religion | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

2020-08-202020-09-08

Buddha’s wisdom bag, Monjyu Bodhisattva, is a children’s playground in Takahata Town

Kameoka Monjyu-dou is one of Japan’s three major Monjyu Bodhisattva with wisdom.

Two heads are better than one.

There are similar expressions in each country, but in Japan, the three heads are said to be comparable to the Monjyu Bodhisattva. Is Monjyu Bodhisattva respected with three heads or is it lightly seen?

Abe Monjyu-in in Nara prefecture is the most famous and worth seeing as National treasure, but Kameoka’s is simple and friendly in the countryside. The sculptures of the monks studying along the approach of the tree lined with cedars welcomed us.

Kameoka sculpture2

Kameoka Monjyu in

Kameoka sub hall

Kameoka sculpture

I was surprised that there is a hierarchy in the world of Buddha. An enlightened person is called Nyorai as highest rank, and is usually accompanied by several Bodhisattva. Furthermore, there are many layers under the Bodhisattva. The world of Buddha is also tough.

By the way, Bonjyu Bodhisattva is a Buddha of wisdom who is an attendant of Shaka Nyorai. That’s why many examinees are visiting and the examination season is at the time of earning money at Kameoka Bonjyu-dou. Although I wasn’t in the examination season when I visited there, many children were worshiping in the hall with parents and I was impressed that it was a temple that blended into the area. On the other hand, the attention not to doodle on the Monjyu-dou was indicated, but “Your graffiti halves your wisdom”, or something that it should be written down on its attention with a little more wisdom ! When you go to the back of the hall, you will find water that gives you wisdom when you drink it. Drinking too much water halves your wisdom !

Akutsu Hachimangu1

In Takahata Town, there is another old shrine that should not be overlooked. From Akutsu Hachiman, I think it is a historical shrine of Genji.
There was a magnificent thatched main shrine at the back, but for some reason there was a triple-storied pagoda of Buddhist architecture at the shrine.

Akutsu Hachimangu3

Akutsu Hachimangu4

Akutsu Hachimangu2 Sanjyunoto

Mountain Pass Station0 — Go back to itinerary

2020-08-162020-09-08

Sasano Kannon with thatched roof like a helmet of battle is a symbol of faith

Sasano Kannon is one of the 33 Kannon pilgrimages in Okitama area, but it is especially admirable because the lord of the Yonezawa domain had visited it　repeatedly. The roof is very large compared to the lower structure, and the sculptures under the eaves are rich and detailed.

sculpture of dragon and crane

good foot prayer

Kannon aims to relieve people’s suffering by changing 33 forms and faces, so 33 Kannon pilgrimage routes had been established in various areas, and it is interesting that industries such as local specialty products are flourishing there.

entrance gate of Sasano Kannon

facade of Sasano Kannon

In Sasano Kannon, lord Youzan Uesugi encouraged the hawk carving by only one engraving tool, and its technology has been passed down to the present day near the Kannon.
The hawk’s carvings made from the Enju tree, Japanese Pagoda tree, have a reddish exposed core that forms part of the design (see below left). It is said that Enju is good for longevity and success in life because it is written in Kanji, Japanese character, that the life span extends. Japanese people like these word games !

Hawk sculpture1

Hawk sculpture3

The famous saying* is displayed (see above right) because the store name is ‘Youzan’, which President Kennedy had respected.
>Please read detail another post.

*)”If you try to do, it can be achieved, if you don’t, it will never be achieved. Achieving nothing is due to one’s own intention to not try.”

Hawk sculpture0 shop

Hawk sculpture2 workplace

I found something valuable in this shop. It’s a basket woven from mountain vines and sells for $3,000 to $4,000 per department store in Tokyo. See for yourself how much is here.

Mountain grape basket1

Mountain grape basket2

2020-08-02

Goshogake Nature Park enjoying baby volcanos and sulfur gas?

The surface of the rock is exposed in the area due to the emission of sulfur gas. The valley pond is boiling. Mud erupts from the bottom of the earth with steam, and there are mud pots everywhere in the shape of Baby Volcano. It is a landscape that looks like a miniature of a volcano.

The origin of the name of ‘Goshogake’ is the idea of reincarnation in Buddhism. A young man who fell ill was recovered by a young pilgrimage daughter in this hot spring resort, and they got married. However, due to the news of the wind, his wife, who had left home with children, visited and the young daughter prayed for their happiness and poured herself into the boiling water. The wife, who was struck by the chest, followed her also praying (‘gake’ literally) being reborn (‘sho’ literally) after (‘go’ literally) the death. It is a sad anecdote, but it is a story that conveys the utility and fear of a volcano at the same time.

There is a toilet at the entrance of the walk path, but there are metal cans and sticks in front of it, and it is written that you should strike it in advance to inform the bear. But if the bear inside heard the sound and came out of the toilet, I was wondering what to do. Please do not encounter bears.

Gallery (click photos)

Goshokake nature park

Sulfur gas1

Sulfur gas2

Sulfur gas4

Sulfur gas5

Konya hell

2020-07-12

exhausted 2446 stone steps with about 600 old cedar trees to reach Mt. Haguroyama and a traditional tea house in an exquisite location on the way

Unfortunately, it is downhill to the five-storied pagoda, National treasure. But you can meet the 1000 year old grandfather ceder. In 2019, we had a special visit inside the pagoda. The octagonal core was tied to the surrounding skeleton with a kudzu vine. (>click photos)

haguroyama zuishinmon

old grandfather ceder

five storied pagoda

octagonal pillar inside

special visit inside

buddha on the roadside

Uphill surrounded by old cedars feels sacred air, not just forest bath. But it is hard to climb the 2446 stone steps at once. There is a traditional tea house in an exquisite place. And you can overlook the flat Shonai plain facing the Sea of Japan. If the weather is very nice, you can see Tobishima island over the Shonai plain. (>click photos)

stone steps start

stone step on the way

stone step upto tea house

chikaramochi and tokoroten

shonai plain

view tobishima island over plain

We finally reached the summit of Mt. Haguroyama. It took 50 minutes without a break from the foot. It is difficult to go to the other two mountains, so it is also secular that the three gods are enshrined together here.
It seems that the belfry was built as a thank-you for praying for the invasion of Mongolia during the Kamakura period. (>click photos)

stone astep over tea house

shrine haguroyama

shrine arrival

shrine sumo wrestler

shrine sanzan composed

mirror pond

hydrangea

old belfry

god for healty foot

Only part of the stone steps are crafted with the playfulness of masonry worker. Find out, so you feel better.

2020-07-022020-09-05

Motsuji-Temple, World Heritage, and Yoshitsune self-harm land overlooking the Kitakami River where basho wrote famous haiku

‘The Summer grasses / Of brave soldier’s dreams / The aftermath’

by Basho

Basho traveled to Tohoku district during the Edo period and left many famous haiku poems. One of them is the battlefield of the distant past. The view of the flowing Kitakami River where Basho wrote this haiku was impressed and too sad because this was just the place where Yoshitsune harmed himself being surrounded by his brother’s army and where the glory of Hiraizumi began to collapse. Almost the same fate as the one of Emishi was repeated.

Stories of Aterui and Yoshitsune in another post >read more

Motsuji Temple, World Heritage

It was said that Hiraizumi had the same scale and brilliance as the capital of Kyoto during its Golden Age. Being far from the political center brought peace and prosperity to Hiraizumi. The garden in Motsuji Temple has been restored and remind us of Uji-Byodoin Temple in Kyoto.

Gallery (click photos)

motsuji temple hagi

motsuji temple pond

motsuji temple garden

motsuji temple dragonfly

2020-06-302020-09-05

Chusonji Temple, World Heritage, where the highlights are connected by a too long slope, and finally arrive at the Golden Hall after getting tired

‘Eary summer rains / Fall not here / Temple of light’

by Basho

cyusonji temple basho — chusonji temple basho

Basho traveled to Tohoku district during the Edo period and left many famous haiku poems. One of them is the Chusonji Temple, especially the golden hall. The hall was shining with a dazzling light, which seemed to have prevented the rain. It may have something to do with the discovery in Tohoku as a result of exploring the whole country because a large amount of gold was needed to manufacture the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple in the Nara era.

You can’t reach the golden hall unless you climb a fairly long slope. There are many highlights, so let’s save your physical strength. One of highlights I thought was the backpack ‘oi’ Benkei used when he came back to Hiraizumi to accompany his master Yoshitsune and escaped from the army of Yoshitsune’s brother Minamoto no Yoritomo. I was surprised that there was something like this. It was made of wood with ‘Kamakura’ carving. How ironic it is that the name of carving method came from the capital name where Yoritomo put the political center.

Here around Chusonji Temple is strategic region that have been important since ancient times. It was the forefront base when the Yamato Imperial Court was trying to expand its power to the north in Heian period, and it was also the forefront of Emishi defense. The captured leader of Emishi, Aterui, was killed in Kyoto, almost the same as the fate of Yoshitsune. You can look down on Japan’s oldest ancient battlefield from the place you climbed up, but the only trace is the lush river. Against this background, another Basho haiku has been created.

Share this:

Share this:

Gallery (click photos)

Share this:

Share this:

Motsuji Temple, World Heritage

Gallery (click photos)

Share this:

Share this: