Jishu Jinja (shrine) lies on the grounds of Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera, a Buddhist temple established during the 8th century and dedicated to the goddess Kannon (goddess of mercy, and a protector of Kyoto). Like many Shintō shrines, Jishu Jinja also has an altar to Inari, god of rice, sake, and fertility (among other things):
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A Visit to Kenzan Shrine
Kenzan Jinja is a small Shinto shrine perched atop Mt. Bizan in Tokushima City, on the Japanese island of Shikoku.
Read moreA Visit to Itsukushima Jinja (part 2)
During last summer’s research trip to Japan, I visited Itsukushima Jinja, an important Shinto shrine on Miyajima island in Hiroshima Prefecture. (If you’d like to start from the beginning, you can find part 1 here.) The approach to the shrine follows the island’s shoreline to the natural inlet that protects the shrine from the strait beyond. Today, visitors approach the shrine by land. Visitors enter the shrine itself. Like most Shinto shrines, there is no admission fee (though donations are happily accepted, and freely given by most of the visitors). Here’s the view from the entrance hall, looking out toward the shrine’s main buildings: In
Read moreA Visit to Itsukushima Shrine – Miyajima, Japan (Part 1)
Last summer’s research trip to Japan took me all the way to Miyajima Island (sometimes also known as Itsukushima, after the shrine that sits on its shore), where I spent two memorable days and a wonderful night exploring one of Japan’s most beautiful and iconic islands.
Read moreA Visit to Kasuga Shrine (part 2)
Last Monday, we walked along the approach to Kasuga Shrine, which winds through Nara Park (in Nara, Japan). This week, we pass through the massive wooden gates: To the right of the heiden, a garden contains a number of smaller (but still important) shrines: Kasuga Shrine honors four of Japan’s most important Shinto kami: Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, Futsunushi-no-mikoto, Amenokoyane-no-mikoto, and Himegami. The deities are enshrined within a part of the shrine not normally open to visitors; only the emperor of Japan and the kannushi, or high priest, of Kasuga Shrine are allowed to enter the sacred space. Kasuga Taisha (“Shrine”) is a lovely example of the way Shinto
Read moreFushimi Kandakara Jinja: The Dragon Shrine on Japan’s Mt. Inari
One of my favorite aspects of Japan, and Japanese culture, is the constant possibility of discovering something unexpected. If you keep your eyes (and mind) open while traveling in Japan, you will discover a multitude of fascinating things to see, do, eat, and experience, many of which may take you by surprise. While visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha (Shrine) I climbed the path up Mt. Inari, following the pilgrim route to the shrine at the very top of the mountain. Along the way, the “normal path” passes through a variety of stations, sub-shrines and places where visitors can stop to worship or enjoy
Read moreA Visit to Kasuga Shrine (Nara Park, Japan)
Kasuga Taisha lies in the heart of Nara Park, home to numerous shrines and Buddhist temples, as well as 1200 sika (deer) that, although no longer legally considered sacred objects, still enjoy protected status and have no fear of visitors.
Read moreThe Purification Deer at Japan’s Kasuga Shrine
I took today’s photo near the entrance to Kasuga Taisha (Shrine), in Nara, Japan.
Read moreTo the Summit of Mt. Inari
This week marks the final installment in my blogging “tour” of Fushimi Inari Shrine, which means today, we finally reach the summit.
Read moreStopping for Lunch on a Sacred Mountain (Fushimi Inari Shrine)
The climb up Mount Inari takes 1-3 hours, depending how quickly you take the stairs and whether or not you stop for lunch at one of the 19 “stations” interspersed along the roughly circular route.
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