Showing posts with label kochi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kochi. Show all posts

Monday, February 3, 2025

From Kiyotakiji to Shoryuji

 


I spent the night in the tsuyado, the free room offered by some temples for walking pilgrims, at temple number 35 Kiyotakiji, so was up before sunrise and on my way on day 18 of my walk along the Shikoku Pilgrimage.


The route towards temple 36, Shoryuji, was pretty much directly south towards the coast and about 15k away. First I had to cross the Hage River, a tributary of the Niyodo River.


To reach the coast the road passes over a line of hills. Just before the pass, at around 100 meters above sea level, is a small park. As well as toilets it has a nice seated shelter..... exactly the kind of place that a walking henro keeps their eyes open for....


Dropping down into a town called Usa. I knew of the Usa in Oita on Kyushu, home to the head Hachiman shrine, but hadn't heard of this one before.


As usual, I pass by numerous small, local shrines, and one has a most unusual torii.


It is made of steel, seemingly stainless, yet dark. I have seen bronze torii, torii sheathed in copper, and some large steel torii, but none like this...


I reach the Pacific coast and pass by the fishing harbour with expansive views back along the Kochi coastline.


Shoryuji is on the Yokonami Peninsula a long narrow peninsula across a long narrow inlet. Before the 640 meter long Usaohashi bridge was built in 1973 pilgrims would have had to cross by ferry, one of the many sections on the pilgrimage route that ferries were needed.


The beaches on the tip of the peninsula seemed to be a popular holiday spot.


The previous post in this series was on temple 35, Kiyotakiji.


Thursday, December 5, 2024

Mishima Shrine Takaoka Tosa

 


Mishima Shrine is located in Takaokacho, Tosa, at the base of the hill on which Ohenro temple 35, Kiyotakiji is found.


It shares space with an Itsukushima Shrine, though they each have their own steps.


The only history I can find is that it was rebuilt in the early 17th century.


There are numerous smaller shrines within the grounds, including a Yasaka Shrine enshrining Susano, and a Shinmei Shrine enshrining Amaterasu.


There are half a dozen komainu including several with the "Princess leia" hairstyle.


There are a lot of largish ema paintings, including one, not shown as it is too faded, registered as an Important Cultural Property.


The Mishima shrine enshrines Oyamazumi.


The Itsukushima Shrine enshrines the three Munakata Princesses, daughters of Susano.


The previous post in this series documenting the space between the temples on the Ohenro Pilgrimage was on the nearby Omirokusama Shrine.


Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Wakamiya Hachimangu & Chosokabe Motochika

 


The southern approach to Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine in Nagahama, Kochi is through a long narrow ark, Chinjunomri.


Some way along the path you pass a huge statue of the samurai warlord Motochika Chosokabe, a hero to many in Shikoku.


For any of you who have walked the Shikoku pilgrimage, you will be well aware of Chosokabe as he destroyed a large number of the pilgrimage temples in his "unification" of Shikoku.


In 1560, as a young man under his warlord father, he took part in his first battle to attack nearby Nagahama Castle. On the eve of battle he camped in the grounds of Wakamiya Shrine and spent the night praying for victory.


Just north of here at the base of the mountain where Nagahama Castle stood is Sekkeiji Temple, the family temple of Motochika, and next door is Hata Shrine enshrining Motochika. His grave is also here.


After succeeding his father, Motochika spent ten years winning control over all of Tosa province.


He then spent 15 years taking over almost the whole of Shikoku but was finally undone by Hideyoshi.


The shrine was established in 1185 to protect the area which was land belonging to the Rokujo Wakamiya Hachimangu established in Kyoto by Monamoto Yoritomo, the first Kamakura Shogun.


It was established as a branch of Iwashimizu Hachimangu, the shrine south of Kyoto that two-thirds of all Hachiman shrines trace their origin to.


Hachiman had been adopted by the Minamoto as their tutelary deity and so was very popular among samurai.


After Chosokabe's military success following prayers here, this shrine became particularly renowned for prayers for victory.


The architecture here is unique, and said to have been designed by Chosokabe himself.


When seen in plan view is is said to resemble a dragonfly, considered a victorious and auspicious insect for samurai.


There are numerous secondary shrines within the grounds including a Tenjin Shrine which they list as enshrining Amenomikumari, a female kami connected to estuaries and irrigation. They mention also Sugawara Michizane.


There is also a Kojin Shrine, a Misa Shrine, a Sanja Shrine, and a Hayatosha.


The previous post in this series exploring things seen and encountered between the temples on the Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage was the nearby museum to Ryoma Sakamoto.


Thursday, April 4, 2024

Ryoma Sakamoto Memorial Museum in Kochi

 

Ryoma Sakamoto is one of the most popular figures in the creation of modern Japan in the so-called Meiji Restoration that ended the rule of the Shogun and restored Imperial rule in 1868.


He was a low-ranking samurai born in what is now Kochi, west of Kochi Castle. A small museum dedicated to him now stands at his birthplace, but the biggest one is located south of Kochi City overlooking Katsurahama Beach.

He was assassinated in Kyoto in 1867 by pro-shogunate elements, possibly connected to the famed shinsengumi.

It is said that Katsurahama Beach was a favorite spot of Sakamoto's, and a big statue of him was  erected there  in 1939.


Not far away, in 1991, a striking museum was opened dedicated to Ryoma.


While personally not having much interest in Ryoma Sakamoto, I was intrigued by the architecture. Designed by Hiroshi and Akiko Takahashi, and was their first project together.


I took these photos in late November, 2011, on the 17th day of my walk around the Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage. The previous post in the series was from the evening before in Kochi City at Yosakoi Inari Shrine. The closest pilgrimage temple is Sekkeiji.


Monday, February 5, 2024

Kochi Daijingu & Yosakoi Inari Shrine

 


Kochi Daijingu is located just outside the main gate of Kochi Castle, and within the grounds is Yosakoi Inari Shrine.


Kochi Daijingu, with its unique golden torii, is a branch of Ise Shrine, but I can not find much info on it beyond that it was established in 1873. The Inari shrine is far more popular and has more info.


There were a lot of chickens wandering around the grounds, something I have seen before at shrines, but not so very often....


The Inari Shrine was renamed Yosakoi Inari quite recently in honor of Kochi being the origin of the Yosakoi dance.


The shrine originally was in the property of the Yamauchi Clan, and was moved to Kochi when the clan sold their property in early Meiji. I believe it was originally in Kyoto as a few of the enshrined kami are specifically local Kyoto kami.


As a branch of Ise, the Daijingu enshrines Amaterasu. The chicken has been considered the messenger of Amaterasu in the same way that the fox is considered the messenger of Inari.


Consequently, there are no komainu at the shrine, just a pair of recently added chicken statues and the usual foxes.


The previous post from day 16 of my walk along the Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage was Kochi Castle.