Kozanji Temple Tanabe

 

Kozanji is a popular temple complex with large cemetery and grounds in Tanabe, Wakayama.

It is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi, though another source suggests it was founded much earlier during the time of Shotoku Taishi.

The Tahoto, Shingon-style pagoda, has become the symbol of the temple. It was built in 1816 and is dedicated to Prince Shotoku.

Other buildings include 2 Yakushi-do's, a Daishi-do, a Fudo-do, and a Kannon-do.

During the Warring States Period, in the late 17th century the temple was destroyed during Hideyoshi's invasion of the area, but was rebuilt later and in the Edo Period changed its name to Kozanji.

It was pouring with rain when I visited on my way out of Tanabe heading north along the Kumano Kodo towards Osaka on the 5th day of my walk along the Saigoku Pilgrimage.

Many people visit Kozanji to pay respect at the grave of Ueshiba Morihei (1883-1969), a locally-born  man who is known as the founder of the martial art called Aikido.

With millions of practitioners in more than 140 countries world-wide, some make the pilgrimage to his grave here.

Another of Tanabe's famous sons buried here is Munakata Kumagusu, an eccentric scientist who is gaining in notoriety and is sometimes referred to as the first environmentalist in Japan.

As well as being the site of his grave, the grounds of the temple were a place he spent a lot of time collecting specimens, and where it is believed his campaign against the government program of shrine closures took form.

The previous post in this series on the Saigoku Pilgrimage was the former residence of Minakata Kumagusu.

Kishu Toshogu Shrine

 

Kishu Toshogu is a very colorful shrine in Wakayama City. Kishu was the feudal domain of the Edo Period that was roughly what is now northern Wakayama Prefecture and part of Mie Prefecture.

Toshogu is the name given to shrines enshrining the deified first Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The main and first Toshogu is in Nikko.

It is located in the Wakanoura area in the south of Wakayama City. Wakanoura means Bay of Poetry and is a revered location that has had many poems written about it since ancient times.

By the end of the Edo Period there were about 500 branches of Toshogu established all over Japan, but that number has been seriously reduced since then.

From the parking lot and shrine offices, a stone stairway called Samuraizaka leads up to the shrine. It is composed of 108 steps, an important number in Buddhism.

The Romon, main gate, is very colorful and ornate, like many of the other structures, and also registered as an Important Cultural Property.

The original Toshigu in Nikko is famous for being extremely colorful and ornate, and many branch Toshogu's have tried to emulate that. Here at Kishu artworks were executed by Hidari Jingoro and Kano Tan'yu, among others.

The main gate contains a pair of fine Zuijin, Shinto Shrine Guardians.

Kishu Toshogu was built in 1619 by Tokugawa Yorinobu, the tenth son of Ieyasu, who became the first daimyo of Kishu Domain. He was also enshrined here after his death.

As far as I can tell this makes Kishu Toshogu the very first branch of Nikko Toshogu.

Ieyasu was deified as Toshogu Gongen, said to be a manifestation of a Buddha, using a variation of Sanno Shinto, a sect based on the Tendai complex at Mount Hiei.

Before the official separation of the kamis and Buddhas in 1868 there was a pagoda and a Yakushi-do here.

The previous post in this series exploring Wakayama was the Museum of Modern Art.

Museum Of Modern Art Wakayama

 

The Mueum of Modern Art in Wakayama City is located across from the ruins of Wakayama Castle in the downtown area.

It is in front of, and connected to, the Wakayama Prefectural Museum, and both were designed by Kisho Kurokawa.

In fact I preferred the Prefectural Museum both for its architecture and for its exhibitions.

I couldnt get any sense of what the architecture was about and the exhibitions were not articularly appealing.

The msueum has a collection of more than 10,000 artworks, mostly Japanese, and mostly Wakayama-based artists, though its print collection is considered quite good. It has a few pieces by non-Japanese artists, Stella, Rothko, and even a Picasso, though none of them are their best works.

The previous post in this series on Wakayama was the aforementioned Prefectural Museum.

Wakayama Prefectural Museum

 

Wakayama Prefectutal Museum is a history museum devoted to the history of what is now Wakayama.

It is kind of tucked away behind the more well-known Wakayama Museum of Modern Art, just south of the castle and park.

It was designed by the same architect as the Modern Art Museum, the famous Kisho Kurokawa. One of the founders of the Metabolist movement, he is probably most well known for his Nakagin Capsule Tower.

The Prefectural Museum uses a lot of glass and so is light and airy. I did enjoy taking some abstract interior shots.

The museum covers prehistory and the history of Koyasan, the Kumano region, the ruling clan of the Edo Period, and also covers "folk" history.

Prefectural museums are a mixed bag,.... some are really great, and some are quite weak and somewhat boring. As I left this one I was noticeably impressed with the range and quality of the displays and the also the low cost. 

I must admit that they had a nice collection of masks, and that always cheers me up.

The previous post in this series exploring Wakayama City was the Momijidani Teien Garden in the castle.

Momijidani Teien Garden Wakayama

 

The Nishonomaru Garden at Wakayama castle is more commonly known by the name Momijidani Teien because of the large number of maples that grow there and that paint a vivid scene in Autumn.

It is not a very large garden, and one unusual feature is that it is built on the banks of the inner moat.

In the top picture you can see the small "floating" pavilion with the unusual covered bridge across the moat in the background.

Though not so large it is a very pleasant stroll-type garden with a couple of bridges, and obviously will be more dramatic in the autumn,  but much quieter in other seasons.

It was built for Tokugawa Yorinobu, a daimyo of the castle and the 10th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

There is a teahouse in the garden, Koshoan, where, for a fee, you can enjoy matcha and traditional sweet.

Entry to the garden is free.

The previous post in the series is about Wakayama Castle.

Takahara to Takijirioji on the Nakahechi

Takahara to Takijirioji on the Nakahechi

Takahara is a small mountain village in the mountains of Wakayama and on one of the Kumano Kodo routes.

Since being registered as  World Heritage Site, the Kumano Kodo has become very, very popular, and Takahara is now home to a bunch of guest houses and cafes.

Life-size "scarecrow" type dolls greet the walkers as they enter the village.

I was walking west, so from Takahara the trail drops down to Takijiri Oji, the shrine that is considered the starting point of the Nakahechi Trail, and met quite a few walkers heading uphill with rooms booked in Takahara.

I was going in the opposite direction because I was walking the Saigoku pilgrimage that starts at Nachi. This was coming to the end of my 4th day of walking.

Across from Takijiri Oji Shrine is a Kumano Kodo Information Centre, and around the shrine are several stores selling pilgrim supplies.....

The previous post in the Saigoku series is Takahara Kumano Shrine