Kannonji Temple 69 Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage

 

Kannonji, temple 69, and Jinneiin, temple 68, both occupy the same site, but I came into the kannonji side first so it gets posted before 68.

The reason I came into Kannonji first was that I visited the original "temple" 68, which was the Hachiman shrine on the hilltop.

From the hilltop is the viewpoint overlooking the Zenigata Sunae, a huge sand sculpture.

The shrine was founded in the very first years of the 8th century by a monk practising austerities on the hill and seeing a vision on the sea and established the Kotohiki Hachiman Shrine.

The temple was founded as the shrines temple and was named Jinguji Hokoin.

Later Gyoki visited, and then later still Kobo Daishi and he painted an Amida Nyorai and made it the honzon of the shrine. He built several halls and statues at the temple and renamed it Kannonji.

When the government forcibly separated the Buddhas & Kami in 1868, the Amida was brought from the Hachimen Shrine and placed in Kannonji. The shrine ceased to be number 68, and the part of Kannonji holding the Amida became temple 68 and as renamed Jinnein.

The honzon of Kannonji, a Kannon, is a secret Buddha, but recently has started to be shown once every ten years.

As well as the main hall, built in 1677, and Daishi Hall, Kannonji also has an Aizen hall, a Heart Sutra Hall, a Kaizan Hall, a Dainichi Hall, and a Kyozuka Hall.

The main hall is an Important Cultural Property, and in the Treasure Hall are two more: a wooden reclining Buddha dating to the Fujiwara Period, and a silk painting of Fudo Myoo

The previous post in the series was Daikoji Temple 67.

If you would like to subscribe by email just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost everyday, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts

Shimizu on the Ginzan Kaido

 

After leaving Yunotsu, the Ginzan Kaido again becomes a footpath and crosses over the old Route 9 and the new expressway, as both run through tunnels at this point.

The next settlement is the delightful Shimizu, a place I enjoy every time I visit as it seems cut off from the outside modern world, though there is a narrow road that leads into it.

It is late April, and the azaleas are in full bloom...

Shimizu means pure water, and sure enough, in the middle of the village is a spring surrounded by deep stone walls.

The water is cold, even in summer, and is guarded by a Fudo Myoo...

There is a small but very interesting temple in Shimizu which I will cover in the next post in the series.

After Shimizu, the Ginzan Kaido once again becomes a footpath.....

The previous post in this series on day 38 of my walk along the Chugoku Pilgrimage was on the hot spring resort port of Yunotsu.

If you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts.

Otagi Nembutsuji Temple Arashiyama

 

Otagi Nembutsuji Temple is now located in a narrow valley just outside Arashiyama, usually a bit too far for most tourists to walk to.

However, it was originally located on the other side of Kyoto and was only moved here in 1922.

The original temple was founded in 766 and was built in the Higashiyama district, not too far from Gion.

It later became a Shingon temple but was completely destroyed when the Kamo River flooded.

It was restored as a Tendai temple.

It fell into disrepair and was restored several more times.

In 1922 what remained of the temple, mostly its Nio Gate, Main Hall, and Jizo Hall, were relocated to the current site.

During the War it once again became uninhabited.

Its final restoration began in 1955.

In 1980, a ten-year repair and renovation of the Niomon began.

The following year the project that has become the symbol of the temple began. The head priest, a sculptor himself, started teaching visitors how to carve Rakan statues.

Now more than 1200 have been completed and can be seen throughout the temple grounds...

They deserve a couple of posts which will come later...

If you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts.

Yunotsu: World Heritage Site & Historic Preservation District

 

After a short walk along the Ginzan Kaido from its start, I take a diversion into the main part of the hot spring town of Yunotsu.

Dominating the lower part of the town, the Naito Residence has been the headmans residence for centuries. I believe the family "own" the hot water that fuels the numerous public and private onsens in the town.

Their sprawling property, which has a stone lantern in the garden gifted from Hideyoshi for the family's support during the invasion of Korea, is mostly in need of repair, and recently the property was given Japan Heritage status, so funds are now available and work has begun.

As you head uphill on the narrow street towards the ryokans, you pass Tatsu no Gozen Shrine.

The shrine is where one hour, 2,000 yen Iwami Kagura performaces are held every Saturday. Sorry, but I would rather watch 8 or 9 hours of kagura for free.

A huge rock shaped like a dragons head is above the shrine.

Onamuchi (Okuninushi), Sukunahikona,and Toyotamahime are the main kami. Shrine records were lost in a fire in the 18th century, but an inscription in the main hall dates to 1601.

In the middle of the town, a large temple with impressive gate. Eikoji is a Nichiren sect temple dating to the 16th century and has the tombs of many merchants who profited from the Kitamaebune trade.

In the gate, rather than the typical Nio there are a pair of the Shitenno instead.

At the top of the town the two public "day" spas....

On the way out of town to rejoin the Ginzan Kaido I pass the pottery with its huge noborigama, climbing kiln. I have photos of it in operation and will post eventually.....

The previous post in this series on day 38 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on the Okidomari port and the start of the Ginzan Kaido.

If you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts.