Historic Streets of Tomonoura

 

Tomonoura is a historic port town that still exudes an atmosphere of a time gone by without looking like a fake, Disneyfied version of history.

Tomonoura flourished as a port on the busy Inland Sea, in many ways the most important transportation route in Japan.

When I first visited more than 20 years ago I was very impressed with the town, and that was before I learnt about the Historic Preservation District status. I have since sought out as many of these districts bas I can, but Tomonoura remains one of my favourites.

Hayao Miyazaki, the famed Ghibli animator, spent a few months here back in 2005 and many believe that Ponyo, his 2008 hit movie, was inspired by Tomonoura.

More recently the 2013 Marvel movie, Wolverine, was also partially filmed here.

As well as these movies, history buffs visit to explore the links Ryoma Sakamoto had with the town.

There are a scattering of small museums and properties open to the public, as well as sake breweries and numerous cafes and eateries...

Worth mentioning is Homeishu, a local medicinal liquor made with 16 different medicinal herbs. It is surprisingly tasty and well worth a try. Created by a local doctor in the mid 17th century, for a time it was the major economic product of the town.

On this visit, I was more interested in the town's temples, so I did not visit many of the sites.

I was on my way to my last stop in the town, a temple right in the middle of the town....

So I just snapped these shots walking through the stone-paved shopping streets and narrow alleys between warehouses...

Tomonoura has been accorded Japan Heritage status.

In total there are more than 280 buildings dating back to the Edo Period.

Tomonoura and Fukuyama are well worth a visit and is not, right now at least, suffering from the issues of overtourism that Hiroshima City is...

Needing to catch a local bus to get to is probably part of the reason.....

The previous post in this series was on the second part of my walk through Tomonoura Termachi.

These huge stones at the local shrine are chikaraishi, weighing between 120 to 230 kilograms, they were used in weightlifting demonstrations by "longshoremen".

Tomonoura Temple Walk Part 2

 

During the Obon period of mid-August, most of the temples in Tomonoura have curtains and lanterns displaying the temple crest.

Hosenji was quite a large temple, founded in 1358 by Daikaku Daisoji, a high-ranking priest of the Nichiren sect.

He was supported by Emperor Go-Kogon.

There remains a huge stump of a pine tree that was a National Natural Monument until it died in 1991. It is said to have been planted by Daikaku himself and was therefore more than 630 years old when it died.

Hosenji was yet another Tomnoura temple that was used as lodgings for Korean envoys.

Heading south the next temple was Nanzenbo, distinguished by its impressive bell tower gate.

Nanzenbo was established in 1573 and moved to its current location in the mid Edo Period. It is a True Pure Land sect temple.

The tower gate and main hall are both Tangible Culturl Properties. It is believed the gate was built in preparation for the 12th Korean delegation.

Next was Amidaji, but its gates were closed and it wasn't wearing decorations so I didn't go in, which is a shame as it is home to the "Great Buddha of Tomo" said to be a particularly fine and large statues of Amida.

Amidaji is a Pure Land sect temple founded in 1565. Apparently the cemetery contains some gravestones that are unique to Tomonoura.

Next up was Myoenji, originally founded as a Tendai temple in the coutryside outside Tomonoura in the 13th century and later converted to True Pure Land.

In the mid 15th century it moved to its current location after being pressured by the warlord of its area to convert to the Nichiren sect. Along with neighbouring Amidaji, it has an Edo-period bell.

Narrow lanes lead further up the hillside to the biggest and highest temple of the area, Ioji.

The biggest building is not the main hall, but rather the Mikagedo, otherwise known as the Founders Hall.

It is a Shingon temple said to have been founded  by Kobo Daishi himself in 826.

The main hall, pictured below, dates to 1685, although the bell tower is about 40 years older.

The honzon is a standing Yakushi Nyorai.

Ioji Temple is a well-known spot for getting a great view looking down on Tomonoura and especially for watching sunrise.

However, a path with about 600 steps leads much further up the hillside to the Taishiden.

From here the views are much more expansive and reach to Shikoku on clear days.

For me, however, the highlight of Ioji were the Nio guardians.

Unfortunately I can find no information on them or their age, but they are obviously quite old and therefore that eerie quality that comes with deterioration..... kind of like how I'm feeling nowadays...

The previous post was Part One of my Tomonoura Temple Walk.