Shioya Oji Shrine

 

Shioya Town, now art of Gobo City, lies on the southside of the Hidaka River on the West coast of the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama.

The shrine is said to have been founded in 805 by a man who began the salt-producing and salt trade that the town is named after.

In the 11th century, when imperial pilgrimages to Kumano were at their height, 99 subsidiary shrines called "oji" were established along the route.

Shioya Oji Shrine was in the first group of seven Oji established and so is considered one of the oldest and most important. Yesterday I had stopped at Kirimie Oji, and the day before at Takajiri Oji, another two from the first group of seven.

The shrine was also known as "Beautiful Oji Shrine", with two theories as to why. One suggests that the statue of Amaterasu enshrined here ( as a form of Dainichi Buddha) was particularly beautiful. Another that the beautiful sea views from the shrine inspired many songs and poems by courtiers who stayed here.

There are numerous secondary shrines in the grounds, including an Ebisu, an Inari, a Kotohira, and a Susa. The previous post in this series on the Kumano Kodo and Saigoku pilgrimage was From Kirime Oji to Tsui Oji.

Yosuien Garden

 

Yosuien is a large stroll-type garden in the Wakanoura area in the south of Wakayama City.

It is considered one of only two major gardens known as "shioiri", that is to say, the large pond is seawater and fed directly by the sea. The other garden of this type is the Hamarikyu Garden in Tokyo.

The large pond covers about half of the gardens 33,000 square meters.

The most predominant vegetation are the pine trees although there are also some camellias, hydrangeas, and azaleas.

The garden makes good use of the "borrowed scenery" of nearby Mount Tenjin and Mount Takozushi.

A small island in the pond is home to a shrine for Inari and Benten. Reached via a shorter "taikobashi" and an unusual longer bridge with three arches.

The garden reminded me somewhat of Ohori Park in Fukuoka, which is unsurprising as both Ohori Park and Yosuien Garden are modeled on the classic West Lake in China.

The garden was built between 1818 and 1826 by Tokugawa Harutaka, the 10th lord of Kishu Domain.

It was used as a retreat by the daimyo and to entertain guests.

The oldest teahouse in Wakayama, Yosui-tei, built in 1821,  comprises 19 rooms and includes the jissaien tearoom for tea ceremonies.

Yosuien is somewhat unusual and well worth a visit, especially with the other attractions nearby like Tenmangu Shrine, Toshogu Shrine, and Kiimidera Temple.

The garden is open every day of the year. Inquire in advance for tours of Yosuitei Teahouse. The garden entry fee includes entrance to the Minato Goten palace.

Relocated to within the garden from its original site, Minato Goten Palace was the previous post in this series on Wakayama.

From Kirime Oji to Tsui Oji along the Kumano Kodo Kiiji

 

On day 6 of my walk along the Saigoku pilgrimage, I started at Kirime Station in Ninami Town, and headed north. For the first week or so of the walk, I was following the Kumano Kodo, in reverse. This section from Tanabe up to Osaka, is known as the Kiiji.

I crossed the Kirime River and soon came to the first stop of the day, Kirime Shrine, or Kirime Oji.

Oji were the 99 shrines along the Kumano Kodo that pilgrims would visit. Many have long since disappeared, some have monuments where they once stood, and a few still have structures.

Kirime is one of the 5 most important oji. Hosshinmon Oji, which I visited on day 3, and Takijiri Oji, which I visited on day 4, are another 2 of the 5.

Believed to have been established long before the Kumano Kodo became an imperial pilgrimage route, enshrined here include Sarutahiko, Kanayamahiko, Susano, Kotoshironushi, Ebisu, etc with the main deity being Emperor Ojin, therefore Hachiman.

 

Retired Emperor Gotoba composed poetry while here, and Prince Moriyoshi, son of Emperor Godaigo had a vision while staying here.

Not far further along, I passed by the site of Tomi Oji, also known as Ikuraga Oji, and said to be one of the oldest Oji.

I carried on along the coastal Route 42 and crossed the Inami River and by Inami fishing port.

Behind the port I passed through a torii and up a small path to the site of the former Tsui Oji.

According to some sources Tsui Oji was originally at a different place, but was moved here during the Edo eriod and became known as Kannon Oji.

Without any buildings, but with a small Buddhist statue and a rack of ema votive plaques, the site was well maintained by local people.

The previous post was on Kashima Shrine in Minabe

Minato Goten Palace

 

The Minato Goten Palace was built to the southwest of Wakayama Castle on the bank of the Tsukiji River.

It was originally built in 1698 by Tokugawa Mitsusada ( 1627-1705) and from the late 18th century became the permanent home of the retired daimyo.

It burned down several times and the current version was constructed in 1823 using the blueprints of the domains  mansion in Edo.

In early Meiji it was dismantled and moved to its current location next to Yosui-en garden in the Wakanoura area of the city.

It is considered a fine example of Shoin Zukuri architecture of the Edo eriod.

The previous post in this series on Wakayama City was the nearby Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine.

Kashima Shrine Minabe

 

I came into Minabe at the end of a rainy fifth day of my walk. I was on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, claimed to be the oldest of the major pilgrimage circuits of Japan. For this first week, the route also followed the Kumano Kodo, though in reverse. This was the Kiiji section which runs from Tanabe up to Osaka and Kyoto.

The main shrine was a Kashima Shrine, with numerous secondary shrines and a small Inari shrine at the entrance.

According to te shrine history it is a branch of the famous Kashima Shrine up country, brought here in the early Nara Period.

However, it was located on a tiny uninhabited island just offshore and was known as Kashima Myojin.

During the Meiji Period, possibly 1909, the kami was transferred to the land and the shrine built, which explains the somewhat "meiji" feel of the shrine.

The main kami is Takemikazuchi, although Amaterasu and Susano are also listed. That may be a Meiji addition.

In the grounds are a Tenjin, Ebisu, another Inari, and a couple of other shrines.

The previous post in this series was Kozanji Temple in Tanabe.