The Storks of Toyooka

Toyooka Storks

Oriental White Storks, konotori in Japanese, used to be widespread around Japan. The last one died in Toyooka in 1971.

It seems the primary cause of their extirpation was the huge amount of chemicals used in modern Japanese agriculture.

A captive breeding program was started in Toyooka in the 1960s but without success. Russia donated three pairs of storks, and in 1989, the first chick was born, with more chicks born in successive years.

To enable the storks to survive in the wild the area began a program of helping local farmers to reduce the amount of chemicals used and to allow their paddies to remain flooded for longer so that the natural food of the storks could proliferate.

They also erected artificial poles with platforms on to replace the natural nesting sites of the storks on top of mature pine trees, all of which had long since been cut down. Finally in 2005 storks were released into the wild and have been successfully breeding since then.

Images of storks abound around the Toyooka, and its possible to see storks in the wild while driving, but on the opposite side of the river to Kinosaki Onsen is the Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands, a nature preserve where the helpful staff will let you use telescopes and binoculars to see storks in the wild, and even have livecams on some of the nests. (first 4 photos)

Closer to Toyoka City is the Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork where you can see wild storks as well as captive breeding program and a museum dedicated to the stork and the story of Toyooka's reintroduction. (last 4 photos)

The previous post on things to see and do in the Toyooka area was on the Benzaiten Shrine near the Toshima Wetlands.

Goods From Japan

Views from Fukuoka Mount Atago

Fukuoka

Mount Atago, in the southern part of Fukuoka City, is only 68 meters high, so it would be a hill in English.

Wae Fishing Harbour

 

March 21st, 2021, though technically the Spring Equinox, a winter storm had just passed through so the sea was choppier than usual, but the skies mostly blue.

This was the fifth leg of my deep exploration of the Sea of Japan coast, trying to visit every cove and inlet possible, starting at the mouth of the Gonokawa River in Gotsu and heading east.

I started the day at Isotake station my first stop was the sacred cave of Shizunoiwa and now passed a rocky headland.

Looking back down the coast in the distance was Isotake and its harbour, site of another myth.

I believe these are Japanese cormorants, sometimes known as Temminck's Cormorant, and native to East Asian coasts. They are the species that have been domesticated to fish for Ayu in rivers in the tradition known as ukai.

The Sea of Japan Coast is really quite spectacular. There are some nice spots on the Pacific side I'm sure, but that is where all the industry and population is, so........

Up ahead is Wae Harbour. I would have called it Oda Port, as downtown  Oda City is just a short distance inland, but officially it is Wae,

To teach it I have to cross the mouth of the Shizuma River. My guess is this is the biggest river I have had to cross since starting.

The Wae fishing harbour is also probably the biggest fishing harbour I have encountered since starting.

Lots of powerful lamps on many of the boats as squid fishing is one of the main catches.....

Around a small headland and another fishing harbour, the much smaller one at Toriicho.

Omori Floral

Up in the mountains not far from here is the Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Site, and the village of Omori is a large part of it.

Pretty much just one long street in the narrow valley below the mine, Omori is where the samurai, bureaucrats, and merchants lived.

Before it was made a World Heritage site the town was already a Preservation District and so is mostly made up of Edo Period architecture and had the unsightly power poles removed.

All these photos were take on a one kilometer walk down the main street of the town on a May 5th.

While some of the flowers are planted in planters, pots,or in the ground, many others are cut flowers displayed in sections of bamboo tied to drainpipes.

Torigoe Kannondo & Yamate Yakushido Temples 82 & 11 Sasaguri Pilgrimage

 

The first 6 photos are from Torigoe Kannon-do, the 82nd temple on the 88 temple Sasaguri Pilgrimage.

The honzon is a Thousand-armed Kannon that was carved by a local priest in 1940. The original honzon is the stone carving to the left of the main image above that possibly came from Negoroji, the 82nd temple on Shikoku.

Like all the other temples on this pilgrimage, there were a huge amount of statues, and it was uninhabited, maintained by local people.

The last 4 photos are of the nearby Yamate Yakushi-do temple, number 11.

It is also unmanned and with a lot of statuary.

Its honzon is, as the name implies, a Yakushi Nyorai. This little temple is connected to the Fuji family who were village headmen of Yamate and were influential in setting up the Sasaguri Pilgrimage.

It is located right next to Chikuzen Yamate station and so was a perfect point to end the days pilgrimage and head back into Hakata for the night.

On this first day we had visited a grand total of 22 of the 88 temples as well as several other temples not on the pilgrimage. I have no idea how many statues we had seen, but I would not be surprised if it was more than a thousand.

The previous post was on Temple 43 Akashiji.

Washio Atago Shrine

Washio Atago Shrine

Washio Atago Shrine sits atop a 68 meter  tall hill overlooking Fukuoka City.

Inari Shrine at Ikuta Jinja

Inari Shrine

Ikuta Shrine is a major shrine in Kobe. It was the third ranked shrine of the province and hence the area around it is now called Sannomiya.

In the NE corner of the grounds, near the east gate is a small Inari Shrine.

What struck me was the concrete wall alongside the torii tunnel.

Ikuta shrine claims an ancient history back to Empress Jingu, but I can find no info on this Inari Shrine.

The newness of the shrine suggests to me it was rebuilt when the neighbouring apartment block was constructed.

This visit was at the end of my third day walking the Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.

The previous post was on the Kobe Maritime Museum and Kawasaki Good Time World.

Goods From Japan