Day 63 - An Ancient Shrine and Two Temples in Tsuno, The Kyushu 108 Temple Pilgrimage, Japan
Day 63 - An Ancient Shrine and Two Temples in Tsuno, The Kyushu 108 Temple Pilgrimage, Japan
Last night, after our hotel agreed that we could check out a day early, I looked at places to stay for the night.
After giving it some thought, I decided that the best way to visit the few temples we have to visit north of Miyazaki City was to stay in Tsuno.
But the town of Tsuno is very small and I saw only two basic guesthouses, so I decided to book a night at a new, small hot springs hotel in Hyuga city instead.
My plan was to visit the two temples in Tsuno and the famous Tsuno Shrine, on our way to Hyuga to stay for the night.
Tomorrow, we could visit the temples in Hyuga and Nobeoka, before returning to Miyazaki City for three nights.
Then, over the next three to four days, we would cover the distance between Miyazaki and Nobeoka.
We checked out of our hotel in Nango, and took an early morning train to Miyazaki.
I could recognise most of the roads along the way, since we had walked all of them.
I recognised all the places I stopped to take pictures, except for the places where the train passed through long tunnels.
In Miyazaki, we switched trains and continued on to Tsuno.
When we got to Tsuno station, I asked if there were any coin lockers in the station.
The friendly lady at the ticket counter told me that there were no lockers.
When she saw the disappointment on my face, she asked where we were going.
She assumed we were just going to the shrine, but I explained that we have two Buddhist temples to visit in the opposite direction.
She looked at me with sympathy and said that indeed our backpacks looked heavy.
Then she said that we can leave our backpacks in her office, while we do the walk.
She said that the office closed at five in the afternoon, and to be sure we would be back before that.
We took the book and scroll out of the backpacks along with our money and passports, and with great gratitude, handed over the backpacks.
I thought that we would be back in three hours, but I underestimated how long everything takes when you are walking.
We walked through fields of daikon radishes and cabbages, to Temple #36.
When we reached the temple, it took us a while just to be able to cross the very busy route 10, that lay in front of the temple.
Temple #36, Kankozan Kansenji is located in Tsuno along the National Route #10 that connects Nobeoka to Miyazaki.
The principal image is an Eleven-faced Kannon Bodhisattva.
There is a standing Kannon statue and a seated Kannon statue.
The standing statue was once enshrined on Mt. Ozuzu in the Kyushu mountain range, dating back to the early Showa period (1926).
The seated statue is a Buddha statue holding a vajra bell in the left hand.
It is an eleven faced Kannon Bosatsu, believed to assist the awakening of people's souls in the 21st century, which is said to be the era of awakening.
A very nice monk stamped our book and scroll and gave us tea and traditional sweets.
Later in the day, at the second temple we visited, we met his mother.
He asked how we planned to get to the shrine and the next temple, and was surprised to hear that we planned to walk.
“But it is so far” he protested, even though it was only about five kilometres.
I find it disheartening that people no longer walk anywhere, even in their own town.
From the temple, we walked to the Tsuno shrine.
We passed by the center of the old town, which was a collection of permanently closed shops.
It felt sad.
When we entered the grounds of the Tsuno shrine, it was clear to see why it was considered a sacred place.
The tall ancient trees shaded the grounds, and the ponds were full of koi.
The shrine is widely known as a power spot, and it is said to offer blessings for curing illnesses, finding romantic partners, and healthy childbearing.
The shrine was full of visitors.
We first stopped to eat lunch at a popular soba noodle restaurant right by the shrine.
It was also full of people.
The noodle set was delicious and the tempura was served with matcha salt, which was great.
The lunch set came with a big pitcher of barley iced tea which I enjoyed on the warm day it was.
I also bought some Senbei rice cookies, because they had an outline of a pilgrim burnt onto them.
We walked around the shrine enjoying the garden, the plants and the Tori gates.
From the shrine, we walked through a park to Temple #35.
We were happy to see that the town was far from empty.
The park was full of people and children who were having a community market.
People brought used clothes and toys they no longer needed and sold or traded them with their neighbors.
Some made cookies and foods and sold them, some made jewelry or sold fruit and greens from their gardens.
It was really lovely to see them enjoying the day, especially after seeing the Main Street of town, that was mostly permanently closed.
Temple #35 is located at the end of the road, in a quiet woodland area.
Temple #35, Mt. Hensho Gyoshinji, was founded by Yukimawagami in the early 1900’s.
The current main hall (completed in 1998) was built in the same design as the original main hall.
It had an octagon shape that resembled a pagoda.
The entrance faced in the southeast direction.
The morning sun shone on the principal image every morning.
The first floor of the main hall was used as a practice area for a karate club.
The second floor was the main hall.
The temple statement said: “Gyokushin-ji Temple is located on a hill overlooking the town of Tsuno in the Hyuga Nada region.
It lies against the background of the Osuzu Mountains.
The sound of the temple bell, that rings at 6 o'clock every morning and evening, is said to evoke the phoenix dance in the sunlight, and invites you to a world of relaxation and peace, that surrounds the earth eternally.
This eternal dance of peace is always there, regardless of whatever seems to be happening on the surface of the earth.
Live in the cosmic Truth, across ideas, religions, and borders.
All lives are ONE.
I want to develop spirituality.
Our True nature is divine love and Buddha's mercy.
I want to respond to the demands of my own life.
If you remember the excitement and joy in your own heart at this moment, please try to come through the gate of Gyokushin-ji Temple.
I'll be waiting for you at Goki-ji Temple.”
We chanted and received hot green tea, clementines and cookies filled with sweet potato.
The purple and orange colored sweet potatoes were very delicious with tea.
Time was passing by fast and I wanted us to get back to the train station to collect our backpacks and catch the train, so we started running down the hill.
A car stopped by us.
It was the wife and children of the monk we had just met at the temple.
They thanked us for coming to visit the temple and wished us a good journey.
Then they drove off.
A few minutes later, we saw the car reversing back towards us.
They offered us a ride to the station, saying we would not make it in time for the train if we walked, and they were going by there anyway.
We accepted their offer for a ride with gratitude.
The older woman in the back seat, told us that she is the mother of the monk we had met earlier, at temple #36, Kankozan Kansenji.
We were very grateful for the ride, as we arrived at the station in plenty of time to claim our bags and have tea in the unmanned station cafe, until our train came.
We took the train to Minami Hyuga station, where our hotel for the night was located.
The hotel was located on the water in a small village with surfing beaches.
While checking in, I decided to ask if there was a Japanese tatami mat room available, instead of the western one we had reserved.
The smiling clerk offered us a huge family room at no additional cost.
It was a well lit and airy room and the hotel was almost new.
We soaked in the hot springs and had a dinner in the hotel.
The dinner was a traditional Japanese meal.
It had miso soup, pickles, tofu and for the main course, we had to choose between chicken, pork or fish.
We chose the fish.
But there wasn’t much fish, only a bit of the worm-like white baitfish sprinkled on top of a big bowl of rice, topped with the yellow yolk of a raw egg.
It wasn’t a great dinner, but that was the only low point of a very comfortable stay.
At least the next morning, they served us a delicious Japanese breakfast.
With love and laughter,
Tali
Stats: 18,735 steps
Today’s walk: 13 km
Kilometers walked to date: 1075.5 km
Temples visited:
Temple #36 Kankozan Kansenji
Temple #35 Mt. Hensho Gyoshinji (Henjozan, Gyoshinji)
Tsuno Shrine.
