Giant Juniper Tree & Temples 51, 52, & 54 on Shodoshima

 

This huge Juniper tree is well deserving of its ranking as a National Natural Monument. It is in the grounds of Hoshoin Temple, number 54 on the Shodoshima Pilgrimage.

It is almost 17 meters tall, with a circumference of more than 20 meters at the base and 17 meters at chest height. It is believed to be about 1600 years old and legend has that it was planted by Emperor Ojin. Using the mythical dates of the Kojiki and Nihongi as historical dates, which many continue to do, made the tree 2,000 years old and therefore the oldest in the world, but no reliable sources do that anymore.

There are two other "temples" of the pilgrimage within the grounds of Hoshoin.

The one closest to the Juniper tree is number 52, officially called Former Hachiman Shrine. It was moved here in 1868 with the separation of Buddhas and Kami, from the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine to the south.

Tomioka Hachiman is a huge hilltop shrine, so what I suspect ths small hall enshrines is what was, before 1868, the goshintai of the shrine. In this case a statue of Amida.

Many shrines had Buddhist statues as shintai, and Hachiman shrines in particular have always been quite Buddhist. Some years ago I was told by a fervent Shintoist that Hachiman was not truly shinto, but Buddhist.

The large temple is Hoshoin, number 54.

It is a Koyasan Shingon sect temple, and the honzon is a Jizo.

The third pilgrimage temple at the site is number 51, Hodobo.

Hodobo was the main temple at Tomioka Hachiman, so it was destroyed in 1868 and the honzon, an 11-faced Kannon, was moved here.

The previous post in this series on the Shodoshima Pilgrimage was on the two previous temples, 49 & 50.

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Kamiko Hachimangu & Shimoko Ikan Shrine

 

After visiting Ankokuji Temple, I stopped in at the Hachimangu shrine in Kamiko.

It was established by the new governor of Iwami, Fujiwara no Sadamichi in 889.

After being appointed, he fell ill and was unable to travel to his post. He prayed at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura and recovered. In gratitude he established the Hachiman shrine here.

It has quite large, well-maintained grounds...

Interestingly, the hachiman here is listed as Ojin, and his mom, Jingu, and hois dad, Chuai. No mebtion of any Munakata kami. I wonder if that is a thing of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu?

While walking downstream towards Shimoko, I pass a small local shrine....

And, of course, the ubiquitous Buddhist roadside statue...

In Shimoko, I visit Ikan Shrine, with a pair of huge trees, including this Gingko...

Established in 869, the shrine was located a little to the NE. Its current location is the site of the provincial government offices. There is a pond behind the shrine, said to be from that time.

The main kami is Amatarashihikokinioshihito no mikoto. Quite a mouthful. Said to be a son of Emperor Kosho, one of the early emperors that historians have no evidence of. He is claimed as ancenstor of the Wani Clan that later spawned the Ono Clan and the Kakinomoto Clans, among others. The shrine is listed in the Engi Shiki.

The shrine is said to have been merged with Fuchu Shrine, believed to be the Soja Shrine for Iwami. A Soja shrine enshrined all the kami from around the province and was located close to the government offices so that the governor did not have to travel all around the province to execute his duties towards the shrines, but could simply visit the one shrine nearby.

Many sources claim that a female Kami associated with weaving and also related to the ancestors of the Kuroshio Clan who settled the area is also enshrined here. There is a lot of confusion about her exact identity.

As well as the giant trees, the komainu are quite impressive, as is the dragon carving and the elaborate roof decorations.

The previous post in this series was on the nearby small temple Komyoji.

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Komo Shrine Revisited

 

Komo Shrine is quite a large, impressive shrine in the countryside near Nakatsu.

This was my third time visiting, and a previous visit was documented in this post.

I was here this time on day 6 of my walk along the Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.

There is much to see, but perhaps the most noticeable thing is the magnificent two-storey gate.

This is a 1622 reconstruction, and is a national Important Cultural Property.

Next is the torii floating in the pond.

Originally a triangular pond, it is actually the inner shrine of Komo Shrine and is the source of shrine itself.

The chief priest of Usa Shrine visited the pond and was instructed by the kami to take some reeds from the pond and construct a sacred pillow with them.

In 720, in response to yet another "rebellion" of the Hayato people of southern Kyushu, the central government sent a punitive force.

It was joined by an army from Buzen and was led by a portable shrine made of the reeds from Sankaku Pond.

Komo Shrine itself is said to have been founded as a branch of Usa Hachiman in the early to mid 9th century.

This roofed bridge was in poor condition.... not sure if it is still standing....

There are numerous huge, ancient camphor trees within the shrine...

As well as the main Hachiman there is also a Wakamiya Shrine which also enshrines Ojin, and a Yasaka Shrine enshrining Susanoo and his "family"

The shrine crest is a single Tomoe, and some link it to the Munakata Princesses who are part of Hachiman.

Interestingly, one version of the Munakata myth in the Nihon Shoki has the princesses descending to this area before moving to their current homes on the coast and islands of Fukuoka...

The previous post in this series on my walk along the Kyushu Fudo Pilgrimage was on the nearby Sanmei-in Temple.

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.