The view from Mount Bizan

 

Mount Bizan is a 291 metre-high mountain overlooking Tokushima City.

The Bizan Ropeway runs from the 5th floor of the Awa Odori Hall and in six minutes takes you up to Bizan Park.

You have extensive views over the city to the North, East, and South.

The sea is not far away..... on a good day you can see the coast of Wakayama....

It is ranked the number one night view on Shikoku....

There is a small shrine and what appears to be a south-east Asian pagoda...

The view to the west is over the mountains that stretch away....

The broad Yoshino River dominates the view to the north...

The previous post was on the Zen temple of Zuiganji and its garden and pagoda and tea houses....

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Senkoji Temple Icon of Onomichi

 

Senkoji, temple number 10 on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage is located on the mountainside overlooking the historic town and port of Onomichi.

On this trip I visited by taking the ropeway to the top of the mountain and then walking down to the temple. These first two shots were taken from the cablecar on the way up.

The views from above the temple are stupendous...

I have visited Senkoji several times before, so on this visit I passed through pretty quickly and didn't take so many photos.

The temple was founded in 806, with some saying by Kobo Daishi himself.

The temple was restored in the 10th century by Minamoto Mitsunaka.

The temple is about 140 meters up the mountain so the views are still quite magnificent.

The current main hall dates to 1686

There are numerous large rock outcroppings around the temple, the biggest being known as Tamanoiwa

The honzon is a Thousand-armed Kannon. It is a secret Buddha only shown to the public once every 33 years.

However a replica stand-in is in front of the altar ( 2 photos below)

The previous post in this series on day 11 of my Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage walk was on Saigokuji Temple, the biggest temple in Onomichi.

Not far below Senkoji on the temple walk route is the Tenneiji Pagoda, a classic photo spot.

Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway

 

Kinosaki is a very popular hot spring resort near the Sea of Japan in northern Hyogo that is easily accessible from the big cities of Kansai by regular express trains.

Occupying a narrow valley that runs into the Maruyama River and from the top end of the town there is a ropeway running up Mount Daishi.

The top station is at 230 meters above sea level and from it you have great views down on the town and out to the sea. There is also a cafe here and the okunoin of Onsenji Temple. There is a hiking path down the mountain to the temple and then on down to the town as well as further up into the mountains.

The length of the ropeway is just 676 meters and it takes just 7 minutes. 

Unusual for ropeways, the Kinosaki Ropeway stops at an intermediary station on its way up and down. Onsenji Station is adjacent to the main buildings of Onsenji Temple.

Previously I have posted a brief introduction to Kinosaki Onsen. Another ropeway I posted about recently was the Kankakei Gorge Ropeway on Shodshima.

Kankakei Gorge Ropeway Shodoshima

 

The view from the top of Kankakei Gorge, which  is located roughly in the middle of Shodoshima Island.

It is considered one of the Top Three gorges in Japan.

It is splendid at any time of the year but becomes very, very popular in the Autumn when the changing colors are spectacular.

A ropeway runs above the gorge and offers a great way to enjoy the views.

It runs from the lower station at approximately 300 meters altitude up to the top at roughly 600 meters.

It takes about 5 minutes and covers just over 900 meters in length.

At the top are souvenir shops, restaurants, scenic viewpoints. etc

There are two trails, one that roughly follows the gorge and is about 2k and another about 3k.

I was on the second day of my walk along the Shodoshima Pilgrimage and took the ropeway down after having climbed up the East Trail, which is the subject of the previous post in this series.

Mount Senkoji Ropeway

Mt. Senkoji is only 140 meters high, but it does go right down to the sea and is fairly steep, so the ropeway is a good way to get up.

I havent been on to many ropeways that are so urban. On the way up it passes directly over a lot of houses and of course offers nice views.

Its not often you get to look down on a cemetery.

Closer to the top it passes near Senko-ji, the temple the mountain is named after.

From the top there are great views over Onomichi and across the channel to the islands...