Bukkokusan Temple 41 Shodoshima Pilgrimage

Bukkokusan Temple

Bukkokusan, temple number 41 on the Shodoshima Pilgrimage, is actually the okunoin of temple 40, Hoanji, and if you are walking then a footpath leads up the mountain from there.

The foot path reaches a small mountain road that leads to the entrance to the temple.

A pair of newish stone Nio guardians flank the road, and either side is lined with stone lanterns. Just before reaching the simple gate a bronze statue of Kobo Daishi, the focus of the 88 temple pilgrimage, looks down on approaching pilgrims. The temple itself is quite small, with just a stylized temple entrance facade to the cave front. A few statues are out in front of the temple which has great views to the south and east.  

One statue stands out as it is not any of the usual Buddhas, but rather a pair of Oni, demons or ogres, the male painted red and the female painted blue. There are two stories relating to the origin of the statue.

  

The first is that in ancient times a demon inhabited this mountain and continuously attacked local people who ventured into the mountains. This is a very common story found all over Japan. The demon was eventually pacified and stopped attacking people when he became a disciple of Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha. Buddhism pacifying demons is also a very common story.

The second legend is set much later in the time that intermarriage between classes was forbidden. This is also a very common story all over, and more often than not ends up with a love suicide. In this local story a pair of young lovers from across the class divide chose to run away together and finding themselves at the cave as night was falling chose to spend the night in the cave whereupon they consummated their relationship. Unable to return home the story is vague about what happened to them although the two stories became linked together and the demon became a kind of protective deity of the mountain and the cave became known as a place to pray for a successful marriage, children, and easy birth.

The interior of the cave is quite magical with many candles, some in niches carved in the rock walls, providing the only illumination.

  

There is a very unusual painted statue of the aforementioned Yakushi Nyorai with distinctly female facial features. This is the honzon, the main deity, of the temple.

  

There are another couple of statues and in the deepest recess of the cave a small stone Fudo Myo in front of which Goma fire rituals are held.

  

Numerous bunches of Senbazuru, the folded paper cranes in multicolors, many of which have become blackened by years of soot.

The cave is about 400 meters above sea level.

It is said Kobo Daishi himself performed rituals inside the cave.

The water that seeps out through the cave walls is collected into small plastic bottles and taken away as healing water.

The views from the temple are amazing.

By road it is a couple of kilometers to the next temple,but just 400 meters on the footpath.

The previous post in this series was temple 40, Hoanji.

Goods From Japan

Fukuyama Hachimangu

Fukuyama Hachimangu

Fukuyama Hachimangu lies north of the castle and is somewhat unusual in that it was until fairly recently two separate shrines with two approaches, torii, etc so double the amount of komainu and zuijin guardians.

I entered through the Eastern shrine and left through the Western one.

Nobuhiro Hachiman was the name of the eastern shrine and Nogami Hachiman the western one.

Though records no longer exist they are believed to have been in existence for some time before the Edo Period but were relocated to  the castle town when it was built in the early 16th century.

In 1683 they were moved to their current location.

The origin of the eastern shrine, Nobuhiro, was with the original Hachiman shrine in Usa, whereas the origin of the western shrine, Nogami, was enshrined from Tsurugaoka Hachiman.

Nobuhiro Hachiman was for the townspeople, whereas Nogami Hachiman was for the samurai.

When moved to the current site both shrines were of symetrical design with neither being more prominent. At this time it was called Ryosha hachiman Shrine.

In 1969 the two shrines became one and was renamed Fukuyama Hachiman Shrine.

In 1984 the new central worship hall was constructed.

Being a Hachiman, the primary kami is the mythical emperor Ojin, along with his mother the mythical Jingu. The third kami is usually given as Himegami, usually either his wife or daughter, but here it is quite different.

The "princess" element of the triad is listed as the three Munakata kami, Tagirihime, Ichikishima, and Tagitsuhime.

For me the highlight of the shrine are the two pairs of wooden komainu in the gates.

Please enjoy the rest of the photos.

The previous post was on Ushitora Shrine, immediately adjacent.

Goods From Japan

Ako Castle Gardens

 

Ako Castle lies on the Inland Sea coast near the border of Hyogo and Okayama, and is famous as the home castle of the famous 47 Ronin.

While many castles would have a garden within the castle grounds for the enjoyment of the Lord and his reatiners and guests, Ako Castle is somewhat unusual in having two gardens.

The Honmaru Garden lies within the inner bailey of the castle, and the larger Ninomaru garden within the second bailey.

Both gardens were built at the same time as the new castle by Asano Nagano beginning in 1645.

The castle and the gardens were designed primarily by a retainer, Kondo Masazumi, with some input from his teacher the Confuciam scholar Yamaga Soko.

Once the High School and ist sports grounds were removed from the castle grounds in 1981 restoration of the grounds began.

These photos date from about 15 years ago and since then further restoration work on the gardens has been completed.

Both gardens are designated as National Scenic Spots.

They are both stroll type gardens, but the Ninomaru Garden was also used for boating.

The previous post was on Ako Castle.