It is now a Shingon temple.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 13 Manpukuji
Friday, March 28, 2014
Pilgrim No More
At 3:30 this afternoon I reached temple 108 of the Kyushu Pilgrimage, the Okuin of Temple 88 Chinkokuji, in Munakata. It has taken me 76 days to walk about 2,200 kilometers and I am bushed, but it has been a wonderful journey that has taken me to most corners of Kyushu. So for now I cease being a pilgrim..... until I start the Chugoku 33 hee hee.
The way home......
Labels:
kyushu108
Monday, March 24, 2014
Spring Equinox
Last Thursday was the Spring Equinox, and it was also the day I began the final leg of my 2000 plus kilometer walk around Kyushu following the Kyushu 88 Temple Pilgrimage. First stop was Ohashi Kannon-ji, temple #76, in Yoshii, north of Sasebo. Behind the temple was this huge natural bridge. Certainly a big surprise.
Later I left the main road and cut across the hills to visit Tabira Church. Christian cemeteries are not a common sight in most parts of Japan. Photos of the church can be found at this earlier post
Then it was over the bridge to the island of Hirado. Temple #77 is Saikyo-ji.
Then a trek up to the far north of the island to temple 78 which is at the beach where Kukai left on his journey to China in 804. This is a Shingon pilgrimage, so Kukai sites feature heavily.
Back in the main town I just had time for a quick trip to one of the scenic spots, The View Of a Church and Temple. The church is the St Xavier Memorial Church. Photos of which can be seen here.
So now I am in Karatsu. Tomorrow I plan to visit the site where the earliest example of rice in Japan was found. All being well in 4 days I should reach Munakata and the end of my 78 day journey.
Labels:
kyushu108
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Sefa Utaki
Sefa Utaki is a World heritage Site on the southern coast of the main Okinawan Island. It was the most important sacred site for the royal family of the Ryukyus.
There are a series of shrines but no buildings are left. The path up the hillside passes through the verdant sub-tropical forest and by limestone cliffs.
At the highest point is Sanguii, a narrow cleft in the rock that leads to the most important altar. From here you can look down on Kudaka Island, the site where myth says the gods landed bringing grain and where the Okinawan people were created.
It's possible to get to Sefa Utaki by bus, though they are not frequent. It is worth it if only to get out into nature.
Labels:
okinawa,
world heritage
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Iishi Shrine
What is also unusual about Iishi Shrine is that there are no komainu or shimenawa, in fact no "decoration" at all.
Labels:
amenohohi,
engi shiki,
Izumo Fudoki,
izumo33,
kibitsuhiko,
kuniyuzuri,
Shrine,
takehiratori
Friday, March 14, 2014
Iwasaki Shrine, Usa.
In November of 2012 I went for a 5 day walk around and over the Kunisaki Peninsula, one of my favorite areas in Japan. I had been wanting to walk an old Shugendo pilgrimage route, but at that time had not yet found a reliable map of the route, however I did know that it started from Usa Jingu and headed east towards the peninsula and that is the route I followed.
Several hours into the walk I was approaching Usa Station and came upon Iwasaki Shrine. There was no information board at the shrine but I have been able to dig up a little info.
It was founded in 723 and the list of main kami is headed by Ojin and Jingu, and yet curiously its not called a hachimangu.
There are a lot of secondary shrines in the grounds, including Kibune, Konpira, Sugawara, Inari, and Izumo.
When I have finished all the posts on this walk I will post a chronological list, but for now all posts with kunisaki fall will suffice
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, Temple 12, Jyufukuji
Monday, March 10, 2014
A night on Teshima
At the end of the first day of my walk across the Aki Nada Islands I crossed the bridge from Kami Kamagari over to Teshima.
Teshima is very small with just one settlement on the opposite side of the island that I reached just as the sun had gone down.
I had a room booked at a small minshuku. When I booked by phone they wanted to make sure I had the right Teshima, as there is a much more famous one further east in the Inland Sea near Naoshima and Shodoshima.
The next morning I took the bridge over to Osaki Shimozima and from its shore could see the whole of Teshima in one view.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, Day 5
Labels:
izumo33
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Onomichi Temple Walk, Myosenji
After visiting Ushitora Shrine, it was still too early for the first cable car/ropeway up the mountainside so I carried on exploring temples. Nearby was Myosenji.
It has quite an impressive approach and gate.
With its raked gravel garden one might think it was a zen temple, but in fact it belongs to the Nichiren sect and was founded in 1354.
The only interesting piece of information I have been able to find out about Myosenji is that behind the main hall is a Kiyomasa Kato-do, a memorial hall to the famous warlord who was known to be a big supporter of the Nichiren sect.
Labels:
hiroshima,
nichiren,
onomichi,
onomichi25,
temple
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