Senpukuji, Kunisaki

Founded in the 14th Century as a training monastery for Zen monks, Senpukuji is located on the west side of the Kunisaki peninsula.

With advance bookings it is possible to take zazen classes nowadays.

One of the halls is thatched and is registered as an Important Cultural property. The Christian warlord Otomo Sorin burned the temple to the ground in his campaign against Buddhism and Shinto.

There was lots of lovely fall colors when I visited in late November

Sho'okuji Temple Hiji Oita

Sho'okuji is a large Soto Zen temple in the castle town of Hiji on Beppu bay in Oita. It isnt one of the Kyushu Pilgrimage temples ( which are all Shingon) but I wanted to stop by to see the Sesshu garden there. During the Edo Period it was the family temple of the Kinoshita Clan who ruled the domain.

The Manyu garden has a massive pond, and it is said that Sesshu, who lived nearby for many years, possibly had a hand in its design.

In front of the main hall is the biggest Cycad in all of Japan. Said to be 650 years old it was originally in the garden of Otomo Sorin, the famous Christian Daimyo who lived further south in Funai and Usuki. The palm trees trunk measures 4 and a half meters around.

Behind the main buildings is what I came to see, a garden attributed to Sesshu, my favorite garden designer. It was a grey, rainy day which didnt help. Sesshu lived in the area to avoid the Onin War. In the temples treasure house are some paintings attributed to him.

This rather nice Senju Kannon was in another of the temples halls.

Yuzukosho (yuzu pepper) is a signature product from Usuki & Hita

Iwami Mandala Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 2 Sofukuji

A few of the temples on the Iwami Kannon Pigrimages are likely to be quite large and important, but I expect most to be like this one, Sofukuji, officially temple number 2.

Its a small village temple of the Soto Zen sect located in Ikeda at the base of Mount Sanbe. There was no-one home so I could not get into the main hall and see the main Kannon statue, the honzon.

However you never know what you are going to find, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover this collection of statues which seem to be rakan, the 500 disciples of the Buddha.

One of the intriguing things about the rakan is the diversity of faces and poses. It is said that you can always find a statue that reminds you of someone you know.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 27 Senko-ji

The Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is obviously still quite populkar judging by the number of Osamefuda left on thye doors of the Kannon-do.

Actually the Kannon-do is named Chofuku-ji and the main hall next door is called Senko-ji, suggesting that the Kannon-do was a separate temple relocated to this site.

It is a Soto Zen temple, and the main deity is a Thousand-Armed Kannon.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 25 Chosui-ji

Chosui-ji, temple number 25 on the Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, is a small rural temple located in Fukuhara north of Matsue City.

There is little information about it except that it formerly stood on top of the mountain and was moved to its current location in 1875.

It is now a Soto Zen temple, and the honzon is an 11-faced Kannon.

Though not as famous as many pilgrimages, the number of ofuda left on the Kannon Hall attests to its continued popularity in Izumo....

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 17 Seijyo-ji

Perched right on top of 450 meter high Hoshikamiyama, Seijyoji is probably the highest of all the temples on the Izumo Pilgrimage.

All that remains is the single main hall, which burnt down in 1951, a single stone pagoda, and a single statue.

It is now a Soto Zen temple, but was earlier a Shingon temple. The statue of 11 faced Kannon was supposedly carved by Gyoki which would suggest that it is older than Shingon.

Though it looks abandoned, villagers come here at the end of January for a ceremony that involves making and then carrying up the mountain a huge mochi, rice cake.

There are fantastic views, east towards Daisen 40k away (above) and also west towards Sanbe.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, Temple 16 Fusai-ji

The 16th temple of the pilgrimage is just a few hundred meters from Kumano Taisha, and not surprisingly it has historical links with the shrine.

All that exists is the single Kannon Hall enshrining an Eleven Faced Kannon. It is a Soto Zen temple and is in the grounds of Joe-ji, a temple founded by the Amago Clan. It is also a Soto temple.

Fusaiji was moved here from its original site about 100 years ago. It was located on Tengu Mountain, the mountain behind Kumano Taisha that was the original shrine enshrining Susano. The Kannon was associated with a water source on the mountain.

So, almost halfway through the temples, but less than halfway distancewise It was time to head home fro a break. From the temple down into Yakumo was just a few kilometers, and from there I could catch a bus.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 15 Koanji

Koan-ji was founded in the early 8th Century, Tempyo 11. Now it is a Soto sect zen temple.

Originally it belonged to the Hosso sect, one of the 6 original sects based in Nara.

It was the family temple for one of the retainers of the Amago clan who ruled the area before being ousted by the Mori.

It is not known how old the wonderful ceiling painting of a dragon is, b ut it is obviously old.

It is the last temple of the pilgrimage in the Hi River watershed.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 14 Renge-ji

Like so many of the temples on this pilgrimage, Rengeji has great views over the inner Izumo area.

The Kannon sculpture that is the honzon is dated to the mid eighth century so that suggest the temple will date from that time too.

Now it belongs to the Soto Zen sect, but earlier it was a Tendai temple.

There is a spring behind the temple that legend says has healing powers and people still come here to collect the water.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, Temple 12, Jyufukuji

Located in a remote valley, temple 12, Jyufukuji, has no firm date for its founding, though it was a Jinguji so that suggests the Heian Period.

Jinguji were temples built next to shrines, and Jyufukuji was built to administer to Iishi Shrine, which I have not yet been to but intend to. Iishi Shrine is listed in the Izumo Fudoki, so dates back to ancient times and is unusual in that it has no honden, rather behind the shrine is a large rock which functions as the honden.

Originally a Tendai temple, in 1570 the local daimyo, of the Mori clan, converted it to Soto Zen

It is now some distance from the Iishi shrine, so I suspect it was moved to its present location in early Meiji when most jinguji were destroyed or moved.

Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 8 Hasedera

Hasedera, which may actually be called Chokokuji, like so many temples, burned down in 1607 and all its records were destroyed so the date of its origin is unknown.

What is known is that it was a Shingon temple until 1451 when it switched to Soto Zen.

It is a branch tempele of Tainei-ji which is located on the north Yamaguchi coast near Nagato.

The statue of Kannon, carved out of a single piece of wood and registered as a Prefectural Treasure, is considered to be a fine example of Kamakura era statuary.