Kusado Inari Shrine

 

Day 10 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage begins just south of  downtown Fukuyama on the bank of the Ashida River.

Kusado Inari Shrine was originally located on an island in the river that has long since disappeared due to river straightening and land reclamation.

Kusado Sengen was a fairly major port about 1,000 years ago but has long since disappeared, however the history museum in the castle grounds has an excellent set of displays about what was there...

Kusado Sengen was important and wealthy enough to maintain a major temple complex, now named Myoo-in, adjacent to the shrine.

The shrine was said to have been established by a sword-maker who lived in Kusado Sengen after he donated a sword to the temple.

The shrine was swept away by flood numerous times and was moved to its current location in 1655 after having been rebuilt by the founder of Fukuyama Castle, Mizuno Katsunari, at the original site.

It is claimed that the shrine receives the second-largest number of visitors at New Year of all shrines in Hiroshima Prefecture.

With the elevated main hall it reminded me of Yutoku Inari down on Kysuhu... though on a somewhat smaller scale. Perhaps that was the inspiration.

Between the business hours of 9 to 4 the gates to the stairs leading up to the elevated main hall are opened. There are great views.

At other hours the shrine is open and the lower main hall can be used.

The construction of the concrete framework and upper hall was not until the 1980's.

There are many different Inari shrines within the grounds.

The main kami enshrined here is Ukanomitama, the standard Inari kami, but also enshrined is Ukemochi, otherwise known as Ogetsuhime, another food deity that also sometimes appears as a fox, and the third kami is Onamuchi, otherwise known as Okuninushi.

The shrine is popular all year round, and has a full schedule of festivals...

On top of the mountain is an Atago Shrine, the protective shrine for Myoo-in Temple. With the separation of Buddhas and Kami the shrine came under the control of Kusado Inari.

The largest of the secondary shrines in the grounds is the Hachiman Shrine photo below.

The previous post in this series was on the Niagari Odori Festival the evening before.

Passing by Kawamoto

 

Kawamoto is the biggest town on the Gonokawa River since leaving Gotsu ate the mouth of the river about 35 kilometers downstream.

The river does a more than ninety degree bend here and the town is all on the inside of the curve, with the outside being steep cliffs and mountainside.

However, I choose to walk along the embankment and therefore completely by-pass the town itself.

Photo 6 shows Senganji Temple on the mountainside overlooking the town. I visited it earlier as it is one of the temples on the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage and that post has several photos looking down on the town.

The town has a big town hall, Police Station, Indoor Swimming Pool and primarily serves as a shopping and services centre for the surrounding rural and mountain communities.

The previous post in this series walking up the Gonokawa River to its source was on the Imbara to Kawamoto section.

Niagari Odori Fukuyama Summer Festival

 

I arrived in Fukuyama for a two night stay on August 13th, not knowing that I would be able to see the Fukuyama Summer Festival.

It runs from August 13th to 15th and coincides with Obon, the Japanese time for honoring the ancestors.

Bon Odori is the community dance performed at this time and variations have been created in different parts of the country.

In Fukuyama the dance is called Niagari Odori and is an Intangible Folk Property of Hiroshima Prefecture.

Festivities start at Central Park and in late afternoon demonstrations of thedance and its steps are held.

Mascots gather.....

It is said that Niagari Odori has its own unique rhythm, but being uncultured I was unable to see or hear the difference between it and many other odori.

The dancers carry and use bamboo "clackers"....

The musical accompaniment is sanshin and flute....

As the sun goes down the festival kicks off with a performance by a Taiko Troupe...

Following the taiko the procession begins, starting at the park and heading out along the shopping streets...

The different groups represent a variety of organizations and NPO's and all wear different outfits...

Some are wearing yukata, and some happi coats....

The previous post in the series was on the Fukuyama Central Library.