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Tutelary Shrines at Kongō Sanmai-in at Kōyasan. The photo on the right is a shrine dedicated to Tenman Daijizai Tenjin which is always fun to find!

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My Devotional drawing of Ame no Minakanushi no Kami 天之御中主神, one of the Kotoamatsukami, and commonly associated with the “Pole Star” as Myōken Bosatsu 妙見菩薩

I’m really proud of how well this turned out, I’ve been wanting to do a drawing of them for a while now.

〜オン・ソヂリシュタ・ソワか〜

〜オン・マカシリエイ・シベイ・ソワカ〜

Forgot to credit, pose reference is from Adorkastock :D

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Amazing VR Chat Shinto Shrine

Design Credits

Original Facebook Post talking about this

That's just so cool that people are doing stuff like this, makes me wanna hop on and design my own :D the skills in this are high tho!

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Kongōbuji 金剛峯寺

Was able to meet with a friend who was training at Kōyasan to be a monk and got to explore several spots with them. Went to the head temple for Shingon, Kongōbu-ji.  As well as the museum for the temple.  I got to see so many cool statues and beautiful mandalas.  The museum also holds the original Vajra that Kōbō Daishi threw to locate his new temple.  

Also learned that the pine tree it landed in is one of the rare varieties that grows 3 needles, so people often look for needles to take home.  It's significant because the 3 needles look like the end of the Vajra.

They were also celebrating Kōbō Daishi's 1,500th (I think, it's either that or 1,200th) birthday, so there's a bunch of set ups for it.

One of the things that was nice to see was the Shinto shrines all over the place. They had this plaque explaining them.

I believe the one in my picture on the right is dedicated to Seiryū Gongen. And of course I'd be remiss in not sharing my Goshuin from this temple:

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Oku no In 奥の院 at Night

Went on the nighttime tour of Okunoin the place where Kōbō Daishi is burried.  The man who lead our tour was excellent.  So I'm sharing some of the new things I learned while on the tour and quotes he said!

117 total temples, with 50 you can stay at on Kōyasan today, however during the Edo era there were 2000 temples. 

Kobo Daishi has been meditating in Kōyasan for 1,200 years, it's believed he's still alive, and the monks prepare breakfast and dinner for him everyday.

200,000 graves above ground, maybe 300,000 more buried in the ground, anyone can be buried no matter the religion or country. 

The trees are Cedar, 200-600 years old, the oldest tree in the cemetery is 900 years. There are flying squirrels. 

The special shapes for the tombs represent earth, water, wind, fire, space and represent the universe. And the invisible 6th thing is consciousness. "Everyone returns to the universe to the 6 foundations when they die"

Open 24/7 because Kobo Daishi would get up at 4:30 to meditate so lots of folks enter the location around midnight or other early hours to meditate and meet Kobo Daishi.

110 samurai clans built tombs. "They used to be enemies but now they sleep in the same place with Kobo Daishi"

There's a special temple for "Sweaty Buddha", due to the fact that when you are in pain or suffering you tend to sweat.  So you pray here for alleviation from suffering. There's also a well nearby where it's said if you look into it and don't see your selection you'll die in 3 years.  Not recommended to look in the well at night for obvious reasons. 

There's also a place with 43 steps where if you trip you'll also die in 3 years.  

Kobo Daishi said that the original mind looks like the Moon, and that the moon changes shape everyday like our mind.  Sometimes there's a dark side, greed anger ignorance etc... sometimes you can't see it when it's covered with clouds. Sometimes you don't understand your mind.  Whatever happens, the basic shape of the moon is round, behind the clouds the moon is round, so no matter what happens it will always be round. 

Apparently Nintendo accidentally make a Pokémon go battle at the mausoleum and the monks had to get the company to take it down.

Second neck bone is shaped like the Buddha sitting, and is considered very important in Kansai region, especially because it allows you to move your head side to side.  The ashes and bones are separated in this area. The neck bone is brought to the cemetery, and buried here.  But your main ashes are buried with your family.

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Chapter 3: The History of Hie Shrine

The End of an Era

The priests of the Hie Shrine…none was more important to them than the Ninomiya kami, Kuni-no-Tokotachi. Kuni-no-Tokotachi was not only “the first kami of the universe,” he was venerated as the ancestral kami for priests of both Shōgenji and Juge lineages. In the 1830s… a disturbing discovery… indisputable evidence… Ninomiya kami was not in fact Kuni-no-Tokotachi… but an entirely different kami called Ōyamakui… the diffusion of new knowledge about the kami myths in the early nineteenth century. In medieval and early modern Japan, the ultimate textual authority on kami affairs… Nihon shoki… older Kojiki was much less known and used… changed in the early nineteenth century… publication of Motoori Norinaga’s Kojiki-den, and its citation in an increasing number of nativist works… The nativist Sugawara Natsukage also found inspiration in these Kojiki revelations in 1836, but his delight at learning the truth was complicated by bitterness. After all, was it not the case that the Tendai monks had deliberately concealed the truth of the Hie kami for a millennium and more?…short term, this revelation… seeems to have had no wider impact… longer term… it did.

These two unrelated developments, the revelation about the true nature of the Hie kami and the burgeoning proximity between Hie priests and the imperial court, enabled shrine priests like Shōgenji Kirestsu and Juge Shigekuni (1816-84) to imagine a future entirely divorced from the present… drew its inspiration from the remote past when Ōyamakui was venerated as the kami of Hie… priests were devoted uniquely to Ōyamakui and the imperial court… there could be no place for Tendai or any other form of Buddhism. After all, Buddhism had not existed in Japan when Ōyamakui was first venerated in Hie. Only a revolution coudl transform that Imagining into reality.

—Pages 106-108

The Hie Shrine and Modern Japan

The Meiji Revolution, 1868

…When they reached Sakamoto, they were joined by other priests and a gang of local peasants. Led by Juge… Hie’s seven shrines in turn… ripped out and then smashed burned, or stole anything that was Buddhist. A partial inventory of the treasures lost… a Śākyamuni statue; a bronze bell; 14 boxes containing the assembled Buddhist sutras and commentaries; the Prajñāpāramitā sutra in five boxes; the Lotus sutra in 10 volumes; golden Buddhist ritual implements; a statue of Dainichi (Mahāvairocana); and an altar used in a Buddhist fire rite (goma). All in all, more than 1,000 treasures were lost in the April frenzy at Hie (SBSa: 686-700).

—Pages 108-109

Truly horrifying knowing how much we lost due to the Meiji Restoration’s policies on Shinto and Buddhism, and mourning what could have been had such things not happened.

… the fledgling government had issued an edict ordering shrine priests across Japan to do precisely what Juge had done: remove all Buddhist statuary from their shrines… earlier edict banning Buddhist monks from serving the kami (Miyachi 1988: 425)… its purpose being to clarify what was of the kami and what of the Buddha; what was a shrine and what a temple; what, in short, was “Shinto” and what “Buddhism.” The stripping of shrines that went by the name of clarification impacted on Hie first, but it spread quickly the length and breadth of Japan… “Clarification” marked out new, exclusive time-spaces for shrines their kami, and their priests, separating off from temples, buddhas, and monks. Clarification laid the foundations for Shinto as we know it today, an autonomous religion, entirely distinct and independent form Buddhism (Breen 2000).

—Page 109

The most pressing task accorded the emperor was legitimizing the new regime and the coup that brought it into being. It was to this end… now invested in the imperial myth. The mythical narrative was a simple but arresting one: the sun-goddess established the imperial in mythical time; she dispatched her grandson Ninigi to earth to rule Japan on her behalf, and his descendant, Jinmu was then enthroned as the first human emperor. All subsequent emperors were direct descendants of Jingū and so of the sun-goddess.

This narrative was hardly new… However, the 1868 Restoration and the construction of the modern nation-state demanded it be made manifest and resonate throughout Japan… In 1869 the new Meiji emperor made his own historic pilgrimage to Ise…historic since no emperor had ever before worshiped there. ㊱ … visit transformed Ise from a popular pilgrimage site into the modern nation-state’s most sacred center, and it was critical too in animating the imperial myth… The imperial pilgrimage was preceded by a thorough stripping away of all Buddhist symbols from the shrine’s vicinity. Temples in Ise were either destroyed or screened from view; sutras were banned from sale. For Buddhism, far from clarifying the imperial narrative, offered a threateningly alternative view of history, in which Amaterasu was none other than the Sun Buddha and the emperors that Buddha incarnate. Clarification was imposed on all shrines in 1968 for the same reason. It as essential to the process of priming shrines in preparation for the articulation of the Imperial myth. Much other change was implicit in shrines’ new myth-bearing role.

—Pages 109-110

㊱ From the end notes: “As pointed out in Chapter 1, Empress Jitō did venture to Ise in 692, but it is now thought that her purpose was the survey the site on which the Ise shrines would be constructed (Tamura 1996: 181-5).

In 1871, the government banned the practice of hereditary succession at shrines, dispatching priests of its own choosing to the most important sites like Hie… same time, it declared all shrines to be “sites for the performance of state rites,” and a national shrine pyramid structured beneath Ise began to take shape (Miyachi 1988: 437). In 1873, the Meiji government laid down in law the annual cycle of rites which shrine priests were to perform… Where shrines in early modern Japan were defined by their diversity, uniformity would be the order of the day in Meiji.

—Pages 110-111

I do wonder just how much folk practice, and cultural lore was lost when the hereditary practices were banned.

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Chapter 3: The History of Hie Shrine

The Hie Shrine and the Early Modern Sannō Festival

Compared to other festivals of early modern Japan, there is, however, something very distinctive about these processions up and down the promenade that links the Hie complex to the shores of Lake Biwa, and that is the complete absence of what Yamagata termed “style” or furyū… The Sannō festival crowd is especially revealing in this regard. The print shows the vast majority of spectators seated; they are, moreover, clearly subject to some form of discipline… Akisato Ritō, the author of the pilgrims’ guide featuring this print wrote not only of the solemnity with which the procession passed up the promenade, but also of the remarkable frequency with which spectators were hit. “This,” he conceded, “is entertainment of sorts” (Akisato 1944: 373-5). Samukawa Tatsukiyo… was less forgiving about the violence meted out by kunin [the kunin were responsible for organizing the festival, and also for the administration of the town of Sakamoto] “The kunin are out of control and wound people with impunity. They [excuse themselves saying] the Hie mikoshi will not continue on their way till they have seen blood flow …. Why would the Hie kami delight to see people suffer? If the mikoshi must witness blood, someone should take hold of a kunin each year and bleed him!” (Samukawa 1733: 216).

In other words , the events of the day of the monkey are only festive in a very restricted sense of the term. They were produced principally for the benefit of the Tendai monks, and it is evident that the monks did not approve of the men, women, and children of Sakamoto innovating, competing, or celebrating… favored a disciplined, still, and respectful crowd… result, these Sannō processions were as restrained as festive processions could be.

—Page 102

The 1820s transformation… can be seen in Figure 2… It shows a procession of flowers. The sprays of flowers are held high by children. In attendance are men who are not priests, monks, or kunin. The flowers, artificially arranged and quite distinct from one another, surround a platform-like structure featuring different sorts of displays… These are evidently festival floats, albeit of a very primitive kind. They are, however, both individualistic and creative, and no doubt represent the interests and aspirations of people of different Sakamoto wards… from the early 1850s… Evident in figure 3 are seven extravagant flower sprays, each of differing colors and designs, borne by throngs of people walking up the Banda promenade. Armor-clad kunin are in evidence, but they are not waving sticks or swords. They appear in fact to be motionless, observing the procession pass by. Most interesting of all perhaps in the crowd. It extends up the promenade as far as the eye can see, three or four deep on either side. No spectators are seated. Many stand jostling… Still more appear to be walking alongside the procession as it makes its way to the four mikoshi-borne kami waiting in the Great Office.

—Pages 103-105

It is tempting too to read into this innovation Sakamoto defiance of the Enryakuji monks. In the early decades of the nineteenth century there were reasons enough to defy. Sakamoto was hit time and again by typhoons, floods, and drought, and even by an earthquake… the Tendai monks’ response was slow, grudging, and altogether inadequate (Oketsume 1981: 132-5).

The 1850s scroll, taken in its entirety, suggests a greater transformation under way… “festive and public,” suggests the scroll, is now applicable to all four days and nights. It is noteworthy that there is not a single depiction here of armor-clad kunin intimidating or striking out at spectators.

—Pages 105-106

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Kifune Shrine, Kyoto, Japan

s_ken.ken

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The New Year shrine visit: Meiji-jingû

A common New Year ritual in Japan is to go to a shrine, possibly a large one, a visit known as 初詣, hatsumôde. NHK reported that Meiji-jingû in particular was very busy. Of course, I would avoid that, so here we are with a more tranquil time, closer to the Autumn festival.

Meiji-jingû was, as its name suggests, founded to enshrine the spirit of Emperor Meiji after his death. The first Emperor of the post-Edo period presided over sweeping societal reforms, such as the abolishment of classes like the samurai, as Japan re-opened to the rest of the world and sought to catch up. The Imperial attachment is symbolised by the Chrysanthemum crests on the torii.

One of the things that can be wished for at Meiji-jingû is a happy marriage and family life, particularly at this dedicated spot with two camphor trees planted in 1920, linked with sacred rope - these are called "married trees", 夫婦楠 Meoto Kusu.

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im dearly sorry for never being active! here's a picture of some candles on my kamidana <3

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I should post Aya Nishitani talking about Shinto more often

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Japan's biggest shimenawa: Izumo Taisha Kagura-den

We've seen larger and larger sacred ropes in our previous posts, and here's the largest of all: the shimenawa adorning the Kagura-den at Izumo Taisha. It is 13.5 m long and weighs 5 tons!

Shimenawa ropes are made with hemp or rice straw. This shot shows just how densely packed Izumo Taisha's shimenawa is - it's almost like a tree trunk, truly an impressive and imposing feature.

Here and in previous examples, we can see folded paper shide streamers, another symbol of sacred items in Shinto, on the first picture. Knots also appear, particularly on the ropes on the Meoto Iwa at Futami, as paper would not fare well by the sea... These ropes and streamers indicate a demarcation line between our world and the realm of kami spirits.

The Kagura-den is a hall just outside the main compound of Izumo Taisha, to the West. It was built to house kagura rituals, traditional dances which retell the stories of the early gods. As Izumo, formerly in Iwami province, is one of the most ancient shrines in Japan, Iwami Kagura is one of the major forms of the dance.

As a bonus, here's a train decorated with characters of Iwami Kagura.

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Yutoku Inari Shrine (祐徳稲荷神社)

I visited the stunning Yutoku Inari Shrine, a place steeped in history and vibrant colour that felt like stepping into another world. Built in 1687, this shrine is one of Japan’s three great Inari shrines, dedicated to the deity of prosperity and good harvests. It’s said to bring blessings for success, which felt like good motivation as I began the climb through the iconic red torii gates that snake up the hillside like a mystical passageway to the heavens.

Reaching the top was nothing short of magical. The view stretched out before me like a reward for the climb—a breathtaking panorama of lush greenery and the peaceful surroundings below. It was the kind of sight that makes you pause, take a deep breath, and forget, just for a moment, about the effort it took to get there. Honestly, the combination of the peaceful atmosphere, the striking architecture, and that incredible view made it all worth it—even if my legs were silently protesting.

—Emmy

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Some items of interest out at the Portland Japanese Garden in Portland Oregon.

Top left: the item in the Tokonoma is called a Sumikazari. Three charcoal logs for the first tea ceremony of the new year.

Top right: Traditional new years toys, paddles and shuttlecock for playing hanetsuki, and koma, spinning tops.

Bottom left: Kagami Mochi. A traditional New Year's display.

Bottom right: The lower gate at the garden as you enter the grounds onto which a shimenawa has been affixed. Placing items such as this on an entryway of a home, or in this case, a garden, transforms the entryway into a portal of good fortune and protection. The Portland Japanese Garden has Matsukazari, Shime Kazari, and Shimenawa festooning the garden in a verity of locations.

The garden also offers Mizuhiki wreaths for sale in their gift shop while they last. This years wreaths were extra nice.

I chose to frame the wreath I got in a shadowbox to protect it.

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Aso Shrine (阿蘇神社)

I made my way to Aso Shrine (阿蘇神社) on a crisp, snowy day, and as luck would have it, the snow began to fall just as I arrived, dusting the ground with a fresh white blanket. This isn’t just any shrine—it’s one of the oldest and most significant in the region, dedicated to the mighty Aso gods, guardians of the nearby volcanic landscapes. It carries a deep sense of history that is believed to date back more than 2000 years, and as I passed through its grand gates, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence for the place.

—Emmy

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Kōyasan Kiyotaka Inari Shrine

Kūkai often took the local kami of the land into account when making decisions about where to build different things. So it's not unusual to see Shinto shrines at Mt. Koya. I found this Inari Shrine winding up a long narrow alleyway next to a store.

It was a fairly long trek up to it. But worth the trip. There were also several smaller shrines on the grounds as well. And I was lucky enough to arrive and get to hear a local chanting the Inari Heart Sutra.

The main shrine was surrounded by beautiful cedar and cypress trees. They actually had a special plaque explaining one particularly sacred tree.

"This tree will be the sacred tree of Kiyotaka Inari Shrine. The left side is cedar the right side is cypress. It is over 200 years old and has been called a female cedar and male cypress. The name is derived from the fact that cedar and cypress are connected and seem to support each other. Please look up from below. Please touch the tree and tell it your prayer/wish. It is said that it will come true."

Also got this stunning video of the wind blowing through the shrine: