Showing posts with label fudo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fudo. Show all posts

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Nishinotaki Ryusui Temple 42 Shodoshima Pilgrimage

 


I arrived at Nishinotaki Temple via the mountain footpath that ran from temple 41, Bukkokusan, so I didn't see the quite dramatic entry approach until I left.


Nishinotaki epitomizes all that is so great about the Shodoshima Pilgrimage:- a cave, fantastic views, and lots of Fudo Myoo....


The entrance to the small cave is beside main hall.


Inside is a sacred spring, and according to the various legends  it concerns a dragon that attacked a local village and was pacified and confined in the cave resulting in the sacred spring today.


The honzon is an 11-faced Kannon.


A forest fire in 1970 destroyed all the buildings.


The Goma-do is a vermillion, concrete structure with the best views... photo 17 below


A little further up the mountain is a Fudo statues with attendants... photo 14 below.


There are several other Fudo statues including the one on the altar in the goma-do photo 11 below


For those who come by car there is a long staircase lined with lanterns


The previous post was on temple 41 Bukkokusan.














Saturday, July 12, 2025

From Innoshima Island to Ikuchijima Island

 


I came down the west side of Mount Shirataki and reached the road running along the shoreline of Innoshima Island.


I then headed south to the bridge that would take me over to Ikuchi Island


I have covered the Ikuchi Bridge previously when I walked the Shimanami Kaido, so if you want any specs please check this link.


To get to the path for pedestrians and cycles to access the bridge meant passing under the bridge. Fortunately for pedestrians there was a short-cut so I didn't have to follow the very long and shallow-sloped cycle path.


An unusual little "park" made by someone local methinks.


Ikuchi Bridge only has one level so pedestrians are are in the open and can enjoy the views a bit better.


Once on Ikuchijima I headed around the north coast of the island, avoided the main attraction of the island, Kosanji, and headed towards Kojoiji Temple, my destination.


The last two photos in those post were not at a religious site, rather outside a stonemasons factory....


The previous post in this series on day 12 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on the hundreds of statues atop Mount Shirataki.




Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Chozenji Temple 8 Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage

 


Chozenji Temple is number 8 on the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.


It is located a few kilometers downstream from temple 7, Fukushoji. Each of the 36 temples on the Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage has one of the 36 doji, child-attendants of Fudo. At the foot of the stairs above is Shitara Doji.


Like Fukushoji, Chozenji seems like a pretty unremarkable rural temple.


However, it claims to have been founded by Kobo Daishi himself and if I am reading the history correctly, was a fairly major temple.


The Fudo enshrined here is said to be a Fudo who shows miraculous powers for warding off swellings and rashes and has become known as a Fudo to ward off cancer.


From the main hall further steps lead further up the mountainside through a "tunnel" of red torii.


This leads to Mogami Inari Shrine, a branch of Saijo Inari, a Buddhist temple in Okayama.


I can find no information on when the shrine was established or anything about it.


The main building seems to be fairly recent and has some nice ceiling paintings.


It has a pair of Tengu masks hanging on tye front of the building and a pair of what looks like Nio masks but could be other characters...


The steps continue on up to the temple Okunoin, a man made cave with a large painting of Fudo and water streaming from a hole in the ceiling.


The stairs leading up are lined with Fudo statues on the right side and another figure on te left. This may be Kukuzo, the honzon of the temple.


The temple burned down in 1586 and was rebuilt in 1588. In 1598 it was name Ekiji.


It is said to have consisted of seven structures, including a pagoda. It burned down again in 1864 and was rebuilt in 1890.


As part of the Spring Fudo Myoo Festival, firewalking by Yamabushi takes place in front of the Okunoin.


A couple of paintings from the temple are National Important Cultural Properties and are held by museums in Kyoto and Nara.


The previous post in the series was on the previous temple, Fukushoji, number 7.