The Yamanobe Road in Nara

I walked "the Yamanobe-no-michi (山の辺の道）" in Nara. They say it is one of the oldest national roads.

Its name is found in the oldest Japanese historical writing completed in the early 8th century.

Though the overall distance of the road that stretches from the heart of Nara to Sakurai is about 30 kilometers, I walked the southern half that is the most popular part.

(Above: Isonokami shrine)

The starting point of the road is "Isonokami shrine" in Tenri city. The shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Japan.

(Above: The southern Yamanobe-no-michi starts at Isonokami shrine)

In fact, there are a lot of "the oldest something" along the Yamanobe-no-michi.

 

(Above: Old "Yatogi shrine" with the straw-thatched roof"

The road, actually the path, runs down through agricultural scenery dotted with small hills covered with lush greenery, old shrines and reservoirs.

(Above: Reservoir at the remains of an old famous temple)

(Above: Old community surrounded by a moat)

(Above: Stone monument of an ancient tanka poet)

(Above: The Gate of Chogaku-ji temple. It is the oldest bell tower in Japan) 

(Above: The garden of Chogaku-ji)

At first sight, it looks like typical scenery of the countryside in Japan, however, the mounds aren't ordinary ones. They are the ancient tombs (including the first Emperor's tumulus built in the 4th century). Here is the cradle of the ancient Japanese dynasty.

 (Above: The Fusumada tumulus which is 140 meters long) 

(Above: One of the biggest tumulus built in the 4th century)

Passing through the groves of persimmon and mandarin orange, I saw an elegant mountain beyond the spacious field. It is "Mt. Miwa", the goal of this hike.

(Above: The View of Mt. Miwa)

The mountain has been the object of worship since ancient times. Ancient Japanese people used to have an intimacy with nature and believe that gods reside throughout all nature.

So the shrines at the foot of Mt. Miwa don't have the main sanctuary expressing such ideas: the sanctuary is the mountain itself.

(Above: Hibara shrine. There are only Torii gate at the foot of the mountain)

 

(Above: Omiwa shrine (大神神社), which is the goal of the Yamanobe-no-michi)

I love walking along ancient roads. I find there the memories of the land. At the end of today's hike, I ate "somen", one of the Japanese noodles. Somen is a speciality of this area.

※ From Tenri station (JR or Kintetsu line) to Isonokami shrine= 30 minutes on foot or 7 minutes by taxi

From Omiwa shrine to Sakurai station (JR or Kintetsu line)=10 minutes by bus

 

"Kotohira-gu"(2)---Kagawa Pref.

There is a building when going up tens of steps from the statue of the dog.

(Above: Shoin)

It is the "shoin"style building in the Edo period. The paintings on the sliding doors and walls as well as the building are impressive.

(Above: Garden of Shoin)

The composition of a painting in the "Shoin" connects to the garden.

The stone steps lead to higher place.

And finally, on the top of the steps, the main building of "Kotohira-gu" comes into the view.

(Above: The main building)

The view of the observation platform next to the main building is breathtaking.

(Above: View with Mt. Sanuki Fuji in the center)

On my way back, I stopped by "kanamaru-za" (the photos below)built in the Edo period (1835). It is the oldest Kabuki Theater existing in Japan.

Varied devices of the stage are interesting.

For further information about "Kanamaru-za":

www.town.kotohira.kagawa.jp/kanko/midokoro/kanamaruza/

For further information about "Kotohira-gu": www.konpira.or.jp/  

---End---

"Kotohira-gu"shrine---Kagawa Pref.

"Kotohira-gu （金刀比羅宮）"in Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku is one of the most famaous shirines in Japan.

It is popularly known as "Kompira-san". "Kompira"means in Sanskrit the sacred crocodile" living in the Ganges River in India. So the gods of the sea are the object of worship in this shrine.

When I went there, I took a lovely express train from Okayama station. Since the writer of the picture book, "Ampan-man" was born in a town in Shikoku,  Ampan-man's popular characters are painted on some trains which go to Shikoku.  

The approach to "Kotohira-gu" starts soon when going out of Kotohira station.

However the buildings of "Kotohira-gu" stand on the hillside of "Zozusan" and you have to go up 785 steps to get to the main building.

On the way, I saw the bronze statue of a dog. (The photo below)

The sign says that in the Edo period (1615-1867), the visit to  "Kompira-san" was a dream for people. However traveling was much more difficult than today.

Therefore, there was a custom that dogs came here to worship instead of their owners. People who couldn't come by themselves made their pet dog come with some money for donation. And other travelers took care of the dogs.

When I read the explanation, I coudn't believe it. But I found the picture below later.

   

So, the story must have been true. What a wonderful age it was! 

---to be concluded--

 

Katsuragi ancient road rich in legends---Nara

There is a mountain named Mt. Katsuragi between Nara Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture. Alhough it is not so high (about a thousand meters), it had been awed and respected as a mountain of gods a long time ago.

There remains an ancient road at the eastern foot of this mountain. It is called "The Katsuragi ancient road (葛城古道)" which is one of the oldest roads in Japan.

(Above: Six Jizo at a starting point of the Katsuragi ancient road)

(Above: Rural scene with an old clock) 

It is now only a rural road passing through rice paddies. However it is a mine of legends and a lot of old shrines and temples are dotted along the road, because the powerful Katsuragi clan ruled this district in the 5th century.

(Above: A thousand stone images of Jizo in Kuhon-ji temple)

The Katsuragi family's history is mysterious. An old legend says that the early emperors of Japan were from Katsuragi clan. But that story was eliminated from the official history which was compiled by the conqueror, the Yamato clan whose descendants have been succeeding to emperors for generations up to now.

Anyway, it is the history in the world of myth where gods and human were living together.

(Above: Giant ginkgo in Hitokotonushi shrine)

I walked about 10 kilometers of the Katsurgi road through agricultural landscapes looking up at the Katsuragi mountain range to the right and looking down in the distance to the left the Nara basin with three sacred hills as if islands floating in the sea.

(Above: Katsuragi mountain range and terraced fields)

 (Above: View of Nara basin with three sacred hills)

It might be the same scenery as gods saw a long time ago. While walking, I realized the history that was modified by conquerors still remains as memories of the land.

(Above: the main gate of Gokuraku-ji temple)

(Above: Takagamo shrine reminscent of the other powerful ancient clan, the Kamo family)

 (Above: View at the end of the hike)

 

 

Basho and Yamadera Temple---Yamagata

Cicades are singing in chorus in my yard. Their shrill sounds in summer made me recall a "haiku" of Basho.

"Deep silence
          Songs of cicadas
                    Penetrate rocks"

Basho, the famous "haiku" poet in the Edo period, made a lot of "haiku" poems at every scenic or historic place when he traveled in theTohoku reigion. The "haiku" above is one of the most popular ones.

(Above: Statues of Basho (left) and his suite, Sora)

It was made at Yama-dera (山寺) locacted in Yamagata Prefecture. Yama-dera is about 15minutes train ride from Yamagata station. When coming out of Yama-dera station, you will see a rocky mountain in front of you.

(Above: View of Yamadera over the souvenir shops)

That is Yama-dera whose official name is Risshakuji (立石寺), which was founded in the middle of the 9th century.

 

(Above: Main building of Yamadera)

Although the main building is at the foot of the hill, most of the buildings are on the hillside, and some of them stand as if clinging to the rocks.

(Above: Whole view of Yamadera from a pamphlet of Yamadera)

The entrance gate below is the starting point of the staircase of over 1,000 steps to visit those buildings.

The steps are pretty steep, however the scenes opening out before your eyes are spectacular and they make you forget your fatigue.

 

 

(Below: It is said that Basho made the "haiku" of cicadas here)

At the top, the marvelous view welcomes you.