A Walk Up The Nisshiki River Valley in Late November

 

After crossing over into the narrow Nisshiki River valley, by route to the next temple was along its banks, further north into the mountains of Yamaguchi.

There is a small dam downstream from where I reached the river, so the river is a little wider than iy would be naturally...

It's a glorious day.... my favorite time of the year in Japan

The still waters make for great reflections....

Another ten kilometers of this and I will arrive at the next pilgrimage temple....

The pack I am carrying feels lighter when surrounded by beauty...

The fact that the next ten kilometers will be virtually flat also helps..

The previous post was on earlier in the day walking up the Tonda River

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Itoga Inari Shrine. The Oldest Inari Shrine in Japan

 

Itoga, on the south bank of the Arita River in Wakayama was a stopping point on the most travelled of all the Kumano Kodo routes, the Kiiji route from Osaka and the capital, Kyoto.

The Inari shrine in Itoga lays claim to being the oldest Inari shrine in all of Japan.

The head Inari shrine, and by far the most famous, is the Fushimi Inari Shrine near Kyoto.

Founded by the Hata clan in the first years of the 8th century, most people would consider it the first Inari shrine.

The shrine here in Itoga was founded in the mid 7th century.

Inari, him or herself, has a complex history with many influences and identities, but primarily identifies as a rice-growing deity.

However, there are numerous deities connected with rice and grains, and unentangling historic names in Japan is not so much science as opinion.

Whatever the case, I am drawn to histories that question the official narratives...

There are three huge Camphor trees within the shrine, estimated to between 5 and 6 hundred years old.

Emperor Shirakawa is said to have stopped here on one of his Kumano pilgrimages.

There are numerous shrines that have been moved to within the grounds incuding the Itoga Oji.

Some of the kami enshrined in the grounds include 2 to Okuninushi, and shrines to Susano, Izanagi, Izanami, Kotoshironushi, Sugawara Michizane, Ichikishimahime, Ojin, Oyamatsumi, and many others...

Right next to Itoga Shrine is the Kumano Kodo History & Folklore Museum. As well as displays on the Kumano Kodo it also functions as a rest stop for pilgrims....

With free entry, cetainly worth a visit if you are in the area or walking the Kiiji.

The previous post in this series on my walk along the Saigoku Pilgrimage was on my walk over the pass to reach Itoga.

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Lake Kikugawa, Kawakami Dam, & the Tonda River

 

Lake Kikugawa is the name given to the reservoir behind Kawakami Dam not far from Tokuyama on the south coast of Yamaguchi.

The dam itself is nothing special, opened in 1979 for irrigation and water supply, it has a catchement area of 22 sq. km.

Looking back down the valley where I had come from....

I'm heading north out of Tokuyama towards the next pilgrimage temple in the mountains to the north.

The route I have chosen is to first head up the Tonda River, and then later cross over to the Nishiki River which will take me straight to the temple.

I headed off really early as its late November and the days are quite short.

By 8 o'clock the sun is striking the eastern slopes of the mountains revealing autumn colours...

Off in the distance is a gleaming, golden tower on a mountaintop, which my zoom lens reveals to be a giant Kannon statue. This one is called  Himawari Kosodate Kannon and sits atop the 500 meter high Mount Hoshigatake.

I can find very little about it except it was privately built by a local businessman and is open to the publis. At night it is illuminated.

There was not much else to see along the road that ran along the waters edge.

Just lots and lots of forest, much with autumn hues....

Eventually I climbe out of the Tonda valley and over another valley before dropping down into the Nishiki River valley....

I have to admit that this is by far my favorite time of the year to wander off the beaten track in Japan. The days may be short but they are colourfull.

The previous post in this series was on my walk along the coast into Tokuyama the previous evening.

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.