Omoto Shrine, Yato.

This wonderfully weathered torii stands in front of the Omoto Shrine in Yato. It's a small settlement on the banks of the Yato River, not big enough for a shop, but it has 2 shrines.
The Omoto shrine is dedicated to Omotojin who is the original, local, land kami. Up in Izumo he is called Kojin, and he was the main kami of worship for every community in the old days.

Prior to 1945 there was just a hokora (wayside shrine) here set in a grove of trees. The trees were cut down and sold and the money used to build the present shrine. Every 6 years until 1966, Omoto Kagura was performed here. My friends recently deceased grandfather danced here and 5 times became possesed by Omotojin, the most times for one person in living memory. Shamanic kagura was widespread in Japan until the Meiji era. This area of Iwami is the only place in Japan where it is still practised.

In front of the shrine stands a giant Mukonoki tree with a width of 1.5 metres. Aphananthe Aspera has no name in English. The leaves of the tree were used as sandpaper.

A few hundred meters away, the steps lead up to the Hachiman Shrine.

Modern Japanese Thought

Modern Japanese Thought
ed. Bob Tadashi Wakabayashi
Cambridge University Press
ISBN 0-521-58810-3
403pp

I read books about Japan so that I can deepen my understanding of the place I live. After reading hundreds of books it gets harder to find ones that add much to what I already know, so it was a thrill to pick up and start to read this one.
The two main areas of interest for me are, pre-Yamato Japan, and the Meiji era. This book is about the latter. The bulk of the book is made up of chapters from the Cambridge History of Japan, with an introduction and a chapter on post-war Japan added. The introduction itself is excellent, and well worth the price of the book. The first chapter on Japan's turn to the West does a good job of introducing all the different strains of thought that began to influence Japan in the late Tokugawa period, and dismisses the overly simplistic notion that Japan was a "closed" country before Perry.
The second chapter on Meiji Conservatism documents the reaction of those who held power in Japan doing everything they can to resist any new ways of thinking that threatened their hold on power. The third chapter covers the chequered history of socialism, liberalism, and Marxism, in Japan, and the fourth "Japan's revolt against the West" covers the politics and philosophies that fed into the drive to colonial expansion and war. The final chapter covers the period after the end of WWII.
One thing that recurs again and again in Japan, in the late Tokugawa, early Meiji, early Showa, and Late Showa eras, in reaction to what is perceived as negative processes, is the looking back to the village, and "Folk" as the source of Japan. While reading about Yanagida Kunio, the father of Japanese follore studies, I gained a new repect for him. His views on the damage that State Shinto did to what he considered the heart of Japan is fully in accord with my own views.
If you are wanting to know why so many "western" notions, like democracy, or Human Rights, don't quite make a transition into contemporary Japan, this book will help.
Highly recommended.

Gotsu Sunset

The skyline of Gotsu is dominated by the smokestacks and industrial structures of the cellulose factory. Snapped this a few hours ago from the car as we crossed the bridge on the way home.

Imamiya Shrine Kyoto

Imamiya Shrine Kyoto

Imamiya is a large shrine complex that was built at its present site in 1001, though established a few years earlier on top of nearby Funaoka Hill. The shrine was established to ward off one of the plagues that periodicly attacked the area. There are many sub-shrines within the grounds, but the 3 main kami are Okuninushi (sometimes called Onamuchi, sometimes Daikokuten), Kotoshironushi, and Inadahime. What is interesting is that these are all Izumo kami. Okuninushi was the Izumo leader who "gave" Japan to Amaterasu's descendants, Kotoshironushi is the Izumo version of Ebisu. There are three distinct versions of Ebisu, one for central Japan, one for northern japan, and one for western Japan. Usually in the Kyoto area they refer to Ebisu as the child of Izanami and Izanagi and hailing from nearby Awajima. Inada is the Izumo "princess" who married Susano after his defeat of the serpent Yamata no Orochi.

The architectural style of the main shrine buildings and impressive gate are 17th Century, but were reconstructed in the early 20th century.

There had earlier been a ceremony at one of the sub-shrines (Munakata-sha, I think), and the offerings (sake and various foods, sakaki branches) were still on the altar.

The area around Imamiya has a nice old atmosphere, and its not surprising that many "Samurai" dramas are filmed here. Heading south from the shrine I spied this wonderful old wall built using roof tiles.

Kyoto Accommodation

Sky beans.

Finally finished picking my Lima beans! It was a bumper crop this year,... probably more than 50 kilos. Called Sora mame in Japanese, it means "sky beans", because when the young pods first start to grow on the stems, they grow upwards towards the sky rather than hanging down.
Its not sure exactly when they were introduced into Japan, but probably around the end of the Edo period. They are quite expensive in the supermarkets because they don't stay fresh for long, and so are not particularly popular. They are usually eaten boiled or grilled. Recently at a ryokan we were served rice with a few lima beans mixed in.

I like them! Mainly because they are easy to grow, they take very little tending, and also because they grow through the winter and so supply fresh food to the table by spring.

The bridge at Aquas.

First-time visitors driving along Route 9 or passing by on the train through Hashi always point to the tower of the bridge at Aquas and ask "What is it?". From a distance the 46 metre tall curved tower doesn't look like a bridge at all. I'm not a civil engineer, but I believe it is an unusual form of cable-stayed bridge.

The curve of the tower represents a wave, and the 130m long bridge connects one of the fine, white, sandy beaches of Iwami Seaside Park with Aquas, the biggest and best aquarium in west Honshu.

The tiled surface of blues continues the theme of the sea. Built in 1996, as yet I have been unable to find out who designed it.

Hanya mask

This was the first Hanya mask in Iwami Kagura style that I completed. I have posted already about the meaning and history of the hanya.
My teacher is Saburo Ando, one of only a handful of master mask makers in Iwami. I think I drive him a little crazy because I have a tendency to make "unauthorized" changes. :)
My masks are fully functional as masks to be worn during Iwami Kagura, but are more commonly sold to put up in house entrance foyers where they scare off evil spirits.
Originally carved in wood, for about 100 years they have now been made of a washi (Japanese paper) base coated in a mix of lime (ground seashell) and glue. This makes them strong, but much lighter than wooden masks. It also allows for more flexibility in the form.
If you are interested in purchasing this or any other of my masks, please contact me through the address at the top-right of this page.
I can also custom make masks.

Red Hanya mask
Blue Hanya mask

Akiyoshi Town, Yamaguchi.

Not a true "manhole", but a cover to a valve, but the same design is used on the manhole covers in Akiyoshi Town, in the middle of Yamaguchi Prefecture. The design shows a view of nearby Akiyoshidai, the largest karst (limestone plateau) in Japan.

Kuga Shrine, Kyoto.

Kuga Shrine lies about 2k south of Kamigamo Shrine, just off Omiya dori. Omiya means "great shrine", and the road name refers to Kuga Shrine. Kuga enshrines the ujigami of the Kamo family. Ujigami is the clan ancestral kami. The kami is Kamotaketsunumi, one of the original kami that descended from Takamagahara (the High Plain of Heaven) to Kysushu with Jimmu, the mythical first Emperor, and then guided Jimmu to Yamato.

Kuga Shrine is a subordinate shrine of Kamigamo Shrine, and Kamotaketsunumi is the grandfather of Kamigamo's main kami. Records indicate that the shrine was already in existence in 859. The current shrine buildings were built in 1628 and are in the style of the Engi era (11th Century)

All that remains of a once mighty, sacred cedar tree.

Yamata no Orochi

The story of Susano defeating the 8-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi is the most well known kagura dance in Iwami. In a regular performance, which goes on all night through till dawn, The Orochi dance is the finale.
This performance was a collaboration between Yen Calling ( an ensemble of rock musicians led by Yukata Fukuoka) and a Hamada kagura group, there were only 2 serpents. Later I will post the complete Yamata no Orochi story illustrated with scenes from kagura, and a full blog on Yen calling.