Nakanokawachi Jizo-do Temple 20 Sasaguri Pilgrimage

 

Nakanokawachi Jizo-do is known locally as Kakurin-ji, the 20th temple on the Shikoku pilgrimage that Nakanokawachi Jizo-do represents on this miniature version of the pilgrimage.

Though there is a very narrow road that passes near the temple, the best route is via a steep trail.

Yesterday was almost completely on asphalt roads, but it seems today there will be quite a bit of trails for those who walk the pilgrimage.

The honzon is a Jizo, and there are also many other statues around, including a couple of Fudo.

However, the most intriguing was a Kuginuki Jizo, a nail-pulling Jizo, within a giant pair of pincers.

This seems to derive from a more famous nail-pulling Jizo in Kyoto, and the background being that the "nails" to be pulled are karmic sufferings from a previous life.

The previous post was on temples 17 and 78.

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Dairyuji Temple 9 Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage

 

Though not far from the busy city of Kobe, Dairyuji is not well known and not well visited as it is situated in the middle of the mountains north of the city.

As the crow flies, only 2k from Shin Kobe station, but with no public transport you either drive, or, as I did, hike

.

Just below the Nio Gate is a Jizo statue surrounded by dozens and dozens of smaller Jizos with brightly-coloured bibs.

The Nio themselves are quite interesting, with somewhat stronger facial features than most nio.

The temple has a reputation for protection against paralysis.

The honzon, a secret Buddha, is a Standing Kannon

After passing through the Nio gate steps and vermillion torii lead up to an Inari shrine.

According to kegend, the temple was founded in 768.

A court  aristocrat was in the mountains searching for a suitable site for a temple under orders of Empress Suiko.

He was attacked by assassins sent by the priest Dokyo. He was saved by the sudden appearance of a dragon.

He established the temple at the place the event happened. Dairyuji means Great Dragon Temple.

The backstory is that Dokyo was a monk who achieved unheard of levels of  power by being favoured by Empress Shotoku. He is said to have healed her, but some speculate that they became lovers. An oracle was received at Usa Hachimangu that was interpreted to mean that Dokyo should be made the next emperor.

This caused great consternation among the courtiers and powerful clans, and Wake Kiyomaro was sent to Usa and obtained another oracle that contradicted the first. That Dokyo and Kiyomaro were enemies is without doubt. Some have likened Dokyo to Rasputin.

The temple is one of the very many that Kobo daishi is said to have visited on his way to China to study and then visited again on his return.

The temple is now a Shingon temple and has a Daishi Hall.

During the unrest of the Nanboku-cho Period in the 14th century, the temple was part of a castle and was destroyed several times but rebuilt.

The current structures date from the Edo Period.

The temple is perhaps best known for its large, vermillion Mountain Gate, but as I arrived via the footpath I didn't get to see it.

A Bokefuji Kannon for protection against dementia and senility.

Though there are many different Kannon statues here, I was here to visit the Goma-do which houses the Fudo Myoo.

The Fudo statue dates to the Edo Period and is flanked by a Daishi and a Jizo.

From here I carried on north towards the next temple located in Yamada.

The previous post was on my walk up the mountain to get here.

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Hannya-ji Special Temple on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

With a beautifully restored thatched Nio gate, Hannya-ji Temple is located on a mountaintop between Yanai and Hirao in Yamaguchi.

When I arrived on the afternoon of the 21st November, the 19th day of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage,  the autumn colours were full on.

The Niomon has a pair of fine Nio said to date to the Kamakura Period, though they have been renovayed multiple times since then. The gate itself dates to 1813.

Hannyaji is one of the extra temples added on to the 33 numbered temples.

It claims to have been founded in 567 and the temple is mentioned in documents from the late 6th century so there seems to be some basis for the date.

The temple is named after a beautiful princess, Hannyahime, and the story has several versions which I will pick and choose from for my version....

A wealthy man in what is now Oita, Manano Choja, had a beautiful daughter whose beauty was known of even in the capital. The prince who would become Emperor Yomei secretly visited the area and the couple fell in love and she became pregnant. The prince had to return to the capital and the princess said that if the child was a boy she would bring him up to the capital as an heir for the prince, but if it was a girl then she would leave her with her parents as an heir.

She gave birth to a daughter, so she left on the journey up to the capital. In the area near where Hannyaji now stands the boat encountered a storm. Some say she was washed up on shore and died shortly after, others that she sacrificed herself to the underwater Dragon King to save the lives of others. Her grave is said to be where the Kannon-do now stands.

Emperor Yomei himself ordered the construction of the temple. It is said that the statue of Kannon resembles the princess.

The view from the temple. Down below is where Princess Hannya is said to have died.

I had come across the story of Princess Hannya and her father before at several sites in Kyushu. 

Manano Choja is said to have been responsible for the founding of Renjoji Temple in Bungo Ono. His grave is said to be there. He is also said to have donated the 1,000 Medicine Buddhas there when his daughter was sick. Near to the temple is a twenty metre tall statue of the princess. I didnt photograph it at that time but have since been back and photographed it. At some point down the line I will post it.

The other site connected to Manano is further south in Usuki. It is said he paid to have the first cliff-carvings done here. Nearby Mangetsji Temple also claims to be his gravesite.

The above structure is the Myoken-do which has since been demolished. In its place a new hexagonal building, the Juo-do, has been built.

The temple was given extensive lands, but by the 14th century it had fallen into disuse and was uninhabited. Above is the Kannon Hall.

It was rebuilt and by the 15th century had grown powerful again with 120 branch temples.

It was supported by the Ouchi and then the Mori clans.

Above is the main hall enshring Dainichi Nyorai.

The bell in the bell tower, which I didnt photograph, is dated to 1255

The statue of Enma is now housed in the new Juo Hall.

The previous temple on the pilgrimage was Daisho-in on Miyajima.

The previous post in the series was on Yanai, the historical town at the base of the mountain.

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