Showing posts with label koi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label koi. Show all posts

Monday, January 30, 2023

Shinsoji Temple Yokota

Shinsoji Temple Yokota

Shinsoji Temple Yokota.

Shinsoji Temple sits on a hillside looking over the town of Yokota on the banks of the Hi River in the Okuizumo region of Shimane.

Shinsoji Temple sits on a hillside looking over the town of Yokota on the banks of the Hi River in the Okuizumo region of Shimane.

It does not seem to be a famous temple, and I can actually find almost nothing about it, except we can guess and infer some things.

Roof.

The buildings and structures have been rebuilt in relatively recent times, and they are substantial, so we can infer that it is a relatively rich temple.

View.

It lies above Igitake Shrine, one of the many shrines in the area connected to the myths of Susano and the Orochi serpent, but between the shrine and the temple is a very large cemetery. There is a good chance that is where the wealth is derived from.

Autumn leaves.

It may also be that the temple looked after and operated the shrine. In historical times there were actually very few Shinto priests, with most shrines being operated by Buddhist priests.

Carp.

A few things that are known are that the temple belongs to the Soto Zen sect, and the honzon is an Amida.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Keishu-en Garden

Keishu-en


Keishi-en is a fairly modern Japanese garden attached to Yoko Museum, a small gallery specializing in Chinese ceramics and art. The garden uses Mifuneyama as "borrowed scenery" behind the garden. It was designed by Kinsaku Nakane whose most well known garden is the one at Adachi Museum in Shimane.


There is a large pond filled with koi, behind which is a karesansui garden with many azalea bushes which bloom in the late spring. Unusually the upper part of the garden is a tea plantation with rows of tea plants following the contours.

Keishuen

The path around the garden passes over a bridge by a small waterfall and also leads to a teahouse where you can get traditional tea and sweets.


Most visitors to the area visit the Mifuneyama Rakuen Garden which is very close by and also uses Mifuneyama as a backdrop, but Keishu-en is well worth a visit, especially if you appreciate the work of  Kinsaku Nakane

Buy dokudami tea from Japan

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Shikoku Pilgrimage Temple 39 Enkoji


I arrived at Enkoji, temple 39 on the Ohenro pilgrimage, on December 26th. It had taken a couple of days to walk from the previous temple at the cape. I had chosen a slightly longer route along the coast rather than backtracking and then going over the mountains. Even down at sea level it had snowed some yesterday, Christmas Day.


Enhoji has a fine pair of Nio in the main gate. Reputed to be founded in 724 by the renowned monk Gyoki, like many of the other temples on the Ohenro pilgrimage The honzon is yakushi Nyorai, reputedly carved by Gyoki.
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A well in the grounds is famous for healing eye problems, and there is also a statue of a turtle relating to a legend of a giant turtle with a red bell on its back visiting the temple in 901. I was rather taken by the carvings however.


There are a couple of small gardens and in one a pond filled with koi.


Friday, September 6, 2013

Aiba Waterway Koi


h7654

The carp-filled Aiba waterway runs through a quiet neighborhood in the southern section of Hagi.

h7650

Originally a stream, it was canalized to prevent flooding and to provide irrigation to paddies. It was later widened and deepened to enable small boats to be used for transporting materials.

h7652

Houses along the waterway built "hatoba", allowing the water of the canal to come into the kitchens and bathrooms where it could be used without having to go outside.

h7658

Several of the houses are open to the public including the childhood home of Taro Katsura, Japans' longest serving Prime Minister.

h7661

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Manhole Fish

dzm1

This is the manhole cover for Nishinoshima, one of the islands that make up the Oki Islands. I know a squid is not a fish, but its close enough.

A walk from Tsuwano to Masuda 7164

Masuda down in the southwest of Shimane has the Takatsu River and I'm guessing these are carp.

ys4

This is from Taki Town up in Izumo and its hard to tell from the design exactly which fish it is meant to be, could be flying fish or it could be an Orca.

miho6439

Fukuura is a village on the Shimane Peninsular and now a part of Mihonoseki. The fish is probably a Sea Bream (tai) as Kotoshironushi, popularly known as Ebisu, used to enjoy fishing for Tai here.

miho6479

The draincover for Mihonoseki also features the Tai.

kamate4983

Another one from Masuda, and these look like Ayu, called Sweetfish in English. The Takatsu River is a popular place fro Ayu fishing.

sh427

Not sure which town this belongs to, but it was on the banks of the Shimanto River in Ehime, Shikoku. They might also be Ayu.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Nagashibina Doll Museum

tott405

This is the draincover for Mochigase Town, now part of Tottori City.

tott422

It shows the Nagashibina Doll Museum which houses a collection of over 1,000 Hina dolls of the Edo period from all over Japan.

tott424

Mochigase Town is one of the few places in Japan that still practises the rituals at the heart of the Hina Matsuri.

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There is a nice little garden and pond within the grounds

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With the obligatory hungry koi!!!

tott453

The building itself is an unusual example of a large wooden building built in the traditional style.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

A detailed view of Korakuen

soja6570

Korakuen in Okayama City is one of the three top ranked gardens in Japan.

soja6571

Before posting some shots of the garden, I thought I would show some of the details that attracted my eye. If you like koi, more posts here.

soja6588

I also posted some shots of lotus blossoms from Korakuen earlier.

soja6591

I posted a sequence of red umbrellas at Matsuo shrine earlier.

soja6585

Saturday, April 10, 2010

More Colourful Koi

fuk931

Japanese koi come in an astonishing number of breeds.

Here are a few of the major ones.....

hagi3843

KOHAKU.... white with large red markings on top

TAISHO SANSHOKU..... similar to the Kohaku but with the addition of black.

SHOWA SANSHOKU.... black koi with red and white markings/

tsu50

CHAGOI..... meaqns tea colored... olive green, brown, bronze etc

SHIRO UTSURI... black with white markings

GOLD OGON..... single color, ranging from gold to yellow.

m285

AKA BEKKO.... red with small black markings

BEKKO.... White, with small black markings.

UTSURI MONO..... 2 colred in an almost checkerboard pattern. Several color combinations.

hagi3501Align Center

Monday, January 25, 2010

Hungry Koi

48 Hours. 223 of 600

Koi is the Japanese name for Carp. They were introduced from China about 500 years ago primarily as a food source.

m1453

Around 1820 they began to breed them for color variations and there are now dozens of distinct varieties.

mas3967

A few years back our river flooded and when the waters receded some koi were left stranded in the rice paddies so our neighbor gave us one to eat, but it is not a pleasant flavor.

seki1075

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Colorful Koi

Cinco de Mayo 88

For the past week or two the Koi have been erected throughout Japan in anticipation of Children's Day on May 5th. The koi are erected by families with sons as the koi represent strength and endurance.

richard5203

Just upstream from us the town of Sakurae strings 2 lines of koi across the river at the site of the years most important matsuri, the Suijin Matsuri, which is held on May 5th.

A walk to Kojindani 5128

Most koi though can be found in small groups flying from poles outside peoples houses.

kamate4988

To underscore that it's really Boy's Day, not Children's Day, some people put up banners with the koi,or sometimes instead of the koi. The banners display famous warriors and warlords. This one has Ieyasu, Hideyoshi, and Nobunaga, among others.