Takuhi Shrine in the Oki Islands

 

Takuhi Shrine is possibly the most famous of all the shrines on the Oki Islands, considering that during the Edo Period both Hakusai and Hiroshige, two of the most pre-eminent artist of the times, did prints of the shrine and its founding legend.

Situated high on 452 meter high Mount Takuhi which is the central peak of the submerged caldera that has formed the Dozen group of islands, the shrine has expansive views over the surrounding seas and islands.

Getting there involves a hike up a mountain trail which passes several smaller shrines on the way.

Known as the "Burning Lights" shrine, the legend is that three fireballs arose from the sea and flew into the cave where the shrine now stands.

Another story has it that when Emperor Gotoba was on his way here to exile his ship was lost and a light from the shrine saved him.

The origin stories most likely relate to the practice of signal fires and temple and shrine  lanterns being used by sailors to navigate at night. Takuhi Shrine became well known as a shrine offering protection on sea journeys.

The honden of the shrine is built into a small cave and is said to be the oldest building on the Oki Islnds.

It was built in 1732, prefabricated in Osaka and then shipped here and carried up the mountain to be reassembled.

It, along with the main hall are registered Important Cultural Properties.

The ornate carvings only appear on the front and one side of the structure, with the two unseen sides remaining plain.

By the 14th century it had become a Shugendo site and Unjoji Temple was set up with a Jizo as honzon.

The combined site became known as Takuhi Gongen until the early Meiji Period when most traces of Buddhism were removed.

The kami enshrined here is now listed as Ohirumenomuch, more commonly known as Amaterasu the Sun Goddess. Originally the mountain itself was considered the kami. For most of its history the primary deity was a Jizo.

There are numerous smaller shrines dotted around mountainside.

On one visit I was accompanied by the head priest whose family were originally Buddhist priests serving the complex.

The former priests house not far from the shrine is now used as the shrine office. It is a fine example of a traditional large house .

While chatting with the priest he showed me this painting of a Tengu. According to our chat he said that the highest shrine on the mountain was a Sanjin Shrine dedicated to Tengu. However, upon some research it turns out that the sanjin concept was created by Hirata Atsutane in the 19th century.... He also showed me a print of Izuna Daigongen which at the time I described as Tengu Dakiniten Fudo Myoo.

The previous post in this series on the Oki Islands was on the kagura performed in the area.

Hayashi Kumano Shrine. The First Kumano Shrine?

 

This was a completely unexpected site I visited while heading down towards the next pilgrimage temple, Rendaiji. From the first torii up to the main shrine buildings was quite a distance and around the shrine was a lot of open space.

I now believe this area was until around 1868 filled with many Buddhist structures, the three-storey pagoda remaining.

The arrangement of the shrine was also unusual, with a long line of 13 hondens in 4 structures.

Originally called Kumano Junisha Gongen, and renamed Kumano Shrine in 1868, the junisha refers to the 12 kami enshrined in the line of hondens, the 12 kumano kami plus a local protective kami.

According to the founding legend, in 699 the famed mystic and legendary founder of Shugendo was exiled to Izu. A group of 5 of his disciples carried the spirit of what is now Hongu Taisha shrine in Kumano and eventually, in 701, decided upon this spot to found a new shrine. This is why the shrine now claims to be the very first "Kumano" shrine.

The five disciples also founded 5 temples in the area and this became a major shugendo centre with two other sites in the area for a Shin Kumano.

The shrine temple complex went through cycles of destruction like most major religious centres and the oldest remaining structure is the one called Second Hall. It was rebuilt in 1492 and is a National Important Cultural Property.

The remaining structures date back to a rebuild by the Okayama  Daimyo Ikeda Mitsumasa in 1647.

The  kami are listed as Izanami, Izanagi, Amaterasu, Ninigi, Amenoshihomimi, Hikohohodemi, Ugayafukiaeizu, Haniyamahime, Kagutsuchi, Wakamusubi, and Mizuhanome.

Among the secondary shrines in the grounds are Susanoo and Ichikishima.

In 1868 the shrine was separated from all the temple structures and renamed Kumano Shrine.

In 1872 Shugendo was outlawed until 1945.

The previous post was on the remaining temples in the complex and the three-storey pagoda.

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.

Shisho Shrine Imazu

 

Shisho Shrine is located on the waters edge on the protected side of a headland in Imazu Bay.

The komainu, lanterns etc all seem to be of very recent origin.

One particularly huge tree stands in from of it.

Imazu was a port used in trade with mainland Asia in ancient times, for a while supplanting nearby Hakata in this role.

It is said that the shrine was established to protect the foreign ships and sailors who arrived in Imazu, though it would seem more likely to spiritually protect from such visitors, as disease and disaster was thought to come from "outside".

As the name suggests, four kami are enshrined here: Amaterasu, Hachiman, Sumiyoshi, and Kasuga. Hachiman and Sumiyoshi were originally cults from northern Kyushu but were very much "national" kami by this time.

The previous post was on the Bishamondo and viewpoint on the nearby Bishamonyama.