#Kunisaki Peninsula

[raffaellopalandri]

Adventures in Culture and Solitude

Daily writing promptWhat countries do you want to visit?View all responses The world is awesomely filled with vibrant cultures, breathtaking landscapes, and unique experiences. While the typical travellers might flit from one iconic landmark to another, ticking destinations off a bucket list, our vision extends far beyond a fleeting visit. For some countries, the allure lies in a deep immersion…

[armchairarchivist]

Naoki Ishikawa, Photos from the Kunisaki Peninsula series

[japanicus-nerdus]

The Kunisaki Peninsula: Giant Stone Buddhas

The Kunisaki Peninsula is in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu. It’s pretty remote with no direct trains to the area. It is known for the Magaibutsu, giant stone carved Buddhas. Kunisaki has 6 mountains, the rokugomanzan. Each summit had a shrine, and a Buddhist temple just below the summit. The summits are connected by trail, the Long Trail. When Buddhism was first introduced to the area, legend has it…

[gardenofthefareast]

Kyushu island, Japan: shrines and shugendo on the Kunisaki peninsula

Futago-ji Temple

[hyaenagallery]

Futoshi Matsunaga part 2 Later that year, Matsunaga began victimizing Kumio Toraya and his daughter. Kumio had previously confided to Matsunaga about his previous criminal history; Matsunaga used this information to blackmail Kumio. Kumio and his daughter were held captive in Matsunaga’s room inside the condominium. Matsunaga tortured Kumio with electric shocks, forced him to eat his own feces, and forced his daughter to bite her father. Kumio died as a result of this abuse on February 26, 1996. Matsunaga convinced Kumio’s daughter that she had murdered her father. He told Junko and the girl to dispose of the remains, which were thrown into the sea near the Kunisaki Peninsula after being pulverized. Soon after, Matsunaga found another target in a female acquaintance of Kumio. He convinced the woman that he was a graduate of Kyoto University and promised to marry her. Instead, he defrauded her of 5.6 million yen (about $69,066 US). As before, the woman and her daughter were confined to Matsunaga’s room. The woman escaped by jumping from the second floor to the ground in March 1997. She was put into the care of a mental hospital and her daughter was released. The following month, Ogata left for work and did not return. Matsunaga contacted her family, threatening them and blackmailing Shizumi over the 1985 rape. Matsunaga then faked his own suicide, prompting Ogata to return, whereupon she was subjected to continued abuse. He also raped Ogata’s married sister, Rieko. Ogata’s family gave 63 million yen (about $777,116 US) to Matsunaga, after which he held them captive and psychologically controlled them in ways similar to the methods of cult-leader Shoko Asahara. On December 21, 1997, Matsunaga coerced Junko to shock her 61-year-old father, Takashige, to the point of death. When Shizumi’s mental state began to deteriorate, Matsunaga commanded Rieko and her husband, Kazuya, to strangle her on January 20, 1998. Several weeks later, he commanded Kazuya to strangle Rieko while their 10-year-old daughter, Aya, held her down. Matsunaga and Ogata then confined Kazuya to a bathroom, where he starved to death on April 13, 1998. #destroytheday https://www.instagram.com/p/B9HWNMDBMi-/?igshid=1x4hyuf3zyito

[opensky-tom]

The first step to be on the other side by remembering the day, Sep. 18th. It might help to have a different view and wider view.

[exquisiteexperiences-hmsex]

The use of the “infinity space” concept capture the audience to be in this world of just “flowers and people”, allowing there full attention to be only what is happening around them. The beauty of the style allows the audience to perceive a unforgettable that is so memorable exquisite experience. 

[art-kyoto-jp]

No.823 at Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita, Japan

Season of rice harvesting

[philippinetalamona]

Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together – Kunisaki Peninsula

teamLab, 2014, Interactive Digital Installation

[japanicus-nerdus]

Magaibutsu of Kunisaki

It seems to me that my posts about my trip are taking a long time to come out. I work full time and so I write when I can. As such they tend not to come out very regularly. I have decided to put out small blurbs about photos while I work on my longer travel entries.

Here are some stone Buddha on the Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu. Even most Japanese don’t know where the…

[jtjlover]

#両子寺 is a part of #六郷満山 (rokugo manzan) ー a complex of Buddhist-Shinto temples in the #kunisaki peninsula. The whole coplex consists of 31 temples and you can make a pilgrimage between all of them or just choose whichever one you like. Quite similar to #四国お遍路八十八ヵ所巡り Legend has it that 8th century Ninmon, a monk from Usa set the foundations for what is now known as Rokugo Manzan. As you can see in the pictures the mix of #Buddhism and #Shinto is quite visible - two Nio guard the entrance to many buddhist temples, but shimenawa rope at the gate and shide paper stripes symbolize the entrance to a Shinto sanctuary. Oh, and don't forget to visit my blog, I added a post I should have added some time ago 😉 active link in bio! #日本 #九州 #大分県 #kyushuambassador #japan #wheninjapan #japanlife #japantravel #japantrip #travellife #travelove #travelphotography #travellover #japanguide #discoverjapan #exploreworld #travelideas #attjapan #japan_of_insta #travel #traveller #podróże #podróżemałeiduże #kyushu @tourismoita @kyushu_tourism_information (w: 両子寺) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_oTtZ_BWOt/?igshid=j64eq8r7apw

[nomadasaurus]

Futago-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Kunisaki, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. It is located on the slopes of Mount Futago, the highest mountain on the Kunisaki Peninsula. The temple was established in 718 by Ninmon and became the central temple of Rokugō-Manzan. You can hike up to the summit of Mt Futago. Takes about 2 hours return. There is a great view from the top. Admission fee: 300 yen On google maps it is called Ashihikiyama Futago Temple Discovered at Futagoji, Kunisaki, Japan. See more at Trover

[latest-haruka]

国東半島を拠点に活動するKunisaki Peninsula Journey のタオルイラスト描きました。石柄と海柄。勇ましい仁王像もオコゼもゆるゆるです。5末のイベントの時、思いがけず大分にゆかりのあるお客さんが多く、たくさんお持ち帰りいただきました。ありがとうです。東京で販売できるところないかなあと模索中。。。 #kunisaki #peninsula #stone #fish #towel #石 #岩 #海 #魚柄 #国東半島 #六郷満山 #大分 #oita #harukashinji #進士遙 #イラスト #illustration

[julianworker]

Kyushu island, Japan: shrines and shugendo on the Kunisaki peninsula A walking holiday on the Japanese island takes in rice-covered valleys, forests of cedar and bamboo, and the spirit of shugendo – though fortunately not its testing rituals

[viralhottopics]

Kyushu island, Japan: shrines and shugendo on the Kunisaki peninsula

A walking holiday on the Japanese island takes in rice-covered valleys, forests of cedar and bamboo, and the spirit of shugendo though fortunately not its testing rituals

As Japanese lifestyle fads go, the ancient art of shugendo isnt going to knock Marie Kondo off the bestseller lists. Its secret rituals, practised in the mountains of the Kunisaki peninsula, include treacherous climbs on rusty chains and regular dowsings in freezing cold waterfalls. Its disciples spend days and nights on the mountainside with little more than a blanket and an occasional bowl of rice. It makes that Tough Mudder your mate bangs on about look like an egg and spoon race at a church fete.

Kunisaki, Japan, map.

There are, however, less punishing ways to explore this awe-inspiring and undervisited area of northern Kyushu, one of Japans four main islands. Walk Japans guided tour of Kunisaki is for those who want to spend a week stretching their legs, but have no intention of yomping all day with a heavy pack. Now FinnAir has launched a flight to Fukuoka from Heathrow, its an attractive introduction to the regions rice-covered valleys, forests of cedar and bamboo, and 6,000 years of history.

There are nine in our walking group, a mixture of couples and friends and solo travellers, as well as our guide Llew, who is a font of Japanese history. Mount Futago, the volcano at the centre of the Kunisaki peninsula, created an unusually symmetrical pattern of valleys when it erupted, and early practitioners of Buddhism, who arrived in Japan in the 7th century, saw in it the auspicious symbol of the lotus mandala. As a result, the surrounding hills are full of ancient shrines and statues folklore has it that one priest called Ninmon carved 60,000 Buddhas alone.

Cloud back-up Emma John enjoys the view.

An hour-long climb brings us to a small teahouse where Mr Imakuma, an art-loving monk, serves us tea and buns and satsumas, and enthuses about Antony Gormleys visit here two years ago, when he left behind one of those naked cast iron men with which he likes to populate the world. There was a bit of controversy, admits Imakuma, because some people didnt like the idea of a naked figure on this sacred pilgrimage route. But his artwork is all about the relationship between humans and their environment and thats what this place is about.

Gormleys figure juts out from a peak that seems miles away, yet within 40 minutes were standing next to it, gazing over the valley. Clouds hover like spaceships above the ridge opposite, then roll down the mountains, their arrival sprinkling us with rain. When they clear, you can see east to the Inland Sea.

Its no wonder this place inspires reflection. When we discover, at one of the ryokans we stay at, that our chef Junyo is also the priest of the temple next door, I surprise myself by getting up at 7am to join him for a short bout of silence. After 20 minutes of listening to the sound of the rain as it beats the timbers around us, Junyo dings a bell, changes out of his priestly robes and whips up breakfast. His cold soba noodles are the perfect return to earth.

Peaceful retreat meditation to start the day. Photograph: Tani Kun/Walk Japan

There is no danger of asceticism on our trip. Our kaiseki dinners are multi-course wonders, a progression of lacquer bowls and boxes dazzling us with local seafood, fish and vegetables. At the other end of the scale theres crisp tempura and deep rich miso for lunch in roadside cafs. The omnipresent savoury egg custard takes a bit more getting used to, but by the end of the trip Ive come to love its indulgent creaminess. The Oita prefecture produces 40% of Japans shiitake mushrooms, spored in the trunks of sawtooth oaks.

While we see plenty of evidence of farming half-harvested rice paddies, piles of corn husks we see few people working the land; rural depopulation is a major concern here. In many places, clumps of scarecrows are arranged in tableaux of village life, part of an official programme to make them seem less devoid of life. Well pass a park bench and realise that the two old ladies sitting on it have faces drawn in marker pen and plastic bags over their heads; or that a disconcerting sense of being watched is caused by the creepy straw-stuffed man lurking next to a nearby wall. Stephen King would have a field day.

As a company, Walk Japan is keenly aware of the problems of depopulation. Part of its mission is to help revive the local community in Kunisaki through farming, forest regeneration and education projects. Theyre less interested in showing you the culture of rural Japan than immersing you in it literally, in the case of the hot baths that become part of our nightly routine.

A kaiseki dinner. Photograph: Tani Kun/Walk Japan

Theres nothing that will bond a group of strangers as quickly as throwing them together, naked, in an onsen although requiring them to come to dinner each night wearing traditional yukata robes comes a close second. By our final night, in the lively spa town of Yufuin, we were comfortable enough to head to a karaoke bar in them. We found ourselves sharing the bar with a group of suited businessmen, who duetted with us into the small hours.

In the morning the group split up. Inspired by the weeks walking, I made a solo climb of Mount Yufu (1,583m). I had a hangover and I forgot to take snacks. It was the closest Im ever going to get to shugendo, and for that, Im grateful.

Way to go

Finnair flies direct from Helsinki to Fukuoka from 27 April to 28 October; return from Heathrow to Fukuoko via Helsinki from 579 (finnair.com). Walk Japans five-day, four-night fully guided Kunisaki and Yufuin Walk costs from 1,600pp (walkjapan.com)

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from Kyushu island, Japan: shrines and shugendo on the Kunisaki peninsula

[art-kyoto-jp]

No.820 at Sendoji Temple, Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita, Japan A pair of guardians who have no building left to protect reminds us that nothing remains without change except nature, such as sun, moon, earth, and wind.