Kyushu 108 Pilgrimage Temple 89 Kongochoin

Kongochoin is temple number 89 on the Shingon Kyushu Pilgrimage. It is not far from Temple 9, Myooin, just a little bit higher up Mount Wakasugi. Like Myooin it has a lot of Fudo Myo statues that I posted recently.

According to the legend Kobo Daishi visited the mountain in 806 on his return from China.

Apparently it was quite a large temple complex that at its peak had 108 monks residing here.

In 1347 the whole conplex was destroyed during a battle. The current. much smaller buildings date from 1942

The honzon (main enshrined deity) is a seated Dainichi Nyorai, Great Sun Buddha.

There is also a Kannon Hall and an Awashima Shrine.

Manhole Boats

Composed of thousands of islands, it is not surprising that boats feature on some of the local manhole designs. This first one is from Hirado, the island in Nagasaki that was the center for trade with the Europeans especially the Dutch.

Kurahashi, a small island near Kure in Hiroshima, was where some of the early boats were built that transported diplomatic missions from the ancient court in Yamato to China and Korea.

Imari in Saga was where the local porcelain was exported, mostly to Europe.

Innoshima in the Inland Sea was a base for the pirates who controlled the shipping lanes and who eventually became part of the "navy" used by Hideyoshi in his failed invasion of Korea.

Etajima, the island in Hiroshima Bay that is home to the Japanese Naval Academy is reached via a short ferry ride from Hiroshima Port.

More Fudo Myo at Kongochoin

Of all the Fudo statues at Kongochoin I think this pair were my favorites. I think its because of the traces of color and the fact that they were not made by professional sculptors.

Sometimes represented sitting, often found standing, occasionally he strikes and active and aggressive pose.

The man made waterfall for the practise of cold water austerities. Fudo Myo is almost always found at such locations.

Kongochoin was a little higher up Mount Wakasugi than Myo oin, and part of the Kyushu 108 temple pilgrimage as awell as the Sasaguri 88 temple pilgrimage.

Further up the mountain I was to visit a couple more temples. both of which had a Fudo presence.

The Grand Tour Colchester Firstsite

Firstsite is a new and controversial arts center in Colchester designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Vinoly. Firstsite refers to the fact that it is built on one of the earliest roman settlements in England.

The building is clad in a copper/aluminium alloy and is kept low so as not to intrude upon the skyline.

The building is semicircular in shape and has no foundations so as to protect the archeological remains that may be buried underneath.

The building has not verticals on the exterior and has come in for a lot of criticism. I like it because it offered me plenty of opportunities for the kind of photographic composition I like :)

Fudo Myo at Kongochoin

A little higher up Mount Wakasugi from Myo-oin is Kongochoin, temple 89 on the Kyushu Pilgrimage.

Like Myo-oin there are a lot of Fudo Myo statues here, many quite primitive and therfore in a way more expressive.

There was also a small man-made waterfall for ascetic use and this also had numerous Fudos around it.

I seem to be on a Fudo Myo binge right now but to a certain extent that is just because of the way I am slowly working through my backlog of photos....

Shikoku Pilgrimage Temple 29 Tosa Kokubunji

Tosa Kokubunji, temple 29 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage has a large Niomon housing a fine pair of Nio. The gate dates back to 1655, though it was dismantled and repaired in 1987

Emperor Shomu ordered the construction of Kokubunji, state-proteting temples, in every province, and the 4 on Shikoku are all part of the pilgrimage. The Tosa Kokubunji was built by Gyoki in the middle of the eighth Century.

According to kegend Kobo Daishi performed a ceremony here. The temple burnt down many times, inluding by Chosokabe, but this was one of the temples he rebuilt when he became a Buddhist towards the end of his life.

There is quite a nice garden that includes poems inscribed in rocks, and a bell tower. The temple is now Shingon and the honzon is a thousand-armed Kannon.

The Views From Mount Wakasugi

Mount Wakasugi rises to 681 meters in height to the east of Fukuoka. Climbing from the north side views over Sasaguri become visible at various breaks in the trees.

A little higher and the town of Hisayama comes into view.

Higher still and the bay and Shikanoshima can be seen.

Close to the top and the urban sprawl of southern Fukuoka City lies spread out.

From the top you can see all the way to the Fukuoka Tower and Fukuoka Dome with the mountains north of Itoshima behind.

Fudo Myo of Shikoku Part 9

Continuing with Fudo Myos I encountered on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, this votive plaque (ema) was at temple 52, Taisanji, overlooking the port that serves Matsuyama in Ehime.

Not to far away at temple 53, Enmyoji, was this fairly modern version

Temple 56, near Imabari, was also called Taisanji, and that is where I find these two....

A little further inland, temple 57, Eifukuji, is where this final photo was taken

Monjuin Statues

Monjuin is a small temple located right next to Myo-oin on Wakasugi Mountain in Fukuoka. At first I thought it was ust part of Myo-oin. What little I have been able to find out about it is a little confusing, but it is probably a fairly new temple.

It is a Shingon temple, and part of the 24 temple Jizo Pilgrimage of Kyushu, which is who I think the first statue is. There was a shrine to Benzaiten as well.

The figure on the right is certainly Kannon, and the middle one Jizo

Not sure who the three-headed figure is,... there are three headed Buddhas, three headed Kannons, as well as various other deities/boddhistavas, etc

There were statues of the 7 lucky gods, and also another statue of Daikoku.....

Mount Shizuki

At 145 meters in height, Mount Shizuki in Hagi would be called a hill in English, but is symmetry and steepness give it quite a dramatic appearance.

Jutting out into the sea it is particularly dramatic on a misty morning when viewed along the wide sweep of Kikugahama Beach.

Hagi Castle was built at its base. The castle town and a couple of other sites in Hagi have been added to the newest World Heritage site in Japan.