Showing posts with label kannon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kannon. Show all posts

Friday, July 25, 2025

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









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.














Sunday, July 20, 2025

Okameyama Fukuoji Temple 12 Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage

 


Day 7 of my walk along the old Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage, and for the first time I have crossed into Hamada Domain from the Shogunate-cotrolled Ginzan Domain. During the Edo Period the old province of Iwami was basically divided by the Gonokawa River.


I'm heading up the Yato River and after leaving Oda there is a small tunnel through to Ichiyama, the next main settlement on this side of the river.


On the opposite bank is a huge Zelkova tree overhanging the river. This is a suijin altar, and in May during the Suijin Festival the priest will visit here and the local people will leave a giant purification wand, an Onusa. In the old days they would have come here by boat but since the Yato River was dammed it is no longer navigable.


Ichiyama is named after the high point in the photo above. There are the ruins of a very small castle on the top.


The new road that bypasses the actual village is lined with azalea bushes which look great at this time of the year.


On the opposite bank this grove of riverside bamboo is a favorite gathering spot for all the local egrets in the evening as the sun sets and they settle in for the night as a flock.


And then Eno comes into view. It is not a large settlement, yet is home to two temples, one of which is the one I am to visit.


After crossing the river I look towards the mountains where I will be heading next.


For such a small hamlet, Fukuoji is quite a substantial temple, and I have been unable to find out why.


It is a Soto Zen temple, and I believe it was founded in the 14th century.


The local story is that the village headman found a statue of Kannon on a giant turtle in a pool in Senjokei, a gorge with many waterfalls a few k upstream from Eno.


He then established the temple and installed the statue as the honzon.


One day I may get around to asking a local historian about the temples history......


The previous post was on Oda Hachimangu Shrine...