Inland Sea Views on a 2 Day Walk Across the Aki Nada Islands

 

The Aki Nada Islands are a chain of islands in the Inland Sea between Hiroshima on Honshu and Ehime on Shikoku. Pictured above is Sannose Port on Shimo Kamagari Island with the bridge to Honshu in the background.

A series of 7 bridges connect most of the islands and the cycling route along the islands is called the Tobiishima Kaido. Kamikamagari is the next island after Shimokamagari. Pictured above is Oura on the eastern edge of the island.

From the bridge connecting Kamikamagari Island to Toyoshima, looking north to Honshu.

At the end of the first day I reached Toyohama on the eastern edge of Toyoshima, looking across at Osaki-Shimozima Island.

Next morning, looking back at Toyohama from the bridge connecting to Osaki Shimozima.

Looking back at the bridge connecting Toyoshima with Osaki Shimozima.

All the following shots are from the southern coast of Osaki Shimozima Island.

The final photo is of the harbour at Yutakamachiocho on the NE coast of Osaki Shimozima.

The previous post in the series was on Shotoen the garden and museums on the first island.

Fukuyama Central Library

 

Fukuyama does not have much in the way of interesting modern architecture. Like so many of the bigger cities, it was bombed heavily at the end of the war and then suffered under Japans post war construction mentaliity.

However, the Central Library was quite nice.

With water on a couple of sides and set in Central Park its not particularly unique but quite photogenic.

It was designed by Nikken Sekkei, said to be the biggest architectural office in Japan, so no individual architects get named.

It was originally part of the Sumitomo Zaibatsu.

Their website says the brickwork cladding is made from rammed earth bricks but they look like regular bricks to me...

The last 2 photos give a clue as to why I was at the library....... Central Park was the location of a big festival that evening....

The previous post was on the Sanzo Inari Shrine inside Fukuyama Castle Park

Fukushoji Temple 7 Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage

 

I made a mistake at Fukushoji. Many sites list it as the 7th temple of the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage, however the real 7th temple is Kamo Fudoin, the okunoin of Fukushoji, located about 2k up the mountain.

Fukushoji does have a Fudo statue and altar although it is for "worshipping from afar" for those not willing or able to climb the trail to Fudoin.

The temple is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi in 828 and was originally called Iwaya-ji. He is said to have carved the Fudo in a single night.

Curiously it is enshrined in "shinto" style, with photos showing a honden type structure behind the main hall. No information on why this is. The temple was quite large in its heyday but suffered under the Chosokabe campaign.

The previous post in this series was temple number 6, Fudoin which I had visited a little earlier in the day.

Sanzo Inari Shrine

 

Sanzo Inari Shrine  lies within the grounds of Fukuyama Castle and was established at the same time as the castle in the early 17th century.

It is quite a popular shrine in the city, and was supported by the various lords of the castle.

There is a Noh stage, but I have been unable to find out any significance to the oval of white gravel that is bisected by the approach to the main hall.

Here, the main kami enshrined is, like everywhere now, officially Uganomitama, a daughter of Susanoo.

Jointly enshrined here are Sarutahiko and Uzume, though Uzume is given a different name.

As is common at most major Inari shrines there are numerous small shrines and altars to a wide variety of Inaris.

A local legend tells of a mysterious samurai guard who would appear when the daimyo was travelling and who claimed to be Sanzo a manifestation of Inari from this shrine.

The shrine has a unique festival when the Miss Sanzo Inari Beauty Contest chooses three young, unmarried women to serve as Miko during the new year.

The previous post was on the neighbouring garden, the Fukuju Kaikan Garden.

Shotoen Garden & Houses on Shimo Kamagari Island

 

Shotoen is an absolute delight. Four traditional buildings of different types connected by a raked sand and pine garden overlooking the sea.

Not only that, but each building houses a different museum.

Shotoen is located in Sannose, a small port on Shimokamagari Island in the Inland Sea not far from Kure, Hiroshima.

It is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and a further series of bridges connect to other islands in the chain and is a somewhat popular cycling route, but off the radar for most tourists.

During the Edo Period Sannose was a kaieki, the maritime equivalent of a post station, and home to honjin, guest houses for elite travellers.

Daimyos and their retinues heading up to Edo would stop here, as did the Dutch traders from Nagasaki, and the gifts left by the Dutch seem to have become the impetus for several of the museums.

One shows many examples of Imari Ware, Japan's first domestically produced porcelain. Produced in Arita but named after the port where it was shipped from, readers with an interest in Imari Ware can check my post on Arita which has a bunch of relevant links.

 

The most interesting museum, to my mind at least, was on the Korean diplomatic missions.

Emissaries, often with a large entourage, from Korea visited Japan many times during the Edo Period.

On 11 different occasions they stayed here on Sannose, and it was the obligation of the local Daimyo to entertain them.

The cost was so exorbitant that it is said that if any more Korean delegations had visited it would have bankrupted the domain.

The displays include a replica of the feasts offered and a scale model of the kind of ship used.

I am guessing the several Korean-style Buddhist  statues are also a reference to the Korean connection.

There is also an obligatory display of farming utensils, straw hats etc.

There is a joint entry ticket that also gives entry to several other museums and other tourist sites in Sannose.

I believe there are a few buses to and from  the mainland, but you need to walk, cycle, or drive...... which is why there are so few tourists....