Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Dragon Guardians of Yakumo Shrine
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Gardens at Yakumo Honjin
Yakumo Honjin 八雲本陣
Friday, August 13, 2021
Yakumo Honjin
Yakumo Honjin
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Izumo Folkcrafts Museum
The Izumo Folkcrafts Museum is located not far from Nishi Izumo Station and is located in the grounds of what was a wealthy farming families estate. I have to admit that I lived here 18 years before I finally got around to visiting, but was pleasantly surprised.
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Izumo Folkcrafts Museum (exterior)
For years I had driven past signs pointing to the Izumo Mingeikan, but it wasnt't until recently that I visited it, and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Ryuzugataki Dragon Head Falls
Ryuzugattaki Waterfalls are among the 100 top waterfalls of japan and are located in the mountains directly south of Izumo City.
Monday, November 23, 2020
A Daimyo Garden at Hirata Honjin
Honjin were a kind of lodgings used by daimyo, feudal lords, as they travelled around their domain. They were usyually the homes of wealthy merchants or farmers who could provide the luxury that the daimyo needed.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Tachikue Gorge Fudo Myo
Tachikue Gorge in the mountains south of Izumo City is a scenic spot with cliffs and strange rock formations.
Just the kind of place Yamabushi used to like so it's not surprising that it was a center for Shugendo.
There are hundreds of small statues in ledges and at the base of rock faces including many of the 500 rakan or arhats.
There were half a dozen small Fudo Myo statues as well.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Iwasaki Shrine, Usa.
In November of 2012 I went for a 5 day walk around and over the Kunisaki Peninsula, one of my favorite areas in Japan. I had been wanting to walk an old Shugendo pilgrimage route, but at that time had not yet found a reliable map of the route, however I did know that it started from Usa Jingu and headed east towards the peninsula and that is the route I followed.
Several hours into the walk I was approaching Usa Station and came upon Iwasaki Shrine. There was no information board at the shrine but I have been able to dig up a little info.
It was founded in 723 and the list of main kami is headed by Ojin and Jingu, and yet curiously its not called a hachimangu.
There are a lot of secondary shrines in the grounds, including Kibune, Konpira, Sugawara, Inari, and Izumo.
When I have finished all the posts on this walk I will post a chronological list, but for now all posts with kunisaki fall will suffice