tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79754211404466684772026-05-02T22:15:22.059+09:00More glimpses of unfamiliar JapanOff the beaten track in Japan:- Nature, Culture, History, Spirit, Art....Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.comBlogger2640125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-33564198048479612992026-05-02T12:04:00.000+09:002026-05-02T12:04:14.797+09:00Tsuda to Kamate Day 34 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage began where I ended day 33, the little fishing village of Tsuda.These first three photos are from the train as it approached Iwami Tsuda Station from Hamada, not long after sunrise.From the station I take the short walk directly to the long beach frontage.As with many rivers I cross in Iwami, the river itself mostly soaks into the sandy Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-49175791833291003142026-05-01T12:21:00.006+09:002026-05-01T12:21:53.818+09:00Hachiman Shrine & Makio Shrine in Yasaka Day 9 of my walk along the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage and during the morning I stop in at two noteworthy shrines.Iwami is a remote region, and the area in the mountains now collectively grouped together as Yasaka Town is a remote part of that region. Though I have lived here for decades, this was an exploration for me...The first shrine I reached was the Hachimangu in the area called Nakayasu Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-15999770646028838242026-04-29T12:30:00.001+09:002026-04-29T12:30:19.156+09:00Tsuda Hachimangu aka Mozukujima HachimanguTsuda Hachimangu is right next to the train station, Iwami Tsuda. It is known locally by its old name Mozukujima HachimanguIn earlier times, the site of the shrine was a small island in the mouth of the river and the villagers would collect a type of seaweed called mozuku.This is a giant Hagoita, a kind of paddle used to play a Japanese game similar to badminton. Often decorated with kabuki Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-26487311649848659792026-04-27T10:10:00.001+09:002026-04-27T10:10:19.224+09:00Dark & Stormy Kuroshio Coast December 2nd, 2011, and day 21 of my walk around Shikoku on the Ohenro Pilgrimage begins under a cloudy sky, though the rain of yesterday has abated.Kuroshio is the name of a north Pacific current that passes along the Pacific Coast of Japan.Here at the southern extreme of Shikoku, where the current passes, there is also a town called Kuroshio, where I will mostly be today.As usual I tried Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-87727602364371573432026-04-25T17:07:00.002+09:002026-04-25T17:07:33.812+09:00From Kushiro-cho to Tsuda-cho The end of day 33 was fast coming to a close and so after visiting Kushirogahime Shrine I headed towards Iwami Tsuda Station where I could take a train back home.This little rail bridge across the mouth of the Enda River gives a clear impression of how secnic the whole San-in Rail line is in Shimane and Yamaguchi.Up ahead, the beach runs up to the Unohana Peninsula, and on the other side ofOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-61347891563861566352026-04-24T19:49:00.005+09:002026-04-24T19:49:54.981+09:00Sanmei-in Temple 8 Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage The 2nd of March, 2018, and I begin day 6 of my walk around Kyushu on the Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage in the rural suburbs of Nakatsu. The first 5 days were spent in the Kunisaki Peninsula.Sanmei-in is temple number 8 on the pilgrimage, and the Fudo is enshrined within the Goma Hall. I had visited this temple some years ago as it is also temple 20 on the Kyushu 108 Pilgrimage. That post canOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-72402636404434433482026-04-23T11:25:00.001+09:002026-04-23T11:25:51.169+09:00Kairyuzan Toda Hachiman Shrine Depicting doves, rabbits, and monkeys, the ceramic roof ornaments at Toda Hachimangu are fairly unusual, though I have seen some on the tile roofs of walls around houses in Tsunozu.Located close to the sea among rice paddies, Toda Hachimangu has three toriis. The third being Ryobu style. The name Kairyuzan is Shingon related, and with the Ryobu torii indicated a strong Buddhist Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-48071748122552083732026-04-22T16:03:00.002+09:002026-04-22T16:03:22.845+09:00Manju-ji Temple Gardens Manju-ji Temple in Matsue has a delightful pond garden behind the main hall, and an extensive, well-manicured karesansui garden in the front.It is a large Rinzai Zen temple at the top of the narrow Okutani valley to the north of the castle.Entry to the temple and garden is free, but the temple remains off the tourist radar.The temple was established in a different location in 1600, some Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-63044692753131366172026-04-21T16:20:00.001+09:002026-04-22T15:59:15.284+09:00Kushirogahime Shrine After crossing the Masuda River, my route is now up a trail that leads from a arge torii on the riverbank up to a shrine in the village up above.Apparently the shrine was originally down here at several sites on the waters edge but was moved after a tsunami in the 11th century.There are several Buddhist statues and altars on the way up as there used to be 3 temples associated with the Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-26782752346676079392026-04-20T15:44:00.002+09:002026-04-20T15:44:33.362+09:00Unpenji Temple 66 Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage I spent the night at a minshuku at the base of Mount Unpenji. Overnight, there had been a heavy snowfall. I set off at first light, before the sun, as I had about 650 meters to climb to reach the temple. The trail was virgin. Not a single footstep had been made in the 6 to 12 inches of powdery snow.After about an hour of climbing I was overtaken by a couple of younger guys who had beenOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-2374899611908913982026-04-18T14:25:00.001+09:002026-04-18T14:25:34.521+09:00The 500 Rakan at Unpenji Temple A combination of snow and the low, golden sunlight made these pics of Rakan a little special.Unpenji Temple straddles the border of Tokushima and Kagawa Prefectures on Shikoku.Sitting atop Mount Unpenji, it is temple 66 of the famous 88 temple pilgrimage of Shikoku.At 900 meters altitude, it is the highest of all the 88 temples.The rakan statues are life-size, and spread over quite a wide Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-2884081625114999002026-04-17T10:09:00.000+09:002026-04-17T10:09:59.950+09:00Passing by Masuda After exploring the abandoned Love Hotel, I carried on along the beach road towards Masuda.I stopped in and had a coffee at a beach cafe. Last time I stopped here, it was a ramshackle place; now all modern and brand-spanking-new.Looking up the coast towards where I will be tomorrow. The high point on the left is Mount Taima, somwhere I recently posted on. here a delightful garden, andOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-71438387898050176682026-04-16T12:57:00.000+09:002026-04-16T12:57:42.187+09:00Tsuwano Catholic Church I have photographed quite a few churches in Japan, simply because they are rare and therefore exotic.Of course, none of the churches in Japan are very old as Christianity was outlawed until the late 19th century.It is thought that in 1601 the daimyo of Tsuwano flirted with Christianity. Missionary records claim him as a convert, but he seemed to have renounced the religion soon after. ThereOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-57519383090948891522026-04-15T11:15:00.004+09:002026-04-15T11:18:54.875+09:00Abandoned Love Hotel Right on the beach in front of Iwami Hagi Airport stands an abandoned hotel.The main building is standard 5-storey structure and was a regular hotel. However, attached to it was also a Love Hotel, I suspect operated by the same company. I believe the Love Hotel stayed in business longer than the main hotelI dont remember ever seeing it open, suggesting it has been closed for some years.The Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-7432086501785455852026-04-14T11:04:00.002+09:002026-04-14T11:04:16.240+09:00Childhood Homes of Nishi Amane & Mori Ogai Nishi Amane and Mori Ogai are two of the most famous sons of Tsuwano, the small castle town in the mountains of Shimane.Though located a little outside the main tourist area of the town, their childhood homes are still standing and in close proximity to each other, and offer visitors the opportunity to see some traditional architecture.Nishi Amane (1829-1897), was born to a family of Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-54906147106964696652026-04-12T20:08:00.002+09:002026-04-12T20:08:19.947+09:00Kohama Coast to Sanrigahama Coast Toda is a fairly large village at the western end of Kohama Beach. Big enough to have a Junior High School, as well as an Elementary school.It only has a tiny fishing harbour, so I am guessing it is primarily based around agriculture. It is, like everywhere else, on the Japanese coast, well protected against the sea by concrete fortifications.On my way out of the village, I stopped in at Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-74639528780377364112026-04-11T17:05:00.003+09:002026-04-11T17:05:37.291+09:00namBa H!PS Though sometimes I make spelling mistakes, the title of this post is not one of them.. .... this is really how the building is named.It was designed by one of my favorite Japanese architects, Shin Takamatsu, a Shimane- born architect.It is an entertainment complex and opened in 2007.The red structure running up inside the hourglass-shaped cavity is actually a free-fall type of amusement Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-43562568587573631612026-04-10T16:37:00.001+09:002026-04-10T16:37:29.514+09:00Ebisu Shrine on Miyagajima Island Miyagajima is a small island connected to the mainland by a sandbar that at the highest tides disappears beneath the water.However, the tides along this stretch of Japan Sea coastline are really quite small and my guess is the highest tides of the year probably cut off access for just a few hours on a few days a year.That has not stopped some local tourist websites claiming it to be the Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-87204170508554099522026-04-09T15:01:00.002+09:002026-04-09T15:01:32.483+09:00Upper Saigo Bay The main port of Dogo Island in the Japan Sea off the coast of Shimane is Saigo.The mouth of Saigo Bay is less than 300 meters wide, but the bay opens up with a long arms headong West and North.These shots were taken at the northern edge of the bay where the main road that encircles the island passes.This was the first day of my 3 day walk around the circumference of the island.The Sea of Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-20556509465600023672026-04-08T16:29:00.001+09:002026-04-08T16:29:14.477+09:00Iinoura Coast The first settlement on the coast in Shimane after entering from Yamaguchi Prefecture is Iinoura.I started here on day 33 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage has taken me through Okayama, Hiroshima, and now Yamaguchi, so only two prefectures to go.... my home prefecture of Shimane, and then Tottori.First stop was the local shrine, a Hachimangu. Like many shrines Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-19162817781671755982026-04-07T14:24:00.001+09:002026-04-07T14:24:18.538+09:00Kurihara Bridge over the Gonokawa River Kurihara Bridge is the 13th bridge across the Gonokawa River from the rivermouth in Gotsu on the Sea of Japan.It is the seond of many that fall within the boundaries of Misato, a large collection of villages and mountains grouped together as a municipality in the mountainous interior of Shimane.I was here on day 3 of my walk from the mouth of the river to the source. It is about 40-45 Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-71309857544539058602026-04-06T11:43:00.001+09:002026-04-06T11:43:11.049+09:00Esaki Itsukushima Shrine The fishing village of Esaki os at the head of a long, narrow inlet, and so has been a sheltered harbour since time immemorial and was one of the Kitamaebune ports in the Edo period.The local shrine is an Itsukushima Shrine, though before Meiji it was a Benten Shrine.Benzaiten, the Hindu goddess connected to water, introduced into Japan through Buddhism, and one of the Seven Luck Gods, was Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-88609656413486700672026-04-04T20:03:45.558+09:002026-04-04T20:03:45.558+09:00Namba Hatch Namba Hatch is a uniquely-shaped building on the south bank of the Dotonbori River in Namba, Osaka.It is a kind of concert hall and music venue, though not an auditorium with fixed seats.Rock, Jazz, Blues, Hip-Hop and other contemporary styles are put on and the venue can hold less than 2,000 standing, much less sitting.Several boat tours leave from the river landing here....The octagonal Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-30344881636192131692026-04-03T18:04:00.000+09:002026-04-03T18:04:38.250+09:00Saidoji Rokkakudo Seemingly floating in Esaki Bay, Saidoji Temple has a distinctive hexagonal hall.The origin dates back to the early part of the 15th Century and a wealthy family by the name of Nabeyama who had an ony daughter named Okiku. They had hoped to marry her off but she fell in love with a servant named Shichigoro.When she became pregnant by him, her parents drove him away, and in her sorrow, she Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-22639087831703246462026-04-02T12:52:00.001+09:002026-04-02T12:52:31.717+09:00Shoyoen Garden at Dogakuji Temple Dogakuji Temple in Tokushima on Shikoku is the temple where Kobo Daishi studied as a young child. It is the 2nd of the 20 extra temples on the famous Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage, but also the 11th temple of the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage, which is why I visited it.Behind the main buildings is a small pond garden named Shoyoen.It is thought to have been built in the late Muromachi Period, Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0