Saturday, July 24, 2010

Shrine haikyo

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I first came across this abandoned shrine on a walk around Nagahama about 7 years ago. 25 year old maps still showed a shrine here, so it must ahve been abandoned in the intervening years.
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The torii had been dismantled, but 2 fine examples of local ceramic Komainu still remained on guard.
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In the shrine building itself little remained but the tatami.
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The only religious objects remaining were a couple of gohei. The shintai, the object in the honden into which the kami descends, will have been transferred to a nearby shrine. This in essence de-consecrates the site.
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Ive been unable to find out the name of the shrine or why it was abandoned. Unfortunately I dont know any priests in the Hamada area.
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The other building at the site was filled with all kinds of junk

7 comments:

  1. It is always sad to see an abandoned shrine. I think I would have taken that old table with the cool curved legs home-- is that wrong? It would be a nice fixer-upper.

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  2. it wouldnt fit in my backpack.....

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  3. The thing about a fine structure like a shrine or temple is the quality of the wood used in the construction. If it were de-consecrated, it should have been dismantled as there was once, before neglect left it to the elements, some very fine wood used in its construction.

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  4. Hi Jeffrey.... in most countries they would do as you suggest, but Japan recycles very little building material.... much better for the economy to use new materials, and what is good for the economy is what is most important in Japan.... most "eco" programs are to do with buying new stuff....

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  5. What place is this shrine at?

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