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Part 1 First Day (Arrival, Kitamuki Kannon) |
Part 2 Second Day (Scenic Spots near Bessho Spa) |
Part 3 Second Day (Joraku-ji, Anraku-ji) |
Part 4 Third Day (Ueda Castle Ruins) |
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Part 2 Second Day-1
(Scenic Spots near Bessho Spa) |
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Thursday on July 2, 2nd day of the trip. Clear sky. Seems to be hot in
the daytime.
We left Hanaya Inn before 10:00 and got back in the evening. During the
time, we enjoyed the temples and shrines around Bessho Spa freely.
"Bessho Spa, Kamakura in Shinshu" was not deceiving.
There were a couple of temples in Bessho Spa Town itself and several others
in the neighboring places, some of which might be smaller than the ones
in Kamakura but well harmonized with the surrounding local landscape. I
thought "Here we are in Shinshu". Solemn atmosphere of temples
and shrines with pastoral views of Shinshu....., they were a feast for
my eyes and made me feel comforted.
I already made sure of the circular-route bus service of the surrounding
area from the stop at Bessho Spa Station.
Our couple got off the bus at the entrance to Chuzen-ji Temple after 15-minute
drive.
We planned to visit several temples and shrines, to walk along the hydrangea
path, and to finish the day's sightseeing at Mugon-kan Hall.
It is going to proceed like we planned.
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Chuzen-ji Temple
Chuzen-ji Temple, the Shingon sect of Buddhism, is said to stem from Tensho
era (824-34) when Priest Kukai built the hemitage to pray for rain.
Since then, the temple building burned down in Eikyo era (1429-41), in
Kanbun 5 (1665) and in Kyoho 5 (1720). Those fires burned down a lot of
precious things.
In Kyoho 19 (1734), Priest Yusei-hoin reopened the present main hall.
Yakushi Hall (picture below) was built at the beginning of Kamakura era,
which is the oldest wooden building in Central Japan. It is a simple building
with a thatched grave roof on top in the solemn appearance.
Enshrined in the hall are a sitting statue of Yakushi Nyorai and a God
Warrior without Hand.
Chuzen-ji, Other Pictures
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Shiono Shrine
This shrine was next to Chuzen-ji Temple. However, to my regret, I passed
there through only taking several photos, as my interest went away to Ajisai
Komichi (Hydrangea Track).
The signboard explained as follows.
Shiono Shrine is an old shrine, carried in "Engi-shiki" (a Japanese
book about laws and customs in 927).
It earned faith from the people in this area, like Shiono-hojo clan, Takeda
clan and Sanada clan.
Above all famous are the wish letter (1568) of Takeda Shingen and the donation
letter (1587) of Sanada Masayuki. |
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Ajisai Komichi
(Hydrangea Track)
We walked along Hydrangea Track from Shiono Shrine to Ryukoin Temple.
Hydrangea must be a little before their best around here. Bloomed but not
in full bloom.
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風穴は夏蚕(なつご)生かして山の神 |
山したたる仲良き笑みの道祖神 |
Emiko |
Ajisai Komichi, Other Pictures
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Ryukoin Temple
The web page of Shinshu Group says;
Priest Gekkei opened this temple in 1282 during the reign of Hojo Kunitoki,
the lord of Shioda Castle.
Though named as Senjoji Temple at first, it was changed to Ryukoin.
It is the family temple of Shida-hojo clan, contrasted to Zenzan-ji as
the wish temple on both sides of Shida Castle. |
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Zenzan-ji Temple
The guidebook says;
Zenzan-ji Temple is a temple of long history at the foot of Mt. Tokko.
The main image is Dainichi-nyorai.
It is said that Priest Kukai opened as the sacred place for religious austerities
in 812. It was named Zenzan-ji in 1331 by Priest Choshu.
It was built in the unlucky direction from Shioda Castle, and so it was
worshipped by the warriors as the exorcist temple.
It used to be a historic temple with more than 40 branches. |
The detached house was a space for relaxation managed by the priest's wife,
where we tasted rice cake with walnut of the temple's pride.
Zenzan-ji Temple, Other Pictures
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Bessho Shrine
It is said this shrine was called Kumano Shrine in the old days as one
of the divisions and enshrinements of a deity from Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine
in Kishu (Wakayama Prefecture). The shrine's name was changed to Bessho
Shrine in Meiji 11 (1878).
I am from Shingu City, Wakayama Pref. around where Kumano Three Grand Shrines
are located. Therefore I cannot neglect this shrine all right, but in fact
to my regret, I found this fact after returned home. So, I took only a
couple of pictures then there.
According to the guidebook, this main shrine, in the style of "ikkensha-sumikiiri-kasugazukuri",
was built in 18th century and has remained the original style well, worth
as a cultural asset.
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Mugon-kan Hall
(Museum of the Silenced Art Students)
We visited this hall after several temples and shrines.
The exhibited pictures gave me a deep impression on another dimension with
those of famous artists.
When the students were killed in the war, I was a young child. I have come
to realize that I have not been involved with the tragedy of the war until
now. How lucky I am.
With such complicated feeling, I looked around in Mugon-kan Hall and the
2nd Exhibition Hall.
The following is Wikipedia's explanation.
Mugon-kan is a memorial to the art students who were killed in the Pacific
War. It was opened as an annex of Shinano Art Museum in 1997.
The manager is Seiichiro Kuboshima. He collected the posthumouses of the
dead art students all over Japan with Akiji Nomiyama who himself had the
experience to be sent to the front.
The 2nd Exhibition Hall "Dome of Injured Canvas" opened in September
21, 2008. |
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Mugon-kan Hall↑
2nd Exhibition Hall → |
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"Mugon-kan" was named as that "though the displayed pictures
have no word, they talk a lot to us", while it means visitors become
silent seeing them, too.
無言館出て水欲し合歓の花 |
I get out of Mugon-kan and feel thirsty
under a silk tree. |
Emiko |
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Part 2 Reading: 11' 19" |
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Part 1 First Day (Arrival, Kitamuki Kannon) |
Part 2 Second Day (Scenic Spots near Bessho Spa) |
Part 3 Second Day (Joraku-ji, Anraku-ji) |
Part 4 Third Day (Ueda Castle Ruins) |
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