Shinto – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

CHAPTER 20: On Mount Inari

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog, CLIMB Photo Companion December 26, 2020January 16, 2021100 Summits, Climb, Fushimi inari, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Inari, Kyoto, Shinto

Fushimi Inari Taisha winds up the slopes of Mt. Inari like a coiled dragon made of vermilion gates; while many visitors go no farther than the first station, Mom, Laurie, Kaitlyn, and I made the hour-long trek to the summit, as a “training climb” that would let me assess our potential pace for the upcoming (and far longer) climb of Fuji.

Akagi Jinja – Lake Onuma’s Guardian Shrine

Susan Spann Blog May 25, 2018May 25, 2018Akagi Jinja, Akagi Shrine, Japan, komainu, Shinto, shrines

Akagi Jinja (shrine) sits on the shore of Lake Onuma, not far from the trailhead that leads to the peaks of nearby Mt. Akagi. (The mountain, a stratovolcano, has numerous summits – three of which I summited last weekend as part of my hyakumeizan climb.) The shrine dates to at least the 14th century, and has subsidiary shrines across Japan.

The Eikan-do Garden and Shinbutsu Bunri (Eikan-do, Part 3)

Susan Spann Blog April 6, 2018April 6, 2018Buddhism, Eikan-do, Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji, Pure Land, shinbutsu bunri, Shinto

Kyoto’s Eikan-do Zenrin-ji is the head temple of the Seizan branch of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. The temple sits near the southern end of the famous Philosopher’s Path, and although it’s famous for autumn foliage, the temple gardens are spectacular year-round. The photo above shows the path that leads from the gardens (and pagoda hill) down to the temple’s beautiful lake.

A Visit to Nezu Jinja (Shrine), Part 1

Susan Spann Blog January 10, 2018January 10, 2018best shrines in Tokyo, Japan, Nezu Jinja, Nezu Shrine, Shinto, shinto shrines, Tokyo

Nezu Jinja lies in Tokyo’s Bunkyō ward, and has since Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi ordered the shine moved to its current location in 1705. The shrine is perhaps best known for its extensive azalea garden, which erupt in color every April (there’s even an azalea festival at the shrine each spring), but I visited for the first time last December and can attest it’s worth a visit in any season.

The Water Gate at Hakone Shrine

Susan Spann Blog December 5, 2017December 3, 2017Hakone, Hakone Jinja, Japan, paddle boat, sacred, Shinto, shrines, swan boat

Today we continue the virtual tour of Hakone Shrine with a trip to the water gate. In the Shintō faith, torii (the red-orange gate in the images) mark the boundary between the secular and the sacred – though on occasion, it often seems that the areas on both sides of the torii are equally sacred. The water gate at Hakone Shrine is one of those places.

The Main Shrine at Hakone Jinja

Susan Spann Blog December 4, 2017December 3, 2017Hakone Jinja, Japan, komainu, Shinto, shrine, travel

Last week, I started a virtual tour of Hakone Jinja (Shrine), one of my favorite Shintō shrines in Japan – and today, we continue that tour with a look at the shrine’s main courtyard and worship hall. In some ways, the layout of Shintō shrines varies more than Buddhist temple architecture, in part because of the way Shintō attempts to integrate the shrine with the natural landscape. Hakone Jinja is no exception. The main courtyard, where the worship hall stands, sits uphill from the entrance. Because of the distance, and the fact that several paths lead up to the worship hall

Visiting Hakone Shrine: Subshrines & Komainu

Susan Spann Blog November 29, 2017fu dogs, Hakone, Hakone Shrine, Japan, komainu, lion-dogs, Shinto, shrines

(To read this series from the beginning, click here!) Hakone Shrine sits on the shore of Lake Ashi, in a grove of massive, sacred trees. The scents of pine and cedar follow visitors up the shaded paths. In winter months you may also catch a whiff of wood smoke in the air. After visiting the purification fountain, most visitors either head down to the water gate on the shore of Lake Ashi or up the steps to the shrine’s main worship hall.

A Visit to Hakone Shrine, Part 1

Susan Spann Blog November 27, 2017November 29, 2017dragons, Hakone, Hakone Jinja, Japan, Shinto, shrines, travel

Hakone Jinja (Hakone Shrine) sits on the shore of Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture – about an hour’s journey south of Tokyo. Its giant lakeside torii makes it among the most picturesque Shintō shrines, as well as an important historical, tourist, and religious site.

Tonosawa’s Secret Benten Shrine

Susan Spann Blog October 2, 2017November 8, 2017Benten, Benzaiten, Hakone, Japan, Shinto, shrine

As I mentioned in Friday’s post, Tonosawa Station is a tiny stop on the Hakone Tozan Railway between Hakone-Yumoto and Gora. For most people, the station is either a one-minute stop where the train takes on new passengers before continuing its run up the mountain or else a place to disembark and head for one of the nearby ryokan. However, Tonosawa Station also has a lovely secret–a Shintō shrine called Tonosawa Fukazawa Zeniarai Benten, that sits just off the train tracks on the “uphill” side of Tonosawa Station. In the photo below, the entrance to the shrine is just to the left

Kanda Myojin – the Tutelary Shrine of Edo

Susan Spann Blog September 19, 2017November 8, 2017Japan, Kanda Jinja, Kanda Myojin, Kanda Shrine, Shinto, shrines, travel

Kanda Jinja (also known as Kanda Myojin) is one of Tokyo’s oldest Shintō shrines. Founded in 730, the shrine was originally located in Chiyoda-ku, near the Imperial palace; it was moved to its current location in 1603, when Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the Japanese capital from Kyoto to Edo (now Tokyo). The shrine’s entrance is unassuming–in fact, you could easily miss it if you didn’t know what you were looking for. The torii that marks the official approach stands on a downtown street, between a pair of buildings. The shrine’s main entrance gate sits just beyond the torii. If you visit, don’t rush past the

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