Fukuyama Hachimangu

Fukuyama Hachimangu

Fukuyama Hachimangu lies north of the castle and is somewhat unusual in that it was until fairly recently two separate shrines with two approaches, torii, etc so double the amount of komainu and zuijin guardians.

I entered through the Eastern shrine and left through the Western one.

Nobuhiro Hachiman was the name of the eastern shrine and Nogami Hachiman the western one.

Though records no longer exist they are believed to have been in existence for some time before the Edo Period but were relocated to  the castle town when it was built in the early 16th century.

In 1683 they were moved to their current location.

The origin of the eastern shrine, Nobuhiro, was with the original Hachiman shrine in Usa, whereas the origin of the western shrine, Nogami, was enshrined from Tsurugaoka Hachiman.

Nobuhiro Hachiman was for the townspeople, whereas Nogami Hachiman was for the samurai.

When moved to the current site both shrines were of symetrical design with neither being more prominent. At this time it was called Ryosha hachiman Shrine.

In 1969 the two shrines became one and was renamed Fukuyama Hachiman Shrine.

In 1984 the new central worship hall was constructed.

Being a Hachiman, the primary kami is the mythical emperor Ojin, along with his mother the mythical Jingu. The third kami is usually given as Himegami, usually either his wife or daughter, but here it is quite different.

The "princess" element of the triad is listed as the three Munakata kami, Tagirihime, Ichikishima, and Tagitsuhime.

For me the highlight of the shrine are the two pairs of wooden komainu in the gates.

Please enjoy the rest of the photos.

The previous post was on Ushitora Shrine, immediately adjacent.

Goods From Japan

Oda Hachimangu

 

Heading up the Yato River from my home on day 7 of my walk along the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage, I first walked through Kawado, and then the second village was Oda. It was in the middle of Oda that I stopped in at the Omoto "shrine". At the far end of the village the steps lead straight up to the village shrine, a Hachimangu.

Like most shrines in the countryside it is uninhabited and to all intents and purposes seems abandoned.

However, once a year, after harvest, the matsuri is held and the shrine is dusted off, aired, and all-night kagura will be performed.

Once every 4 years they will also hold an Omoto Matsuri, and that is what I posted on in the previous post in this series.

The main road to and from the shrine leads down to the river...

Being a Hachiman shrine the main kami is Ojin, but curiously the Prefectural Shinto Shrine Association says it is combined with Susanoo

Which may explain the second crest next to the hachiman Triple-Tomoe above the fine pair of Kote-e dragons.

Haguro Shrine Tamashima

 

Adorning the roof of Haguro Shrine in Tamashima, Okayamama, is a ceramic Karasu Tengu, and it has become the symbol of the shrine and also a mascot for the town.

Tamashima was a cluster of small islands that have now become reclaimed land due to the efforts of the local daimyo Mizutani Katsutaka who started with the area immediately around where the shrine is now and spread out building embankments and reclaiming more land.

The area quickly became a major port on the trading route of the Inland Sea.

Mount Haguro is a sacred mountain in Yamagata in northern Japan with a major shrine called Dewa Shrine.

It is one of three sacred mountains  grouped together as Dewa Sanzan, and is and was a major Shugendo centre, hence the Karasu Tengu.

The shrine in Tamashima became the centre of the land reclamation project and was supported by the growing merchant population.

The current buildings date back to the mid 19th century and have a lot of fine decorations.

Within the grounds are numerous secondary shrines including a Sumiyoshi Shrine, and a Tenmangu Shrine, as well as a Mizutani Shrine, Kumada Shrine, and a Warei Shrine.

The Seven Lucky Gods are also enshrined and very popular.

There is a small pine tree that has had its branches woven together and is therefore known as Musubi no Matsu.

The figures on tye roof are particularly nice with dragons as well as the Karasu Tengu.

Photos 16 and 17 show two other figures which I believe to be Daoist Immortals. One is riding a turtle and the other a crane, both important Daoist symbols and prevalent in Japanese art and culture, especially gardens.

The kami listed as enshrined here are Tamayorihime, Susanoo, Okuninushi, and Kotoshironushi.

A little off the main tourist track, Tamashima is worth a visit, not least for the artwork adorning Haguro Shrine.

I visited at the start of day 9 walking the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

The previous post was on the shrine at temple 6 of the pilgrimage that I visited the afternoon previous, Yuga Shrine.