Thursday, February 6, 2025

Ryujindo at Anyoji Temple

 


Anyoji is a large, ancient temple complex in the mountains north of Kurashiki and south of Soja in Okayama.


In front of the temple is a large irrigation pond with a "floating" building that in many other places would be for Benzaiten.



Here it is a Ryujindo, or Dragon Hall enshrining a Ryuzu Kannon.


Ryuzu or Ryuto Kannon is known in English as the Dragon Head Kannon and is one of the traditional 33 forms of kannon in Japan and probably came from China. Ryzuzu Kannon is sometimes depicted riding a dragon, but never depicted with a dragon head, unlike the Horsehead Kannon,Bato Kannon, which is sometimes depicted wearing a horsehead hat,


Anyoji Temple was a big surprise to me and I took a lot of photos so will do several more posts on it ...


The previous post in this series on day 7 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on nearby Karube Shrine, famous for its breast ema.


Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Mishima Shrine Kawakudari

 


Kawakudari is a small settlement on the Gonokawa River between Imbara and Kawamoto. I arrived here  towards the end of my 7th day walking the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage, ready to catch the bus downriver to my home.


The village shrine was established in 1394 by the son of the first Iwami-Ogasawara Clan lord to enshrine Mishima Daimyojin. The main kami is Oyamazumi whose head shrine is on Omishima Island between Honshu and Shikoku, and I believe Mishima shrines derive from the main one in Shizuoka.


The tengai inside indicates that in earlier times kagura would have been performed here, but seems to not be in use nowadays. In the grounds is a small kasuga shrine and an Inari shrine, quite possibly moved here from nearby early in the twentieth century.


The previous post in the series was on Chokoji Temple, the 10th on the pilgrimage.


Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Karube Shrine the "boobs" shrine

 


Karube Shrine near Soja in Okayama is known locally as Oppai Jinja, with oppai being a Japanese slang word, used largely by children, to refer to female breasts.


Originally established on top of the mountain in the early 14th century, enshrining the three kami of the Kumano Sanzan, it was destroyed several times before being moved to its current site in 1678 after having a further two kami added, Amaterasu and Kunitokotachi.



For about 400 years, until 1940, there was a huge weeping cherry tree in the grounds that became known as a kami for ample breastmilk and safe childbirth and it was this tree that is the origin of the current tradition of offering votive plaques with representations of breasts on them, not any of the kami actually enshrined here.


It was not known at all outside the local area until being featured on a national TV program, but since then has drawn visitors from all over.


Many of the votive plaques are a standard design that can be bought online or from several local establishments, however some are hand-made and unique. The plaques can now also be found at several other shrines and temples.


Nowadays almost half the ema are prayers for relief from breast cancer, and most of the rest for ample breast milk and safe childbirth.


The rate of breast cancer in japan has doubled in the past 50 years.


Until the modern era womens breasts in Japan were not considered sexual or erotic, but a few of the plaques are asking for large breasts for "cosmetic" reasons....


The previous post in this series on day 7 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on the nearby Hofukuji Temple.



Monday, February 3, 2025

From Kiyotakiji to Shoryuji

 


I spent the night in the tsuyado, the free room offered by some temples for walking pilgrims, at temple number 35 Kiyotakiji, so was up before sunrise and on my way on day 18 of my walk along the Shikoku Pilgrimage.


The route towards temple 36, Shoryuji, was pretty much directly south towards the coast and about 15k away. First I had to cross the Hage River, a tributary of the Niyodo River.


To reach the coast the road passes over a line of hills. Just before the pass, at around 100 meters above sea level, is a small park. As well as toilets it has a nice seated shelter..... exactly the kind of place that a walking henro keeps their eyes open for....


Dropping down into a town called Usa. I knew of the Usa in Oita on Kyushu, home to the head Hachiman shrine, but hadn't heard of this one before.


As usual, I pass by numerous small, local shrines, and one has a most unusual torii.


It is made of steel, seemingly stainless, yet dark. I have seen bronze torii, torii sheathed in copper, and some large steel torii, but none like this...


I reach the Pacific coast and pass by the fishing harbour with expansive views back along the Kochi coastline.


Shoryuji is on the Yokonami Peninsula a long narrow peninsula across a long narrow inlet. Before the 640 meter long Usaohashi bridge was built in 1973 pilgrims would have had to cross by ferry, one of the many sections on the pilgrimage route that ferries were needed.


The beaches on the tip of the peninsula seemed to be a popular holiday spot.


The previous post in this series was on temple 35, Kiyotakiji.


Saturday, February 1, 2025

Hofukuji Temple in Soja

 


Hofukuji Temple is an historic Zen temple in Soja, Okayama.


It is most well known as being the temple where Sesshu trained as a child.


Sesshu, or Sesshu Toyo, was born around 1420 to a samurai family in what is now Soja City.


He went on to become a zen monk and one of the greatest Japanese painters.


He is also known for his gardens.


The most famous story connected to his time at Hofukuji was the story of Sesshu and the Rat


It is not known exactly when the temple was founded, but was originally of the Tendai Sect.


In 1232 it was converted into a Rinzai Zen temple, one of the first in the area.


It received Imperial patronage and grew powerful with more than 50 sub-temples and 300 branch temples at its peak.


In 1575 almost the whole temple was burned down during the Bitchu War, but the 3-story pagoda survived. It has been reliably dated to 1376 and is an Important Cultural Property and the oldest structure still standing here.


The rest of the temple was restored during the Edo Period. The main hall dates to 1735.


Other treasures include the 15th century temple bell, and several silk paintings.


There are two small gardens, a karesansui raked sand one, and a small pond garden.


Hofukuji is a great spot for autumn foliage.


At this time, the Hojo, the Abbots living quarters, are open to the public and paintings by Sesshu and other items relating to Sesshu's time at the temple are on display.


On this visit I was at the start of my 7th day walking the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage.


The previous post in the series was on Shorenji Temple in Takahashi.


Sesshu is one of my favorite garden designers, and over the years I have visited almost all of his gardens that still exist, but have not posted many on this blog.