The quarry of the warm-colored Takahata Stone is a labyrinth

Takahata stone4

The remains of quarries are found all over Japan, but Takahata stone is a tuff made from volcanic ash accumulated and is easy to process and has a warm yellow color.    It had been used in the horizontal-hole type mound tomb.  Human power is great, because it cuts mountains vertically and excavates caves in a straight line and used to dig them by hand.   The inside of the cave is kept at a low temperature, so I thought that it could be used as a storage for Takahata wine, which would lead to income for tourism. 

Takahata stone2
Takahata stone2

Former Takahata Station of the railroad, that used to transport agricultural products from Takahata Town, is preserved, but it was built with only warm Takahata stone.   It has nothing to do with this, JR Takahata Station (called Taiyokan) looks like a fairy tale and has a day-trip hot spring facility inside, but I couldn’t understand what was the concept of these combination.   Only the impression of strangeness remained. 

 Detour

Takahata Town is located on a large fan-shaped terrain.   I learned at school that this terrain is well drained and suitable for fruit cultivation.   That is exactly the case, and grape cultivation is particularly popular.   I highly recommend tasting at the Takahata winery, but I bought something expensive.   I realized that the technology of Japanese red wine has improved considerably. 

 

Mountain Pass Station0
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Buddha’s wisdom bag, Monjyu Bodhisattva, is a children’s playground in Takahata Town

Kameoka Main hall

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.

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.

No graffiti
No graffiti

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 !

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.

 

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