I had visited Yamamiya Sengen Shrine in 2018, but I had forgotten the name and didn’t realize where we were going until I saw it. (That visit can be seen here.)
This place is one of the component parts of the Mt. Fuji World Heritage sites. It was registered on the World Heritage list in June 2013.
On a clear day there is a view of Mt. Fuji. See this post for that view.
After visiting Yamamiya Sengen Shrine, we had lunch at a traditional Japanese place.
We sat on the floor at a low table, with a view of the bamboo.
We both ordered the same thing, cold soba noodles and a tempura that seemed to be made of mountain vegetables. It was very good, and just what we needed to continue on with our day.
This was another day of historical adventures with my friend, who is exceptionally knowledgeable about these places in the Fuji area. First, we visited Hiyoshi Sengen Shrine, which was originally the guardian shrine for Tozen-in Temple.
It is in a park setting, with a parking area. There is an interesting museum in this building.
The well
The inside of the building is wood, with information and pictures of artifacts on the walls.
This sign lists all of the head priests. I am always amazed be how well the records have been preserved.
Tozen-In Temple
This house, just outside the shrine/temple grounds belongs to the family of the last head priest.
June is usually rainy - it is the rainy season, after all. Some years are more rainy than others. There are earthquakes somewhere in Japan every day, often just small ones, but sometimes bigger ones. Where I live, typhoons usually happen from June through October, with the worst later in the season.
This year we are off to a big start. At the beginning of June, Typhoon 6 passed through, cancelling a planned three day trip to Tokyo, unfortunately. A few days later, a big earthquake in the Philippines set off tsunami warnings along the coast of Japan. I live fairly close to the coast, but not so close that it is usually scary. I read afterwards that the water came up one meter here.
Here are some earthquakes we felt this month where I live. Mid-month, with epicenter in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Last week, another earthquake that we felt, epicenter off the coast farther north.
The last few days we’ve been watching two typhoons - 7 and 8, travel toward us. They came from different directions, then their projected paths overlapped some hours apart. Where I live, Typhoon 8 arrived first, overnight Friday to Saturday and T7 Saturday. (Screenshot below from Friday evening).
About 10:30 pm Friday, while watching the storm, there was an earthquake that lasted longer than the usual little quakes.
I keep an emergency backpack near my door in case I have to leave quickly. Luckily, I’ve never had to do that. Sometimes I add things or take things out, or just check what’s in there because I forget. Being prepared is taken seriously in Japan.
What will July bring?
(Screenshots from the Japan Meteorological Agency website.)
My friends brought me this gorgeous fabric back from their trip to Indonesia. Isn’t it fabulous?
This is another cross stitch US map that was stitched before and just made into a hanging piece. The backing is white with stars. It is also now hanging on a tension rod.
For the first time in 56 years, crested ibises are on the main island in Japan, after recently being released into the wild. Eight birds were released in Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, after years of breeding and conservation efforts on Sado Island, according to the Environment Ministry. The population of crested ibises on Sado Island in the sea of Japan, off Niigata Prefecture, has increased to about 500, since the first release there in 2008.
These birds are national treasures in Japan. Due to over hunting and other factors, the last one on the main island of Honshu was captured in 1970. Japan’s native ibises went extinct in 2003, but breeding efforts using birds donated by China have helped the reintroduction of the species into the wild.
The local prefectural government considers this release as a symbol of the area's revival after the deadly earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day 2024.
The Great Wave progress
Linda Driskell Hardanger - I started working on the center medallion this week.
