Taisho Cave

 

After descending from the Akiyoshidai plateau, I visited another of the 400 caves that extend underneath it.

The first hundred meters or so of the cave was used in earlier times by local people to hide their livestock during times of war and banditry and was known as Ushikakunodo, or "cow hiding hole".

In 1921, early Taisho Period, the deeper reaches of the cave were first explored and so it was named Taishodo.

The cave consists of a series of chambers arranged vertically.

The public section covers about a kilometer, and while not as dramatic as Akiyoshido, the fact that I was able to explore alone was a big plus.

In 1970 a tunnel was made connecting the upper level to the outside so that visitors can exit without having to return the way they came.

Taisho Cave is a National Natural Monument as well as being part of the Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark.

The five levels of the cave system are named with the lowest being Hell, and the highest being Heaven. many of the festures of the cave are also named, including Cow Hideout, Niomon Gate, Yoromeki Passage, Otowa Falls, Child-rearing Kannon, Pine Trees in the Snow, Lion Rock, Lotus Pond, Cave Pool, Romance Passage, Jellyfish Rock, and Okunoin.

There is an infrequent bus service to and from Hagi.

The previous post in this series on day 28 of my walk along the Chugoku Pilgrimage was on the early morning walk across the Akiyoshidai Plateau to get to the cave.

If you would like to subscribe by email just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published and made public.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

Taisha Fishing Port

 

After passing by Inasa Beach and the Benten island/shrine, I come to the fishing port of Taisha Town.

I have passed by several small fishing hatbours, but this is the first port since leaving Tagi yesterday morning. The distinction, for me at least, between harbour and port is that a fishing port will have an ice machine and a Japan Fisheries office

Like most Japanese fishing harbours, this one is also constructed out of millions of tons of concrete, not just making piers, but breakwaters of tetrapods and massive offshore breakwaters "protecting" the harbour.

Over the years of traveling the coast of Shimane, I have only ever seen two boats that were not fishing boats, cargo boats, or Coast Guard boats.... my friend's yacht in Tagi, and a yacht here in Taisha.

The route along the coast now sweeps up towards the cape at Hinomisaki.

The previous post in this series on the 6th leg of my deep exploration of the Sea of Japan coastline was on Inasa Beach and the Izumo myths associated with it.

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 most recent posts.

A Walk Across Akiyoshidai at Sunrise

 

Day 28 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage began high on the Akiyoshidai Plateau, a karst, treeless landscape dotted with limestone pinnacles.

I needed to reach Hagi today, on the Sea of Japan coast, and being mid-winter the days were short so I headed off before sunrise.

The first part of the walk was across the plateau, mostly on some of the many footpaths that criss-cross the plateau.

It is great to have such a long stretch of walking off-road.

The different junctions on the paths are sometimes confusing and not well signed, but it is not so difficult to match the map to the surroundings....

I did not pass another walker in the several hours it took to reach the edge of the plateau and descend into the more normal landscape....

For more details about Akiyoshidai, please see the previous post...

The previous post was on my brief exploration of part of Akiyoshidai the evening before...

If you would like to subscribe by email just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published and 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

Nakanokawachi Kokuzodo & Nakanokawachi Butsumokuji Temples 24 & 42 Sasaguri Pilgrimage

 

Day 2 of our walk along the Sasaguri Pilgrimage, and we are continuing up into the mountains on the south side of the river, main road, and railway line that bisects the area and the pilgrimage.

Number 24, Nakanokawachi Kokuzodo has a memorial stone to the birthplace of Fujii Tosuke, a man who was influential in finishing the construction of this 88 temple pilgrimage in the mid 19th century after the death of Jinnin, the nun were started the project

Many of these smaller "temples" still have the original stone statues that were the honzon. They are all quite small, simple reliefs, with donors' names inscribed on them. They have all been replaced with larger, more elaborate statues. Obviously the local people have been supporting this pilgrimage route since the beginnings.

Many of the other statues that have been added are quite simple and made fairly quickly, at the lower end of the proffesional scale, but this adds something, to my mind at least.

The numbering system is quite weird..... there is no chance to walk the route sequentially...

After 24, the next was number 42, Nakanokawachi Butsumokuji.

The honzon here is a Dainichi.

It has adopted attributes of the Dainichi at  Shikoku temple 42, Buttsumokuji, and is known for protecting livestock.

As with most of these 88 temples, numerous, diverse statues of Fudo Myoo abound...

The previous post in this series on day 2 of my walk along the Sasaguri Pilgrimage was on the nearby  Ninotaki Temple with its two waterfalls

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 most recent posts.