Showing posts with label kinkifudo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kinkifudo. Show all posts

Friday, June 13, 2025

Suwa Shrine & Mikiinari Shrine Kobe

 


Suwa Shrine is located on the lower slope of the mountains behind Kobe and is reached up a steep slope.


Though ostensibly a Suwa Shrine, as one approaches it appears to be an Inari Shrine, and the local nickname for the shrine is Suwayama Inari.


According to the legend the shrine was founded in the year 400 as protection of the detached palace of Princess Hatta or Yatta. She was the half-sister and consort of Emperor Nintoku.


As a Suwa shrine the main kami is Takeminakata, son of Okuninushi who was exiled to what is now Nagano after the transfer of the land from Onuninushi to Amaterasu.


Suwa Taisha is a major shrine with branches nationwide.


Later the mountain became named Suwayama.


However, in 1778 a branch of Fushimi Inari Shrine was established here, now known as Miki Inari.


For whatever reason the Inari identity overshadows the Suwa identity, with fox guardians guarding the Suwa shrine as well as all the numerous Inari shrines now scattered around the grounds.


One ceramic kitsune was particularly impressive.


Theer are several other shrines in the grounds other than the numerous Inari shrines, and they include a Sarutahiko Shrine.


I visited very early in the morning on day 4 of my walk along the Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.


From here a trail leads up the mountain to the next temples on the pilgrimage.


The previous post in the series was on Ninomiya Shrine in Kobe that I visited the evening before.












Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Ninomiya Shrine Kobe

 


Ninomiya Shrine is a small shrine in the heart of Kobe, not too far from Sannomiya Station. Ninomiya and Sannomiya means "Second Shrine" and "Third Shrine", and was a ranking system used in ancient Japan that has held over into modern times. The area around such shrines often were named after them.


According to the shrine legend, Empress Jingu stopped here on her way to what is now Ikuta Shrine, the most important shrine in the area and also said to have been founded by the mythical Empress.


Just inside the grounds is a small shrine, Mukuhakuryusha. It is a modern shrine being founded in 1955 and enshrines a white snake, a common motif in dreams and carrier of oracles from the kami.


There is also a small Inari Shrine. While Inari is well known as a kami of rice, it is also really popular among businesses, but not so well known is that Inari was the tutelary deity of women working in the "pleasure quarters". Until the middle of the twentieth century the area around the shrine was one of the many red light districts of Kobe.


The main building eshnrines Amenoohihomimi, the first of the 5 male kami created when Susanoo spat out after chewing Amaterasu's jewels, and the supposed direct ancestor of the imperial lineage. The shrine is known locally as Masakatsusan which come from a different reading of the kamis name, in that form known for success and victory.


The main building is quite new and I suspect may have been built after the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 95. One thing I dislike is the modern chigi on the roof, first photo. Chigi were originally the cross pieces that helped hold down thatched roofs but became architectural decorative details of shrines. When the end pieces were cut horizontally it indicated that the primary kami of the shrine was female, and when cut vertically the shrine was for a male kami. The type of chigi here is somewhat curved and has a diagonal cut.


I visited at the end of my third day walking the Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage. The previous post was on nearby Ikuta Shrine.

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Ikuta Shrine Sannomiya

 


Ikuta Shrine is the most important shrine in Sannomiya, part of Kobe in Hyogo. It was the third-ranked shrine in the province, the sannomiya, which is why the area around it took that name.


My room for the night was nearby so I passed through the grounds on my way there.


A "shinto" wedding was taking place. As I have mentioned before, Shinto Weddings are a very modern thing and not at all traditional.


Christian weddings have a much older history in Japan than Shinto weddings. The first shinto wedding was in 1904 for the Crown Prince. It was modelled on royal weddings of Europe and especially the UK.


Later a few elites had Shinto weddings and before the war it became popular with salarymen and army officers who chose it because it was modern and untraditional. Ikuta Shrine is known to have performed shinto weddings in the prewar years.


In 1945 it was suddenly made traditional and has gained in popularity since then.


According to myth, Ikuta Shrine was established by Empress Jingu when her ship was becalmed here.


She was told by the kami Wakahirume that she wished to stay here, so Jingu set up the shrine. Wakhirume is considered to be either  a younger sister of Amaterasu, although sometimes she is thought of as a daughter of Amaterasu or even Amaterasu as a girl.


Over the centuries numerous other shrines have been made inside the grounds, including Sumiyoshi, Hachiman, Suwa, Hiyoshi, Inari, and a Sai shrine. As is evident in the final photo, Ikuta Shrine is one of the increasing number of shrines "specializing" in matchmaking.


This visit was at the end of my third day walking the Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage. The previous post was on one of the Inari shrines at Ikuta.




Saturday, December 21, 2024

Inari Shrine at Ikuta Jinja

Inari Shrine


Ikuta Shrine is a major shrine in Kobe. It was the third ranked shrine of the province and hence the area around it is now called Sannomiya.


In the NE corner of the grounds, near the east gate is a small Inari Shrine.


What struck me was the concrete wall alongside the torii tunnel.


Ikuta shrine claims an ancient history back to Empress Jingu, but I can find no info on this Inari Shrine.


The newness of the shrine suggests to me it was rebuilt when the neighbouring apartment block was constructed.


This visit was at the end of my third day walking the Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.


Goods From Japan

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Kobe Maritime Museum & Kawasaki Good Time World

 


The most interesting piece of architecture in Kobe, to my mind at least, is the Kobe Maritime Museum located on the waterfront in Meriken Park.


It was opened in 1987 to mark the 120th anniversary of the opening of the port to foreign trade.


The vast majority of the displays are models, though some of them are quite large in scale.


However, I am guessing that the museum never made much money, so in 2007 a large part of the structure was turned into the Kawasaki Good Times World.


Outside Japan Kawasaki is probably best known for motorbikes, but it is a major industrial concern with its fingers in many pies.


Trains, helicopters, industrial robotics, and ships are among the many other products.


The museum has lots of simulators and other hands-on exhibits for kids of all ages....


This was the one and only time I went in, though I photograph the building whenever I pass through Kobe. I was here on Day 3 of my walk along the Kinki Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage. The previous post was on Meriken Park.