Togakuji Temple Revisited

 

Togakuji is a Soto Zen temple that predates Matsue Castle a little, but was moved to the Okudani area of Matsue when the castle was built.

After visiting the garden at Manjuji Temple,  I stopped in here on my way back towards downtown.

I had hoped to view the garden behind the main hall, but once again the priest was busy with guests, so will have to try again next time....

The short approach to the temple is flanked by small but effective raked sand gardens with pine trees and a couple of small Jizo statues....

The rakan hall contains statues of the 500 rakan or arhats.....

For the history of the temple, please refer to my earlier post. with some photos of the same things, but different day, different light, different camera, different mood.....

The previous post in this series on the gardens and other sights of Matsue and Izumo was on the garden of Manjuji Temple.

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Shotokuji Temple 22 Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage

 

Shotokuji Temple in Sufu, lies at the foot of a hill that was covered by a largish castle and was the family temple of the lords of the castle and area, the Suo Clan The castle is ometimes called Sufu Castle, and sometimes Tobisu Castle

Some sources claim the temple was founded by Shotoku Taishi himself, or that the temple has a statue carved by him. More likely is that it was established around the same time as the castle in 1228.

The castle was one of 18 castles in Iwami to protect against Mongol invasion.  For 300 years the Suo clan ruled the area. When first built, the sea was much closer to the temple and castle, but over time the land was reclaimed and a small castle town existed. The sea is now 1km away.

In the late 16th century the castle fell to the Mori and the Suo became vassals of the Mori. After Sekigahara the Suo followed the Mori to Nagato and the castle was destroyed.

In 1866 the temple was used as a headquarters by a force of  Kishu Domain samurai and was attacked by Choshu forces in the Second Choshu Expedition. The temples pillars still have bullet holes from that engagement.

It is a Soto Zen temple with a Shaka Nyorai, the historical Buddha, as honzon.

The bell tower gate is quite impressive as are the pair of Nio guardians...

I visited at the start of day 35 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, which coincided with day 16 of my walk along the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage. Will explain in the next post.

The previous post was on the afternoon walk on the day before...

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Ruriji Temple & the Cheerful Hunter

 

This section of the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage is very exciting for me as it is through country that I have never been before, even though it is not too far from my home.

Ruriji is  temple 14 on the pilgrimage, and I reached it at the end of my 8th day.

It is a Soto sect Zen temple with a Shaka Nyorai as its honzon.

With a bell tower gate, small treasure hall, and plentiful fresh offerings at the Mizuko Jizo, it is obviously an active temple, but I can find absolutely nothing about its history.

The sun was getting low, but my accommodations for the night were just a short walk away.

In the middle of nowhere is a noodle restaurant. The name has changed since I was there. It is now called Countryside Cafe Cheerful Hunter.

At the time, my wife was working for an NPO related to rural revitalization, and so had networked with other similar NPO's in the region, and so had been here.

Takahashi Imada and his wife are  the proprietors. He is a hunter and so wild boar features heavily on the menu, along with other wild, mountain delicacies.

He gave me a plate of wild boar meat, a cup of amazake made by his wife, and a bed in an empty house on the property for the grand price of 2,000 yen. Their noodle restaurant is usually full, and he also offers hunting trips and minpaku-style accommodations nowadays, and yes! he was cheerful.

The previous post was on the afternoon leg of my walk.

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Kozanji Temple 19 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

Kozanji is a Soto Zen temple in the old samurai town of Chofu near Shimonoseki.

It was established originally as a Rinzai temple in 1327.

It is the 19th temple on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

Originally called Chofukuji, by the start of the 17th century it had become somewhat dilapidated, but Mori Hidemoto had it reconstructed as a Soto temple and changed the name to Kozanji.

The highlight of the temple is the Butduden, the Buddha Hall, built in 1320. Top photo.

It is the oldest remaining example of Zenshuyo style architecture in Japan and is registered as a National Treasure.

Kozanji has numerous links to the Meiji Restoration. The mound pictured below is a memorial to all those who gave their lives for the Meiji Restoration.

Inside the Butsuden is the honzon of the temple, a Thousand-armed Kannon, as well as numerous other noteworthy statues.

28 statues were carved in the early 16th century as attendants to kannon, and 23 remain today.

Kozanji has a big, ornate two^story gate, but it was enclosed in scaffolding and tarps when I visited.

The honzon is said to have been carved by the famous sculptor Unkei.

In the entrance to the priests quarters is a statue of Idaten.

This Bodhisattva is known as a protector of monasteries....

The previous post in this series on day 25 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pigrimage was on the moss garden here at Kozanji.

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