Thursday, July 3, 2025

360 Degree Views from Mount Shirataki

 


Mount Shirataki is a 226 meter high mountain in the north of Innoshima Island in the Inland Sea between Hiroshima and Shikoku.


The Murakami, a clan of naval samurai used Innoshima as a base. A fake Murakami pirate castle lies a little further to the south. 


The Murakami erected a Kannon hall on top of the mountain to use as a watchtower overlooking the strait between Innoshima and Mukaijima.


With outcroppings of rock, the site was used by ascetics in their austerities and training and now an observation tower offers 360 degree views over the island and surrounding area


The views truly are 360 degrees and this would be a superb place to spend the night. I have done that several times before on islands in the Inland Sea and it is truly exhilarating to watch the sun set over the islands and then watch the sun rise the next morning.


But this time I was on a schedule and needed to get on to the next pilgrimage temple on the next island.


There are about 700 statues around the mountaintop, and I will cover those in the next two posts....



Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Suijin Shrine Saigo

 


This Suijin Shrine, is located on the waters edge in Saigo, the main port of Dogo, the largest of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan off of Shimane.


Most locals refer to it as Tenjinsan, as since at least the 16th century Sugawara Michizane has been enshrined here.


However, towards the end of the Edo period it was decided that this was a Suijin Shrine that had been recorded in the tenth century, and Tenjin had been added later.


The main kami is now listed as Mizuhanome, though it is unclear if that was a renaming from the Meiji riod when many kami were renamed to fit with the "national" histories of the Kojiki and Nihonshoki.


The previous ost in this series on the Oki Islands was on Takuhi Shrine, one of the most important shrines in the Oki Islands.


Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Innoshima Suigun Sea Festival

 


Innoshima, an island in the Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku, is one of the places most associated with the Murakami, a warrior clan of feudal Japan either called pirates or navy, depending on who was writing and when.


There are three summer festivals on Innoshima, the first in late July or early August involves a gathering of "samurai" in full regalia and then fireworks. The second, the Fire Festival, takes place towards the end of August and involves the same samurai carrying huge torches, a local dance, and then once again fireworks.


The final festival takes place the day following the Fire Festival, and this is the boat racing. Like the other two festivals, it takes place on Shimanami Beach.


The boats are traditional wooden boats known as Kohayo. Some sources suggest these were high-speed boats used for messengers, but other sources have them used in combat with archers on board.


Up to 50 teams take part and heats are held throughout the day, leading to a grand final.


Each boat has a crew of 16, 14 rowers, a drummer, and the helmsman.


There are races for school teams and women's teams, but the highlight is the men's team final.


I was climbing Mount Shirataki when I saw the festival taking place, so unfortunately, the shots were all taken from far away.


The previous post in this series on day 12 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon pilgrimage was on the walk from Onomichi to Innoshima.


Monday, June 30, 2025

Tatara Shrine Kawamoto

 


At the edge of Kawamoto on my way out of town is a small wayside shrine.


It is a Tatara Shrine, tatara being the traditional type of forge used in historical Japan to create iron and steel out of iron sand. Iron production was a huge industry bu in the mountainous areas of Izumo, but I have found numerous small Tatara shrines in the mountains of Iwami too.


Right next to the shrine was a small wayside Buddhist altar, a not uncommon thing, finding the two together as they were less differentiated in former times.
 


Inside the "shinto" shrine the largest statue was a Zuijin, shinto guardian equivalent to a Buddhist Nio. There was also what appeared to be a Buddhist statue along with a fox, an Ebisu, and a Daikoku. Quite an eclectic mix.


A large bottle of sake, or Omiki as it is called when offered to the kami, indicates that the shrine is somewhat active. Not sure which Buddhist deity is enshrined next door, but it has a Jizo as well.


The previous ost in this series documenting my walk up the Gonokawa River to its source was on passing by Kawamoto


Saturday, June 28, 2025

A Seaside Walk from Onomichi to Innoshima

 


Late August, and day 12 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, and the next temple is located on Innoshima Island in the Inland Sea.


From Onomichi I take a sunrise ferry across the narrow channel separating Onomichi from Mukaijima.


Then I hug the coast road around the western side of the island.


I have walked this before when I walked the whole length of the Shimanami Kaido, but this time my route will differ after I cross over to Innoshima.


What is noticeable is the much bigger tides than what we get on the Japan Sea coast...


On the Inland Sea low tide reveals mud flats extending some way out.


I am passed by several cyclists clad in spandex and going hell-for-leather.... obviously going to do the 70k crossing to Shikoku in one day....


I reach and pass under the bridge that connects Mukaijima Island with the smaller Iwashi Island.


I carry on down the west coast and enjoy the views which are fairly typical for a lot of the Inland Sea area....


As I head around to the south side the bridge over to Innoshima comes into view.


It's a pretty major bridge, a suspension bridge about 1,339 meters long with a central span of 770 meters.


When it was built in 1983 it was the longest centre span of any suspension bridge in Japan.


Pedestrians and cyclists cross on the lower level below the road section. It was also the first suspension bridge on the Shimanami Kaido.


A very curious sight awaited on the opposite side, last photo.


I highly recommend the Shimanami Kaido, not least for the amazing views you get from the bridges. Obviously walking is best, but even driving would be worth it if you stopped at all the viewpoints.


The previous post in this series was on Senkoji Temple which I visited the day before.