tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79754211404466684772026-06-12T00:16:54.006+09:00More glimpses of unfamiliar JapanOff the beaten track in Japan:- Nature, Culture, History, Spirit, Art....Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.comBlogger2671125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-44197772047434160552026-06-11T15:21:08.890+09:002026-06-11T15:22:09.020+09:00Ankokuji Temple 25 Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage Ankokuji is not far from Tadaji, temple 24, and even closer to Komyoji, temple 26, and is located in Kamiko, a little upstream from Shimoko.I was surprised by how substantial a temple it was, and then I learned that it has the tombs of several generations of the Masuda Clan, who ruled the area. They were descendants of the Fujiwara governor Kunikane, who changed their names. They later Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-59690081005071047362026-06-10T17:00:29.602+09:002026-06-10T17:00:29.602+09:00Kuroshio Choritsu Ogata Library Out in the middle of nowhere in Japan, you will come across huge, modern architectural marvels.They come from a period in Japan before the bubble burst and the government was throwing huge sums of money at the provincial towns. Actually, the money was headed to the coffers of the construction industry, the Japanese equivalent of the American Military-Industrial Complex.The vast majority of Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-11986460444961047822026-06-09T16:31:12.116+09:002026-06-09T16:31:12.117+09:00Inside Tadaji Temple The honzon of Tada-ji temple in Hamada is an Eleven-faced Kannon, but it is a secret Buddha only visible once a year.However, there is a Thousand-armed Kannon to be seen...And to my great delight, several Fudo statues......However, perhaps the most interesting thing to see are the 59 wooden statues which I have earlier referred to as "drowned Buddhas".They were discovered floating in the Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-38000213660141506702026-06-08T16:29:28.192+09:002026-06-08T16:29:28.192+09:00Leading the Blind..Tactile Paving...Tenji Block... Street Photography where the subject is actually the street, and not the people.....Tactile paving is the most common of many names given to the raised bumps and lines on floors that guide visually-impaired people.In Japan, they are known as Tenji Blocks, with tenji being the Japanese word for braille.Every announcement warning of imminent train arrivals at Japanese stations insists Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-1439559900680106182026-06-07T19:02:23.871+09:002026-06-07T19:02:23.871+09:00Komo Shrine Revisited Komo Shrine is quite a large, impressive shrine in the countryside near Nakatsu.This was my third time visiting, and a previous visit was documented in this post.I was here this time on day 6 of my walk along the Kyushu Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.There is much to see, but perhaps the most noticeable thing is the magnificent two-storey gate.This is a 1622 reconstruction, and is a national Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-82523713302320557222026-06-06T16:39:15.436+09:002026-06-06T16:39:15.436+09:00Tada-ji Temple 22 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage, Temple 24 Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage I begin day 38 of my Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage walk at Tada-ji Temple on the mountain top overlooking Shimoko. It is temple 22 of the pilgrimage.It has been 7 days since the last temple of the pilgrimage, the Tamae Kannon-in down in Hagi.Tada-ji is also the 24th temple of the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage which I have been concurrently walking along since yesterday.The Nio of Tada-ji are truly Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-40284782051549644802026-06-05T09:13:18.476+09:002026-06-05T09:13:18.476+09:00Togakuji Temple Revisited Togakuji is a Soto Zen temple that predates Matsue Castle a little, but was moved to the Okudani area of Matsue when the castle was built.After visiting the garden at Manjuji Temple, I stopped in here on my way back towards downtown.I had hoped to view the garden behind the main hall, but once again the priest was busy with guests, so will have to try again next time....The short Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-66303928231410251772026-06-04T11:46:51.678+09:002026-06-04T11:46:51.679+09:00Hamada River mouth to Shimoko River mouth The Hamada River curves around the hill topped by the ruins of Hamada Castle before entering a narrow inlet with a narrow opening into the Sea of Japan.The village at the base of the castle facing the sea is Matsubara, and it is well protected by lines and lines of tetrapods...I guess it needs protecting from high tide surges, but located in a narrow inlet must mean its a bit of an overkillOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-88998260759508637942026-06-03T11:23:38.414+09:002026-06-03T11:23:38.414+09:00Daikoji Temple 67 Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage Daikoji, temple 67 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, is located in a fairly out-of-the-way rural area at the bottom of the mountains, with no big towns nearby.It was established, about 1 kilometer from its current location, in 742 as a branch of Todaiji temple.The Nio Gate was built in 1318 but rebuit at its current location in 1796.The Nio are dated to the mid Kamakura Period, around the mid 13thOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-49750828131101347862026-06-01T13:58:14.947+09:002026-06-01T13:58:14.947+09:00Matsubara Itsukushima Shrine & Tonoura Kotohira Shrine Matsubara is the small settlement below Hamada Castle on the mouth of the Hamada River.The shrine right below the castle and immediately next to the sea is, not surprisingly, an Itsukushima Shrine...There is a secondary Ebisu shrine in the grounds and hanging inside the common pairing of two masks of Ebisu and Daikoku. 2 of the 7 lucky gods, the pairing has deeper significance in this Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-86439850599425760682026-05-31T10:25:04.994+09:002026-05-31T10:25:04.994+09:00Namba Yasaka Shrine to Nakanoshima..... Zen, Love, & Business... Continuing with my little architectural exploration of Namba and nearby areas of central Osaka, from the Yasaka Shrine I headed towards Nakanoshima, about 4 kilometers away...First sight was Zuiryuji Temple, commonly known as Tetsugenji after Testsugen, the Obaku Zen monk who founded the temple. Knwn for printing the complete Buddhist sutras in Japanese, Tetsugen made the temple huge duringOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-63328252930970291302026-05-30T10:41:56.042+09:002026-05-30T10:41:56.042+09:00Motohama Otoshi Shrine Down below the Otoshi Shrine near Hamada Port is a small Benten-Sha and a memorial to sailors and fishermen lots at sea...The Otoshi shrine was founded in the first half of the 8th century by "inviting" the kami of Izawa and Otoshi shrine in Mie, which suggests that figures in the provincial government offices nearby were responsible.Otoshi is a common kami in this area as a son of Susano Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-90714081925332462302026-05-29T11:49:50.084+09:002026-05-29T11:49:50.084+09:00Sasaki Residence on Dogo The Sasaki Residence on Dogo, the largest of the Oki Islands, is a traditional residence of a village headman.The first noticeable thing was the roof. Whereas tile roofs were common on temples and wealthy properties, thatch was far more common, but required very steep roofs. Strips of overlaid cedar bark weighted down with bamboo with stones on was fairly common, but almost never seen Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-85193248260703235942026-05-27T16:08:24.963+09:002026-05-27T16:08:24.964+09:00Hofukuji Temple & Dainichiji Temple Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage Hofukuji Temple is number 23 on the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage. It is a small temple in the old part of Hamada, but I can find little information about it other than is belongs to the Shingon sect.It is famous for having a monument to, and the grave of, Ohatsu, whose real name was Matsuda Satsu. She was the heroine of the Kagamiyama Incident which occured at the Hamada Domains Edo Mansion.The Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-83489079413100547542026-05-26T13:38:29.742+09:002026-05-26T13:38:29.742+09:00Passing by Ago Ohashi Bridge on the Scenic Gonokawa RiverI continue upriver towards the source...... Carrying on up the right/East bank of the Gonokawa River after leaving the red Kurihara BridgeThe former Sanko Line railway runs on this bank. Whereas some bridges have been dismantled, mostly in urban areas, here the small bridge remains...Roadside altars are commonplace everywhere in Japan.... this one is quite substantial.... as usual someone Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-65829155404559667862026-05-25T10:23:03.048+09:002026-05-25T10:23:03.049+09:00Sufu Beach to Hamada Port After leaving the Hachimangu Shrine I pass by the small beach at Sufu before heading over a little rise and dropping into the wide curving beach and bay of Nagahama.This is also the westernmost wharf of Hamada Port, the only deep sea port on the Shimane coast.This western wharf has the Coast Guard station and seems to primarily export cedar logs.Nagahama is home to several large shrines, Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-861580405500678852026-05-22T12:45:36.300+09:002026-05-22T12:45:36.301+09:00Namba Yasaka Shrine The Yasaka Shrine in Namba, Osaka, has become well known for its distinctive kaguraden shaped like a Komainu's head.Though there are no records, the shrine claims to have been established during the reign of Emperor Nintoku in the 4th century. Nintoku is one of those emperors that probably existed, but at least a century later.It was known in ancient times as Namba Shimonomiya.Like many Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-64586982238606695492026-05-20T18:35:11.915+09:002026-05-20T18:35:11.915+09:00Sufu Kasuga Shrine & Hinoashi Hachimangu Not far from Shotokuji temple and Jorinji Temple is a Kasuga Shrine with great views over Sufu and the mouth of the Sufu River.There appear to be few existing records, but as Kasuga Shrine is the family shrine of the powerful Fujiwara family, and the local rulers claim descent from a branch of the Fujiwara family, that makes sense.The Kasuga Daimyojin consists of Takemikazuchi, Amenokoyane,Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-61212687084919540982026-05-19T20:09:48.064+09:002026-05-19T20:09:48.064+09:00The Way to Konjiji Temple Konjiji is temple number 12 on the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.It is also the okunoin of Dainichi-ji, temple 13 on the Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage.It is located high on a mountain and was renowned as a shugendo site, a training place for yamabushi.For those on foot it is a great opportunity to get off the main roads.....As would be expected, there are lots of Fudo statues....And numerous Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-17064511638714487062026-05-17T18:52:09.604+09:002026-05-17T18:52:09.604+09:00Jorinji Temple & an Explanation Jorinji Temple is a very small temple just a few hundred meters from Shotokuji Temple in Sufu. Jorinji is one of the "extra" temples on the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage.Kannon pilgrimages usually have 33 main temples and 3 or so "extra" temples. The Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage has 33 main temples, but about 17 "extra" temples. I think I have figured out why.I have seen a map of the original Iwami Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-49895068289684607172026-05-16T19:02:11.552+09:002026-05-16T19:02:11.552+09:00Namba Parks Shopping malls are true cathedrals of consumption, especially in a country wherein many people claim shopping as a hobby.Most are featureless boxes, but a few have had some serious money spent on their architecture.Namba parks is one such location, and from one angle one might understand the name "parks" as having some rekevance.However, most visitors will see a dark canyon with beckoning Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-74083169304419673812026-05-15T20:55:04.498+09:002026-05-15T20:55:04.498+09:00Shotokuji Temple 22 Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage Shotokuji Temple in Sufu, lies at the foot of a hill that was covered by a largish castle and was the family temple of the lords of the castle and area, the Suo Clan The castle is ometimes called Sufu Castle, and sometimes Tobisu CastleSome sources claim the temple was founded by Shotoku Taishi himself, or that the temple has a statue carved by him. More likely is that it was established Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-82899093078272511082026-05-14T15:14:56.405+09:002026-05-14T15:14:56.405+09:00Hinomisaki Western Cape of Shimane Peninsula 10,000 years ago, the Shimane Peninsula was a long narrow island running parallel to the coast of Izumo.Looking at a map, it is not hard to imagine as the two large bodies of water, Lake Shinji, the 8th biggest lake in Japan, and Nakaumi, a large lagoon, take up much of the space where the sea used to be.Even 1500 years ago, at the time of the first Izumo myths, much of what is now land wasOjisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-22118478845489770842026-05-13T16:18:26.500+09:002026-05-13T16:18:26.500+09:00Tanoura Coast to Orii Coast After the Tanoura Beach my route heads inland and then starts up towards another pass.It's May so paddies are flooded and in some cases planted.....Miniature farm machinery is one of the reasons rice is so expensive in Japan. Every farmer, who has a tiny farm , must buy machinery to plant and a different one to harvest. Each is used for just a couple of days a year. I my little village Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7975421140446668477.post-11477716291571484912026-05-12T12:04:00.004+09:002026-05-12T12:04:51.586+09:00Tanoura Higyokudo Temple 30 Sasaguri Pilgrimage Higyokudo in the Tanoura area of the Sasaguri Pilgrimage is yet another of the tiny, unmanned "temples", but a little different...Until 1996 there was a pilgrims lodgings here and so there are the remains of a small garden...As usual, and to my continued delight, there were numerous Fudo's....The honzon is an Amida, though because there was dispute on Shikoku with two different temples Ojisanjakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05506748719638540152noreply@blogger.com0