Thursday, March 26, 2015
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 27 Senko-ji
Monday, March 23, 2015
Hitsu Shrine
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inari,
izumo33,
kojin,
kuniyuzuri,
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Friday, March 20, 2015
Japanese Ducks
There are many species of ducks in Japan, but I believe these are Kamo, the common mallard.
They were and are eaten, and their arrival in the Autumn was used as a seasonal marker in poetry.
There has recently been a renewed interest in the use of domesticated ducks in rice agriculture. Traditionally they were used to control weeds and insects in the paddies as well as adding fertilizer.
All these were photographed in Chofu, Yamaguchi.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Terutoko Shrine
2021 Update
A recent look on googlemaps shows that the path I took through woodland and bamboo to reach thye shrine has now gone. Clearcut and ade into a park The slopes either side of the shrine have also been clearcut in preparation of development.
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Amaterasu,
Izumo Fudoki,
izumo33,
matsue,
Shrine
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Hachiman Shrine, Yuki
These two demon masks were located behind the main building of the Hachiman Shrine in Yuki, a fishing village on the south coast of Tokushima. The spot is named Oni no Koshikake, "Demons Seat".
Apparently several local people saw an Oni sitting at this spot. Interestingly this is not a story from long ago, as it happened on September 15th, 2002.
Being a Hachiman Shrine, the main kami is Ojin, his mother, Jingu, and either his father Chuai, or his "wife" Himegami.
There was a small Ebisu shrine in the grounds, not surprising at it is a fishing village.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Day 12 Matsue to Mount Asahi to Lake Shinji
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izumo33
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Sasaguri Taiso-gu Shrine
The large Torii along the road some distance before the shrine gives some indication of the importance of Taiso-gu locally.
A local tourist website says that Taiso Gongen arrived here from China in 724. Another source says that pre Meiji the shrines name was Jimmu Taiso Shrine. Now the main kami is listed as Izanagi.
There are another 6 kami listed here including Amaterasu, Hachiman, Sumiyoshi, & Hiyoshi, which suggest to me they were all later additions.
Like many shrines in Kyushu the grounds contained some huge Camphor trees. Taiso Shrine is well known for its Kagura, one of the few places in Fukuoka where it still exists.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 26 Senjyu-In
I can find no information about them, though mny first thought would be a connection to Sanno Shinto and Hiyoshi Shrine, but that was Tendai not Shingon. The larger figure seems to be holding rice.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Onigawara
Onigawara, literally " Demon/Ogre/Goblin Tiles" can be found primarily on temple roofs, but also in shrines and residences. They serve as protection against the weather at the end of ridges.
They also function to ward off evil. What fascinates me in particular is the diversity. These first two are at Jyoei-ji, the temple in Yamaguchi that is home to a garden by Sesshu.
The Oni designs seem to date from the Kamakura Period. Prior to that these end tiles were decorated with flowers or animals. This one is from another temple in Yamaguchi, Toshun-ji.
They are almost always ceramic, though some were wood or stone. This one was at a former samurai residence in Chofu, Yamaguchi.
Many shrines and temples will display onigawara from older buildings that have been replaced like at this small rural shrine in southern Hiroshima.
A previous post on some Onigawara in Shikoku.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 25 Chosui-ji
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