Sasaguri Temples 53 & 55 Kirinokidani Amida-do & Dainichi-do, and Koyasukannon

 

I catch a glimpse of the huge reclining Buddha on the other side of the valley, about 500 meters away.

The small mountain valley I am entering is called Kirinokidani, so the neighbourhood has that name.

The first stop is number 53 on the pilgrimage, an Amida Hall. Sometimes it goes by the name Enmyoji, the 53rd temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage.

Like many of these small "temples" in Sasaguri, the original small, stone honzon is on the altar with a modern, gilded honzon.

As well as a Daishi-do, there is a 13 Buddhas hall, as well as numerous statues in the grounds.

From the Amida Hall a set of metal stairs heads up to a non-pilgrimage temple, Koyasukannon

A branch of Anjoji Temple in southern Nara, Koyasu Kannon is a deity for safe-childbirth and fertility.

Here, the original feature is the hundreds of dolls on display in the main hall. I am guessing these are from mothers who have experienced safe childbirth.

From here it is a very short walk to the Dainichi-do, temple 55 of the pilgrimage...

The honzon here is a Daitsuchisho Nyorai, the Great Penetrating Wisdom Buddha, who, if I understand correctly, taught the historical Buddha.

It is the only temple on the pilgrimage with this Buddha.

I am running out of things to say about this pilgrimage.... there is just so much to see in a short distance.... approaching the end of the second day I have already visited about 50 temples, including some not part of the pilgrimage, but passed along the route. The number of statues is uncountable... must be in the thousands by now.....

Ther are a few Fudo statues at these two temples, but actually fewer than the other...

The previous post was on the previous two temples in the Tanoura area....

If you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the most recent posts.

Susa Shrine

Susa Shrine

May 5th, 2015, day 40 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage. A short walk from my nights campsite I arrive at Susa Shrine.

Koi Pond at Kaburaiji Temple

Kaburaiji Temple, Japan

Kaburaiji is said to be an ancient temple founded by Shotoku Taishi.

Sights Seen Down the Isa River to the Kando River

Isa River

After leaving Izuchi Shrine, I continued on down the Isa River.

Fujishiro Oji Shrine

Fujishiro Oji

Fujishiro Oji Shrine in Kainan, Wakayama, used to be considered the entrance to Kumano. The Kiiji Route, the main route of the Kumano Kodo, ran from Kyoto and then through Osaka and Wakayama. This route was primarily coastal or following rivers. From Fujishiro Oji the route heads into the mountains for the first time.

Of the 99 Oji, shrines where pilgrims stopped on the way to Kumano, Fujishiro was considered to be in the group of five most important Oji.

The shrine claims to have been founded during the reign of Emperor Keiko, said to have ruled in the first and second centuries. Historically, this is absurd, so let's say it's an ancient shrine.

The primary kami enshrined is Nigihayahi, a kami claiming descent from heaven and claimed as ancestor by the Mononobe. Seems Nigihayahi ruled over Yamato until Jimmu's expedition from Kyushu. Nigihayahahi submitted to Jimmu.

Other kami enshrined include Amaterasu and of course the Kumano trio.

The Ezra Stone, above photo left, is explained by the signboard below. If you offer sake to the stone and pray, you will become averse to alcohol.

Quite a delightful wooden horse.

The main hall of the shrine dates to mid 17th century.

The shrine is very proud to still have a trio of Heian Period Buddhist statues that represented the Kumano trio. The statues were not destroyed in 1868 like at many other shrines....

There are a multitude of secondary shrines within the grounds, including an Arima Oji Shrine enshrining Prince Arima who tragically died on the pilgrim trail above Fujishiro.

This giant camphor tree is listed as Komorigusu Shrine and is connected to Minakata Kumagusu. At the end of the post is an even bigger and older camphor tree.

Other shrines in the grounds include an Ebisu Shrine, Gion Shrine, Akiba Shrine, and Sumiyoshi Shrine.

The shrine is registered as a museum that includes all these sites as well as a reconstructed residence and garden of the Suzuki family. I Can't show it because it was built after my visit.

For generations, the Suzuki have been hereditary priests of the shrine, and it is believed that this is the origin of the Suzuki name.

Suzuki is a common family name as well as being a manufacturer of motorbikes and cars. My wife's sister married a Suzuki.

The previous post was on the last leg of the Kumano Kodo coming down to Fujishiro Shrine.

If you would like to subscribe by email just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published and made public. I post new content almost everyday, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts.

Japan sandals

Down the Isa River from Hachimangu to Izuchi Shrine

Isa River

After passing by the entrance to Mount Sanbe, my route continued west down the Isa River.

Shodoshima Temple 55 & 56, and Into Tonosho

Shodoshima Temple

After leaving the giant Juniper tree at Hoshoinji, I pass a small Inari shrine on the way to the next little temple. Number 55, Kannon-do.

The way is slightly on the hillside so views of Tonosho and the sea and islands beyond are plentiful.

Kannon-do was a small building and enshrined Bato Kannon, the Horse-head Kannon. It is the only pilgrimage temple to do so.

In earlier times, people would come here to pray for their livestock.

Temple 56 is close by, and slightly higher on the hillside, so the views become wider..

Temple 56, Gyoja-do, has En no Gyoja as its honzon, the only pilgrimage temple here to do so.

It seems that for most pilgrims this is the final temple, the finishing point. Most people arrive in Tonosho, by far the biggest town on the island, and then head clockwise around the island.

I chose to start in the SE of the island and so pretty much followed the traditional numbering system.

Other than a busride from the port on my first day, this was the first time I was seeing Tonosho.

The legendary origin of the Gyojado lies in the huge boulder behind the temple.

According to the legend Kobo Daishi was walking here with a group of pilgrimas and a huge boulder came rolling down the hillside. Everyone panicked but Kobo Daishikept walking and praying and the rock came to an abrupt stop. The pilgrims decided to establish the Gyojado here.

Coming down into Tomosho the vermillion pagoda of Saiko-ji is clearly visible.

The final photo of the post is looking back beyond the last two temples to Tamamitsu Shrine.

The previous post was on the three temples clustered around the ancient Juniper tree.

If you would like to subscribe by email, just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published or made public. I post new content almost every day, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts