Demon Mummy of Daijoin

Demon Mummy of Daijoin

A small sign pointed up a narrow path between bamboo to a temple, the kind of invitation I find heard to resist.

A group of red-bibbed statues was reassuring...

But what I found why quite weird and a little disturbing...

It is said to be the mummified remains of an Oni. Mummified priests I had heard of but not yet seen.

The figure is about 1.4 meters tall seated and estimated to be more than 2m if standing. It has two small horns, sunken eyes, and an open mouth. It was purchased in 1925 and then donated to the temple. A cursory examination by  Kyushu University suggested it "may" be composed of a mix of human female and animal bones.

Daijoin is a vetry small temple and there were a couple of normal Buddhist statues....

The next big surprise was when I came down from Daijoin and crossed over the road I came to a huge temple.

This is Higashi Betsuin, the head temple of all Jodo Shinshu temples in Kyushu.

It was established in the late 17th century, but the current structures date to the mid-18th century but was rebuilt in 1880. It measures 28 by 25 metres. The gate is magnificent.

What I didn't know was that right next door is a similar, huge temple of the Jodo Sect, with a bigger main hall but a smaller gate. This day had produced two big surprises, but there was more to come.

The previous post in this series on my walk along the Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage features an eclectic mix of sights seen on the rural walk to get here...

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Reikoji Temple Misumi

 

Coming into Misumi after passing the huge power station at Okami, I stopped in at Reikoji Temple.

It is quite a bit more substantial than many local village temples, with some nice greenery, and it is now a Jodo Shinshu sect temple with a statue of Shinran, the founder of the sect.

I suspect it may have been a different sect in the past. It is one of the Hamada Domain Kannon pilgrimage temples, and Jodo Shinshu usually have Amida as honzon, so may have inherited the Kannon when it changed sects.

The carvings of the komainu on the gate were quite special, as was the small hillside landscaping. I can find no other information, unfortunately.

The previous post in this series was on Tsuchida Hachimangu Shrine...

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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.

Anrakuji Temple Mima

 

Anrakuji is the oldest temple of the Jodo Shinshu, True Pure Land Sect, in all of Shikoku and is located in the administrative city of Mima along the Yoshino River in Tokushima.

Known locally as Akamonji, literally "red gate temple", because of the impressive gate which was built in 1756. It and several other buildings in the temple are registered as Important Cultural Properties.

It was founded around 1256 when an existing Tendai Temple, Shinnyoji, which had been in existence since the Heian Period was converted to Jodo Shinshu and renamed.

Anrakuji is located in a Teramachi- a cluster of large temples- though most teramachi were Edo-period creations whereby new castle towns built all their temples in one district, this one is located in a rural area and has been an area of temples since ancient times.

In fact the ruins  of one of the first temples ever built in Shikoku are located nearby, adjacent to some late burial mounds indicating that this was an important political center in ancient times.

The previous post in this series on my third day walking the Shikoku Fudo Myo Pilgrimage was Mima Snaphots.