Bakusetsu Waterfall

 

Bakusetsu Falls is a picturesque waterfall located just off the Numata River in the mountains of Hiroshima, north of Hongu.

A narrow road from Prefectural Route 33 passes under the railway line.

Only a few hundred meters and you reach the falls.

30 metres high and about 4 metres wide, it is a popular spot as it is so close to the main road.

From here a 1.3-kilometer trail leads to Seishinji Temple.

Mori Motonari, the great daimyo of the 16th century who ended up controlling most of the Chugoku region is said to have bathed here on his way to a banquet at Seishinji Temple.

A little further along the trail is a much smaller falls.

The previous post was on the sights and scenery of the Numata River.

Numata River Scenes & Sights

 

After Buttsuji, temple 12 on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, the next temple is Mitakidera in Hiroshima City, almost directly west of Buttsuji.

The Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage is not a historical pilgrimage, being only about 50 years old, so there are not historical routes used by pilgrims in pre-modern times, so I have a choice about which route to choose.

I decide to follow the Numata River as it curves around to the northwest, and then from Saijo cut across country to the southwest. Following a river means it will be mostly flat, and also the San-yo railway line roughly follows the river.

The river valley and mountainsides are cloaked in early morning mist that soon burns off.... I pass under the expressway....

In the mountains to the west lies Hiroshima Airport, and planes taking off pass overhead quite regularly

I stopped in at all the local shrines I visited. One was particularly intriguing and it will get its own post later, as will other sights...

More roadkill..... not too long ago methinks. I believe this is a bullfrog.

However, the most surprising sight on this leg was this VW Beetle perched on a concrete pillar. It was erected more than 50 years ago as an advertisement for a local car dealer. The ivy has certainly made it more appealing.

The previous post was on Buttsuji Temple.

Buttsuji Temple 12 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

Like many Zen temples and monasteries, Buttsuji displays a portrait of Bodhidharma, the legendary monk credited with introducing Zen.

Located in the mountains north of Mihara on the coast of Hiroshima, Buttsuji was a huge monastery complex in its heyday.

Though much reduced in size since then, there are still multiple structures on either side of the Buttsuji River.

It was founded in 1397 as a Rinzai sect Zen temple.

At its peak it had 88 sub temples and 3,000 branch temples.

On the narrow road approaching the temple are several of the former sub-temples, like Yotoku-in , the second photo of this post.

The temple suffered periodic declines and rebuilding during the long period of warfare among the various clans vying for power and other fires.

In 1795 a big fire destroyed many of the main buildings but they were rebuilt by 1805.

In 1905 it became the head temple of the Buttsuji branch of Rinzai, with currently 47 branch temples.

WhenI visited on this trip the leaves were only just beginning to turn, but later the temple will attract many visitors for the full autumn splendor.

Earlier I posted on the small pond garden and the large karesansui garden....

The Lecture Hall dates to 1805 and has a seated Shaka Nyorai flanked by Manjusri and Fugen. The two photos above and the one below.

On  the other side of the river steps lead up to the Pagoda.

Below the pagoda are several other statues

The previous post was on the statues of the 500 rakan at Buttsuji.

500 Rakan at Buttsuji Temple

 

The statues of the 500 Rakan at Buttsuji Temple are all made of stone and seem to be fairly recent in origin.

Not sure how many there are, certainly not close to 500, but there is space for more to be added and a couple seem to be almost new.

What I had not seen before is that each figure was named.

Also, to the left of the name was the name of the person who had donated the statue....

Nothing more to add, so please peruse the photos....

The previous post was on the gardens here at Buttsuji.....

Next I will look at the temple itself......