Japan.

At 430 meters above sea level, it is one of the few castles remaining in Japan with an original tenshu, or keep, and the only mountaintop castle with an original keep.

The former Haibara Residence was built about 170 years ago at the end of the Edo Period.

Unusual for a samurai residence, it was built in what is known as sukiya-style, normally associated with temples and teahouses.

Numerous artifacts including furniture and some armour are on display.

The gardens have also been kept in their original form.

There is a joint entry ticket to this house and the slightly more impressive Orii House next door which I will post about next.

Takahashi is a little off the main tourist routes, but is well worth a visit. While it is not a Preservation District, it has plenty of traditional architecture as well as the amazing castle, some lovely temples, and just outside town a great modern art museum.

On this visit, my second to Takahashi, I was on day 6 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

The previous post was on nearby Raikyuji Temple which was used as a home by the daimyo and has an amazing garden by Kobori Enshu.

Chinkokuji Temple 88 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Chinkokuji, the 88th temple on the Shingon Kyushu Pilgrimage lies just across the river from the Munakata Taisha shrine in northern Fukuoka.

In fact, it was the shrine temple of Munakata Taisha back when shrines and temples were intertwined.

According to the legend, Kobo Diashi visited Munakata Taisha and prayed for a safe journey to China, so when he returned in 806 he visited Munakata Taisha again.

While here a cloud formation over Mount Byobu attracted him across the river and he performed rituals in the cave that is the okunoin of the temple now.

He is also said to have carved the secret Fudo Myo statue that is now enshrined in the Goma Hall.

Three statues were carved an enshrined at some point, a Dainichi, a Shaka, and a Yakushi. I am guessing these coresponded to the three kami of Munakata Taishi.

The main hall now has five statues, as well as the original three there is an Amida and a Kannon.

All 5 are registered as Important Cultural Properties.

The Goma Hall is the oldest building at Chinkokuji, dating back to 1650.

I visited while the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, but I visited again on day 44 of the Kyushu Fudo Myo Pilgrimage in the autumn and it was splendid in Fall foliage. I took a lot more photos then, including the statues in the main hall.

This was the final temple of this more than 2,000 Kilometer pilgrimage, though technically the Okunoin at the top of the hill is number 108. I post on that next.

Chinkokuji has a reputation as a "flower temple", because as well as the chetry blossoms and the autumn foliage, there are also plum blossoms,azaleas, lillies, and lotus blossoms, hydrangeas, and rhododendrums.

The previous post was on Munakata Taishi, just across the river.