Fukuzenji Temple & The Most Beautiful View

 

Fukuzenji is unusual in that, unlike almost all the temples of Tomonoura, which are clustered in one area along the town's edge, Fukuzenji is situated right in the middle of the town.

Like many of the other temples, Fukuzenji was used to accommodate visiting Korean dignitaries on their journey to the Japanese capital.

In 1711 one envoy claimed that the view from the temple was the best scenic view east of Korea and this has been often translated to mean the best view in Japan.

However, when the next delegation visited in 1748 they were told to use another temple as Fukuzenji had fallen somewhat into disrepair. The Koreans were indignant and stayed on their boats overnight in protest.

In 1763 when the next Korean mission arrived their were put up once again at Fukuzenji.

It was a Korean who named the reception hall Taichoro, the name it retains to today.

The Taichoro is also where Sakamoto Ryoma had a meeting.

Fukuzenji is a Shingon sect temple and is believed to have been founded around 950, but records are sketchy.

The main altar is quite colourful and has a Thousand-armed Kannon as honzon.

I was, of course, rather partial to the couple of Fudo's as well as the Aizen Myoo.

The main view from the temple is of Bentenjima Island with its Benzaiten Fukujudo, a small Buddhist hall on the island to Benzaiten, but also with a Torii indicating Benten's syncretic nature.

Behind it is Sensui Island and then the Inland Sea

The previous post was on the harbour of the old port of Tomonoura.

Jobutsuji Temple 3 Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage

 

Jobutsuji, temple number three of the Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage, is quite close to Monjusenji, temple number four, high in the mountains at the centre of the Kunuisaki Peninsula in Oita.

Like most of the older temples and shrines in the area it is guarded by stone Nio guardians.

It is said to have been founded in 718 by the legendary monk Ninmon who founded the 28 temples of the Rokugo Manzan shugendo system, so its not surprising that Jobutsuiji is on the Rokugo Manzan pilgrimage also.

Outwardly the temple appears like many smallish, rura; temples, and the architecture is nothing special, however it is home to an unusual and unique festival.

Shujo Onie is held on the Lunar New Year and used to be performed at twenty temples around the peninsula, but now only at 3. Tennenji Temple which I visited a few days earlier on this pilgrimage, and nearby Iwatoji Temple which holds the festival on alternate years with Jobutsuji.

I did not visit Iwatoji on this trip, but was lucky enough to see Shujo Onie a few years earlier there. The post on it has a few videos of the amazing torch procession that precedes the demon dance;

This was day 4 of my walk around Kunisaki at the start of the Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage and I was mostly following the trail that roughly follows the old shugendo pilgrinage route and so was doing the 7 Fudo Myo temples here in approximately reverse order.

The previous post in this series was on Monjusenji Temple 4 of the Kyushu Fudo Pilgrimage

Tomonoura Harbour

 

Tomonoura is now a fairly decent-sized harbour filled with small fishing boats.

Walking around the small town, glimpses of the hatbour down narrow alleys are not uncommon.

During the Edo Period it was a major port bustling with ships of many kinds.

Its importance as a harbour goes back much further, being recognized as such in poems of the Nara Period.

It was during the Edo Period though when the port reached its peak, in part due to the Kitamebune ships that docked here. Kitamaebune was the trade route that ran up and down the Japan Sea coast before connecting with the Inland Sea route to Osaka.

Tomonoura was also one of the ports where official delegations stopped on their way to the capital. Not just daimyo heading to Edo, but the Dutch delegations from Nagasaki, and perhaps most notably the Korean delegations.

Further down the coast is Shimokamagari island, also well known for the Korean delegations and which I covered in this earlier post.

The harbour is almost circular in shape, created by constructing breakwaters/wharfs out of stone ( photo 11) . A pleasant sight compared to most Japanese harbours of great, concrete constructions.

Also notable is the lighthouse, 11 meters tall, constructed in 1850 and which burned all through the night. (photos 6 and 7)

Other than the fishing boats, there is a small ferry out to a couple of the offshore islands, and a tour boat that cruises around Benten Island.

The previous post in this series exploring Tomonoura was on the Historic Preservation District.

Ako Castle Home of the 47 Ronin

 

Chishingura is one of the most famous stories of the samurai, known more commobly in English as The 47 Ronin.

Ako, on the Inland Sea near the border between what is now Hyogo and Okayama Prefectures was the home domain of samurai in the story, and therefore draws a lot of visitors.

Actually the events of the story mostly took place in Edo.

It is technically a flatland castle, though when built the seashore was closer than now and the castle was protected by the tidal flats but it was possible to access it by small boat.

A small fortification was here in the 15th century, but the castle was built after the area was awarded to the Ikeda Clan after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.

They built it as a secondary fortification to protect their border. Their main castle was Himeji.

In 1645 the domain was awarded to a branch of the Asano Clan, and Asano Naganao then spent 13 years greatly expanding the castle to its current configuration.

With 12 gates and 10 towers the castle was much grander than other castles of such small domains, although a keep, or tenshu, was never built even though a base was.

Ss the plan view in photo 2 suggests, elements of western castle design seem to have been incorporated.

Following the Ako Incident in 1701, the incident that led to the death of the Asano Lord and then later the revenge by his 47 samurai, the castle passed to the Mori Clan who hed it until domains were dissolved in the late 19th century.

Most of the buildings were dismantled, some walls too, and some moats filled in.

In 1921 a high school and its sports field was constructed in the hinmaru, inner bailey, of the former castle.

However, beginning in the 1930's some reconstructions began including the moats, and in 1955 the maingate was reconstructed.

In 1981 the high school was relocated and this has further expanded the reconstructions.

Two gardens have recently been fully restored to their former grandeur, and on these I will post next.

The castle is now quite large and open with lots of moats and walls.

To the north of the castle was the residences of the highest ranking retainers, including Oishi Kuranosuke, the leader of the 47 Ronin.

Now it is Oishi Shrine dedicated to the 47 and with statues of them lining the approach.

Nearby is the city History Museum with displays on the 47 as well as the local industry, salt. Very little info in English.

The previous castle I posted on was Fukuyama Castle.