Tamonji Temple 46 & Enmanji Temple 74 Shodoshima Pilgrimage

 

Day 4 of my walk along the 88 temple Shodoshima Pilgrimage was fast coming to a close, and I needed to head across the narrow valley to the main road to catch a bus back into Tonosho to my room for the night.

In the distance is the Giant Kannon I would be visiting the next day.

Tamonji was founded in the late 12th century as a shrine-temple named Torinbo. Shrine temples performed ceremonies for thr enshrined kami but also looked after the funerals of the Shinto priests.

A groupof modern rakan statues were quite striking. Not sure what the mound is.

The temple changed it's name to Tamon-ji in the late 17th century, and in 1744 moved to the current location.

The honzon is a Yakushi Nyorai, attributed to Gyoki, but with no information where the statue was before this temple. It is a "secret Buddha" that has a reputation for healing eyesight problems.

I didn't notice it, but there is an underground Fudo Hall..... would have liked to se that.

There is a huge Yamamomo tree in the grounds that is listed as some kind of important natural property. Known as Japanese Bayberry, the small red fruits are much prized in many traditional dishes...

I climb up to the main road and check the bus timetable and see I have time to visit temple number 74 nearby.

Enmanji claims to have been founded by Gyoki, which would be around the turn of the 8th century. it was restored in the 10th century and was named Jionji. In the late 12th century it moved to its current location and was renamed Jufukuin.

In the mid Edo Period it was renamed Enmanji. After WWII it converted to Shingon, and the current buildings date to 1992.

The honzon is an eleven-faced Kannon. It is a secret Buddha, but in 1992 a new "stand in" statue was carved.

The temple also has an Amida triad, said to date to the Fujiwara Period.

The second oldest Juniper tree on the island stands in the grounds...

The previous post in this series on the delightful Shodoshima Pilgrimage was on temples 47 and 48 in the mountains.

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Taking Tea at Fumon-in Temple Matsue

 

Fumon-in, a small Tendai temple near Matsue castle, has an Edo-period teahouse used by the great tea master and daimyo, Fumai, and also later by the writer Lafcadio Hearn.

The small bridge you must cross to reach the temple is itself the subject of a ghost story made famous by Hearn.

In the grounds is a fairly big Inari Shrine. Originally established in Wakamiya Shrine to the north of the castle, the priest of Fumon-i was charged by the lord of the castle to perform ceremonies at the shrine. It was moved here in 1870 following the separation of Buddhas and kami.

The thatched roof of the teahouse Kangetsuan can be seen from the temple's outer grounds

The honzon of the temple is a Fudo Myoo and there are several other, smaller, stone Fudo's in the grounds.

Plastic bamboo...

Binzuru

The temple was originally established in 1607 by the first lord of Matsue, Yoshiharu Horio. Called Ganno-ji it was located further away from the castle.

It burned down and in 1699 was rebuilt at the current location and renamed Fumon-in.

The current location was chosen as it protects the castle from the dangerous influences that come from the NE.

The temple is now most famously known for the teahouse Kangetsuan.

Built in 1801 in the temples small, pond, stroll garden...

Fumai Matsudaira, the great tea master, is said to have visited often.

Visitors can walk in the garden and look inside the teahouse, but not enter.

In the next post in this series I will post about Kangetsuan.

After exploring I returned to the temple and the priest's wife brought me a matcha and sweet to enjoy.

The previous post in this series on Matsue was on the garden and teahouse at the nearby Matsue History Mueum.

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Tairyuji Yakushi-in Temple

 

As far as I can make out, Tairyuji Temple and Yakushi-in Temple share the same grounds and are somehow connected yet considered separate.

The Nio gate, which is partway up the steps to the complex, dates back to the 17th century and contains a fine pair of Nio.

I am not sure if the priest is visiting the temple or returning home to the temple

The Yakushi-in hall is the smaller of the two buildings in the photo below.

Yakushi-in was established in the 10th century down near where Bitchu Takahashi station is today.

It was moved to its current location in the very early 17th century. It is a Shingon temple and its "secret" honzon is only revealed once every 50 years.

The Yakushi-in main hall is quite small, 3 bays wide and 3 bays deep, but is considered a fine example of Momoyama Period architecture and is registered as an Important Cultural Property of Okayama.

The Binzaru statue pictured below, was quite nice and is usually dark red in colour but may just be faded...

For many older Japanese the temple is well known as being the location for one of the "Tora-san" movies.

The previous post was on the Nariwa Art Museum.

Enmyoji Temple 53 Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage

 

Enmyoji, temple 53, is just a couple of kilometers from temple 52, Taisanji, and is located in the northern outskirts of Matsuyama City.

It is much smaller than Taisanji but has an unusual pair of Nio in the gate.

It is yet another temple attributed to Gyoki who carved the Amida statue while in the area in the mid 8th century.

At that time it was located closer to the seashore.

When Kobo Daishi visited later in the 9th century he revived the temple.

It burned down numerous times during the Kamakura period and was moved to its current location in the early 17th century.

The temple fell into disuse after 1868 with the anti-Buddhist and separation of Buddhas and kami movements but began rebuilding at the end of the 19th century.

As well as the Nio and their quite remarkable eyes, other things to look out for are the roof decorations.

On the Daishi-do in particular, photos 6 and 7 above, there are some delightful creatures and figures.

Also noteworthy is the statue of Binzuru in front of the main hall. Rubbed smooth by petitioners, this red statue is fairly common at many of the henro temples.

Also worth seeing is a "Maria Kannon". These were a kind of statue worshipped by Hidden Christians during the time Christianity was outlawed. With a lantern placed on top the cross form became obvious and the carving of Kannon was often conflated with Mary.

Enmyoji is also quite famous as the home of a copper ofuda, Pilgrim name slip, dated to 1650, the oldest known of such an object.

The previous post in this series on Ohenro temples was Taisanji. A second post on Taisanji focussed on the artwork at the temple.