#Okitama-jinja

[merpmonde]

Meoto Iwa - the married rocks of Futami

We noted the presence of "married camphor trees" at Meiji-jingû last time, so I guess we can talk about other sacred things linked by rope.

One of the most famous of these is the couple of "married rocks" on the coast of Mie, on the premises of Okitama-jinja at Futami, near Ise. The Meoto Iwa represent the founding couple of Japan according to Shinto, Izanagi and Izanami.

The shimenawa ropes are more heavy-duty than what we saw on the camphor trees: 5 strands, 40 kg each. Still, as they are exposed to the seawater spray from crashing waves, they need to be changed several times a year, which involves quite a few people as you'd expect, as shown on the poster below. Ceremonies occur in May, September and December.

The ropes certainly look heavy on the smaller rock in particular, they look like they could slip off, but instead they cling on rather gracefully.

Dotted around the shrine are statues of the messengers of the gods: frogs.

While Futami's Meoto Iwa is the most important example of "paired rocks" in Japan, owing to how far the tradition dates back and its proximity to Ise Grand Shrine, there are quite a few others across the country. Below is another Meoto Iwa in Mihonoseki, Shimane.

[crazyfox-archives]

"Futamigaura" by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親), 1896, featuring of course the Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩) wedded stones of Futami Okitama Jinja Shrine (二見興玉神社) in Mie Prefecture

"Futamigaura" de Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親), 1896, que presenta por supuesto las piedras casadas (es decir, los Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩)) del santuario Futami Okitama Jinja (二見興玉神社) en la prefectura de Mie

[itsmarjudgelove]

Futami Okitama Jinja（Wedded Rocks）

[spst-haru]

[ 海辺の蛙 ］ . . . 波が打ちつけ、しぶきをあげ、 海水浴びる 二見蛙たち。 . . . ==================== 📸 2019.12 Futami Okitama Jinja, Ise, Mie . Nikon D5300 ⛩🌊⛩🌊⛩🌊⛩🌊⛩ ==================== . . . #japan #mie #ise #futamiokitamajinja #futamiura_meotoiwa #futamiokitamajinja_meotoiwa #meotoiwa #futamiura_futamigaeru #futamiokitamajinja_futamigaeru #futamigaeru #futamiura_sea #futamiokitamajinja_sea #三重 #伊勢 #二見興玉神社 #二見浦_夫婦岩 #二見興玉神社_夫婦岩 #夫婦岩 #二見浦_二見蛙 #二見興玉神社_二見蛙 #二見蛙 #二見浦_海 #二見興玉神社_海 #押し寄せる荒波 #waves_rushing #adobephotshoplightroom #nikond5300 #instagram #photo #photography (二見興玉神社) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMXJcK1AqDn/?igshid=1qzuij2tsa4ac

[walkingbikingjapan]

Japanese pilgrimage is the origin of tourism in Japan.  Japanese inn is a hotel for pilgrims and famous and popular shrines in Japan usually have many inns nearby.  The most popular destination for pilgrimage was Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture.  If you travel to Ise, you will find many old Japanese inns. ��Hinjitsu-kan Inn is one of those old Japanese inns built for shrine-goers.

Futamicho and Sacred Rocks

Futamicho where Hinjitsu-kan stands is a sea-side town.  The famous sightseeing spot is Meoto Iwa rocks which literally means “husband & wife rocks”.  They are sacred rocks of Futami Okitama Shrine.  The sea water where the rocks locate is the entrance of Ise Bay which connects to the Pacific Ocean.

Meoto Iwa or Husband & Wife Rocks in Futamicho, Mie Prefecture

These rocks have been historically famous and Ukiyoe painter Hiroshima Utagawa also drew them.

By Hiroshige Utagawa – http://morimiya.net/online/ukiyoe-big-files/U152.html, public domain, Link

The shrine itself is at the other side of the path by the seaside.

Torii Gate of Futami Okitama Jinja Shrine

  Hinjitsu-kan Inn

Just across the road in front of the sea, there are several old Japanese inns.  Hinjitsu-kan Inn was built in 1887 and since then, it had accommodated many pilgrims to Ise Shrine including Royal Family.  It served as an inn until 1999 and after that, it was converted into a museum.

Entrance of Hinjitsu-kan Inn

  Hall – the Typical Feature of Japanese Inn

The typical feature of Japanese inn in this era is a big hall with tatami mattress.  Hundreds of tourists used to gather in such a hall for their dinner.  Sometimes they had performances on the stage.  Interestingly, the lights in the hall were chandeliers.  The architecture in the late 19th century and early 20th century often has western-taste.

Hall of Hinjitsu-kan Inn

Hall

  Tradition in Hinjitsu-kan

Hinjitsu-kan Inn has a Japanese-style garden.  You can see that the pin trees are trimmed in a traditional way.

Garden of Hinjitsu-kan Inn

When we visited there, they exhibited Japanese dolls.  Another tradition.

Dolls for Girls Day Festival

  For More Information

<Futami Okitama Jinja Shrine>

Futamichoe 575, Ise City, Mie Prefecture

<Hinjitsu-kan Inn>

566-2 Futamicho Chaya, Ise City, Mie Prefecture

  From Futami-no-ura Station, it is about 20-25 min walk to Futami Okitama Jinja and Hinjitsu-kan Inn.

In order to go to Futami-no-ura, the easiest way is to go to Nagoya by Shinkansen and take JR Sangu Line to Futami-no-ura.  It takes about 2 hours.  If you go to Ise Shrine, take JR Sangu Line from Futami-no-ura until Ise City.

Old Japanese Inn for Pilgrims Japanese pilgrimage is the origin of tourism in Japan.  Japanese inn is a hotel for pilgrims and famous and popular shrines in Japan usually have many inns nearby.  

[monono-aware]

Futami Okitama Jinja and all its frogs, on the way to #Isejingu ⛩ #memorylane #visitJapan #shintoshrine #japanesefolklore #japanesereligion #traveltips #pilgrimage #traveldiary #travelblogger #travelpics #japanlife #japanlove (presso Meoto Iwa)

[crazyfox-archives]

The sacred Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩) or Husband & Wife Rocks off the coast of Ise, Mie Prefecture

Photo by the Asahi Shimbun

Image from "Shintō: The Sacred Art of Ancient Japan" edited by Victor Harris, published by the British Museum Press. 2001, page 16

[crazyfox-archives]

A view of Futami Okitama Jinja Shrine (二見興玉神社) along the coast of Ise, Mie Prefecture in 1935

Photo by Bruno Taut and originally included in his “Das Japanische Haus und sein Leben”

Image from “Ryokan: A Japanese Tradition” by Gabriele Fahr-Becker, Könemann, 2001, page 63

[spst-haru]

[ 荒波のなか ］ . . . 押し寄せる荒波のなか、 静かに佇む 二見浦の夫婦岩。 . . . ==================== 📸 2019.12 Futami Okitama Jinja, Ise, Mie . Nikon D5300 ⛩🌊⛩🌊⛩🌊⛩🌊⛩ ==================== . . . #japan #mie #ise #futamiura #futamiokitamajinja #futamiura_meotoiwa #futamiokitamajinja_meotoiwa #meotoiwa #futamiura_sea #futamiokitamajinja_sea #futamiura_eveningsky #futamiokitamajinja_eveningsky #三重 #伊勢 #二見浦 #二見興玉神社 #二見浦_夫婦岩 #二見興玉神社_夫婦岩 #夫婦岩 #二見浦_海 #二見興玉神社_海 #二見浦_夕空 #二見興玉神社_夕空 #押し寄せる荒波 #waves_rushing #adobephotshoplightroom #nikond5300 #instagram #photo #photography (二見興玉神社) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMXICbwgs4U/?igshid=5za6t1hqzt4w