Fumishima Sacred Island for the Birds

 

Down below Hinomisaki, the westernmost cape of the Shimane Peninsula, is a cluster of small islands, the largest being Fumishima.

Located less than 200 meters from the harbour in front of Hinomisaki Shrine, the island is topped by a small torii and shrine.

The small shrine is a kind of memorial to the shrine that stood here until 948, which enshrined Amaterasu. It was moved to Hinomisaki. Later, in early Meiji, Amaterasu became the main kami of Hinomisaki after swapping with Susano. More on that in the next post....

The island is a National Natural Monument because it is a breeding ground for black-tailed gulls.

In early winter, about 5,000 of the birds migrate here to overwinter and breed. They leave by July. I was here in late June, so most were still there.

Other than naturalists studying the gulls, the only humans allowed on the island are Shinto priests who come once a year.

The previous post in this series of my walk along the Japan Sea Coast was on the Hinomisaki Cape itself and the lighthouse.

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Giant Juniper Tree & Temples 51, 52, & 54 on Shodoshima

 

This huge Juniper tree is well deserving of its ranking as a National Natural Monument. It is in the grounds of Hoshoin Temple, number 54 on the Shodoshima Pilgrimage.

It is almost 17 meters tall, with a circumference of more than 20 meters at the base and 17 meters at chest height. It is believed to be about 1600 years old and legend has that it was planted by Emperor Ojin. Using the mythical dates of the Kojiki and Nihongi as historical dates, which many continue to do, made the tree 2,000 years old and therefore the oldest in the world, but no reliable sources do that anymore.

There are two other "temples" of the pilgrimage within the grounds of Hoshoin.

The one closest to the Juniper tree is number 52, officially called Former Hachiman Shrine. It was moved here in 1868 with the separation of Buddhas and Kami, from the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine to the south.

Tomioka Hachiman is a huge hilltop shrine, so what I suspect ths small hall enshrines is what was, before 1868, the goshintai of the shrine. In this case a statue of Amida.

Many shrines had Buddhist statues as shintai, and Hachiman shrines in particular have always been quite Buddhist. Some years ago I was told by a fervent Shintoist that Hachiman was not truly shinto, but Buddhist.

The large temple is Hoshoin, number 54.

It is a Koyasan Shingon sect temple, and the honzon is a Jizo.

The third pilgrimage temple at the site is number 51, Hodobo.

Hodobo was the main temple at Tomioka Hachiman, so it was destroyed in 1868 and the honzon, an 11-faced Kannon, was moved here.

The previous post in this series on the Shodoshima Pilgrimage was on the two previous temples, 49 & 50.

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Ryuzoji Temple 17 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

Ryuzoji Temple, the oldest temple in Yamaguchi City, is the 17th temple on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage and is a little out of town and not easily accessible by public transport so remains somewhat unkown to visitors.

I was totslly blown away by the phenomenal colours of the maple and gingko together...

At the bottom of the steps leading up is the remains of a small garden attributed to Sesshu. It was in poor condition when I was there but I believe it has been somewhat renovated now.

This is another of the temples where I took so many photos that I will break it down into two posts.

The origins of the temple lie in 698 when En no Gyoja, the legendary founder of shugendo, was returning from Hikosan in north Kyushu and discovered the cave on the mountainside that is now the okunoin.

Later, in 741, Gyoki came here, carved a Thousand-armed Kannon and established 7 halls

During the Edo Period ii seems it was a fairly large temple complex.

However, with the anti-Buddhist movements of early Meiji the temple was partially destroyed and abandoned.

In the last years of the 19th century it was revived as a place of worship.

The temple was packed with things to see,... not least the colours of Autumn, mostly on the ground...

Above is the Basho Jizo. I can find no info on this version of Jizo, so it must be one of the lesser ones...

The giant Gingko tree had shed just about all its leaves. It is about 45 meters tall and with a circumference of 12 meters at its base. Its diameters above the ground is 6 meters.

It is estimated to about  550 years old . Of all the nationally registered gingko tree this one is the second tallest and oldest.

At the top of the stairs, the first building is the Kannon Hall.

The main hall houses the honzon, and Amida. This is a Shingon temple...

The Kannon is a Bato Kannon, a Horsehead Kannon, and I was very surprised because I would have said it was an Aizen Myoo statue...

Just when you think you have gotten a handle on the identities and multiple appearances of the Buddhist deities, you come across something that blows it all up,,,

The Gingko tree at Ryuzoji Temple is a National Natural Monument.

It seems Bato Kannon can be an "angry" manifestation of Kannon, and "he" is included in the Hachidai Myoo grouping.

May be a Ryuzu Kannon, though usually she is depicted on a dragon, not with a dragon on her head...

In the next post I will cover the large Fudo Myoo, the waterfall, and numerous other sights above and behind the main hall.

The previous post in this series on day 23 walking along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, was on Rurikoji Temple and its pagoda,  a few kilometers further north.

if you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the most recent posts