Showing posts with label Izumo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Izumo. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Miho Shrine

 


Miho Shrine is a major shrine located at the Eastern tip of the Shimane Peninsula and is the head shrine of about 3,000 Miho shrines throughout Japan.


It is also said to be the head shrine of all Ebisu shrines nationwide, though that is also claimed by Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo.


There are two quite distinct origins for Ebisu, one as the "leech child" born to Izanagi and Izanami, and the other as Kotoshironushi, one of the sons of Okuninushi in Izumo. The former si the basis for Nishinomiya Shrine, and the latter for Miho Shrine in Izumo. In early Meiji Period the government officially classified Ebisu as Kotoshironushi.


Miho Shrine was mentioned in the Izumo Fudoki, the 8th century local gazeteers published shortly after the more famous Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.


It seems quite possible that at first the kami Mihosumi was enshrined here but that later Mihotsuhime and Kotoshironushi became the two kami under the influence of the Kojiki and Nihnshoki.


Mihotsuhime is a wife of Okuninushi, and step-mother to Kotoshironushi.


Their twin hondens are in a unique architecture style and registered as Important Cultural Properties. They were constructed in 1813.


I have not noticed before at other shrines, so am not sure how prevalent the custom is, but above the entrance gate hang two Onusa purification wands.


Kotoshironushi used to go fishing often at his favorite spot on an offshore islet.


He was there when his father, Okuninushi, sent for him to consult about the offer from Amaterasu envoys to hand over the land to her descendants in what is known as the Kuniyuzuri myth.


This event is recreated in two unique festivals involving boats, the Murote Fune held on December 3rd involving two large canoes, and the Aoshibagaki held on April 7th.


The shrine also has an impressive collection of hundreds of musical instruments that have been donated over the centuries.


846 are registered as Important Tangible Folk Cutural Properties and include the first accordion and organ in the country


Often depicted carrying a Sea Bream, Ebisu is well known as a kami of fishing but also safety at sea, and prosperity in business.


Mihotsuhime, a daughter of  Takamimusubi, is known for abundant harvest, marital harmony, safe childbirth, prosperity of descendants, and music and dance.


Mihonoseki is a small port in a sheltered position that was used as a lay-over for the Kitamaebune ships in the Edo period.


Served by buses from Matsue, it is a nice place for a quiet visit and the guesthouse used by Lafcadio Hearn is still in business.


The previous post on sights to see in Matsue was on Jozan Inari Shrine, another shrine with a famous boat festival.


Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Tezen Art Museum & Garden

 


The Tezen Museum of Art near Izumo Taisha Shrine is a hidden gem for those interested in traditional Japanese arts & crafts, mingei, with the added bonus of having a delightful Izumo-style garden.


Located between the entrance to Izumo Taisha and Inasa Beach, the museum is housed in a series of large Edo-Period rice and sake warehouses.


The Tezen family moved to the area of Taisha around the end of the 17th century.


They became wealthy through trade in rice, sake, lumber etc and became official merchants for the domain.


As such their residence was sometimes used as a honjin, guesthouse, by the daimyo when he visited the area.


Over the centuries the Tezen family amassed a huge collection of art that is now the basis of the museum.


The collection consists of swords, screens, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, lacquerware, etc.


The collection includes a lot of pieces connected to Matsudaira Fumai, the daimyo famous as a te master.


There is a permanent display of the collection , which also rotates so that more of the collection can be viewed. There are also temporary thematic exhibitions.


Most, but not all, the collection is of arts and crafts produced in the Izumo area.


The garden, called Mukaizawaen, is small, but delightful.


Not too far away in Izumo City is another hidden gem, the Izumo Folkcrafts Museum, also housed in the storehouses of a wealthy family.


The previous post in this series exploring the Izumo and Matsue area was on Kokokuji Temple including paintings and sculptures.


Monday, September 23, 2024

Kokokuji Temple Izumo

 


Kokokuji Temple is a Rinzai Zen temple founded in 1322.


It is located at the foot of the mountains that run along the Shimane Peninsula from the Izumo Taisha area.


Funding and support was provided by local nobleman Misawa Yasukuni.


The monk who founded it, Sanko Kokushi, also founded Unjuji Temple further east in the Yasugi area.


The temple may have fallen into disuse, but was revived and expanded in the late 18th century by Zen Master Setsun.


He is said to have started work on the garden, but it was his successor, Zen Master Toko who brought the garden to fruition by hiring Sawa Gentan.


The garden is the only thing that te vast majority of sources talk about


However there are some nice statues, paintings, and kote-e...


The honzon is a statue of Shaka Nyorai, the Japanese name for the historical Buddha Sakyamuni.


Kokokuji is a little off the beaten track, though it is not far from Hirata.


If you are heading to Gakuenji Temple, a magnificent place itself, then you drive right past Kokokuji.



Of course, if you are that far off the beaten track then nearby Karakama Shrine is a must visit.


The previous post was on the Zen garden here.

Sunday, September 22, 2024

The Garden at Kokokuji Temple

 


The top ranked garden in Japan, according to the Journal of Japanese Gardening, is consistently the Adachi Museum Gardens in Shimane.


Other gardens in Shimane are in the list of top Japanese gardens, including this one at Kokuji Temple near Hirata in the Izumo area.


In 2005 it was ranked 8th, and in 2006 it was ranked 12th.


And yet it is barely known and rarely visited.


Kokokuji is a Rinzai temple founded in the 14th century.


The garden, however, was created in the early 19th century.


It is a relatively small garden consisting primarily of a dry garden with Kinkyoike, a small resevoir behind it.


The borrowed scenery is completed with Mount Tabushi and the Kitayama mountains behind.


The garden was designed by Sawa Gentan, the gardener employed by the great Tea Master Fumai Matsudaira who ruled the Matsue Domain.


Many other gardens in the area are said to have been designed by Sawa Gentan, including the magnificent ones at Hirata Honjin, literally just a couple of kilometers away. Several gardens at the Izumo Cultural Heritage Museum, and the Gesshoji Temple Garden are also attributed to Fumai and Gentan


The small entrance fee to view the garden includes a green tea and sweet, photo 3 above.


This, and many other gardens in the region are known as Izumo Style, and sometimes Gentan Style.


One of the features of Izumo style is that the stepping stones are a combination of round and rectangular.


Another feature mentioned by many is that an Izumo style garden will be a combination of a traditional garden and a Teahouse garden.


Hidden away on the right hand side of the garden here is a teahouse, and the stone path leads to it.


There are a lot of other gardens in the Matsue and Izumo region, including many I have not covered yet. If yiu are interested please let me know. Yuushien, Meimei-an Teahouse, Lafcadio Hearns House, Yakumo Honjin, and the several already mentioned earlier, are just a few already covered...


Next I will cover Kokokuji Temple itself....