Sumiyoshi Taisha

This is a rather famous shrine (website here), and I was glad I had the time in Osaka to be able to visit. 

From Japan-guide.com - Sumiyoshi Taisha (住吉大社, "Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine") is one of Japan's oldest shrines. Founded in the 3rd century before the introduction of Buddhism it displays a unique style of shrine architecture, called Sumiyoshi-zukuri, that is free of influence from the Asian mainland. Only two other shrine architecture styles are also considered purely Japanese: Shinmei-zukuri as seen at the Ise Shrines and Taisha-zukuri as seen at Izumo Taisha.

Sumiyoshi-zukuri is characterized by straight roofs (as opposed to the curved roofs commonly built in later centuries) which are decorated by two sets of forked finials (chigi) and five horizontal billets (katsuogi). Furthermore, buildings constructed in Sumiyoshi-zukuri style have their entrance under the gable and are surrounded by a fence.

Sumiyoshi Taisha is the main and most famous of over two thousand Sumiyoshi shrines found across Japan. Sumiyoshi shrines enshrine the kami (Shinto gods) who protect travelers, fishermen and sailors at sea. The shrines are therefore usually found close to harbors.

There are four main halls at Osaka's Sumiyoshi Taisha. Interestingly, the first three are positioned in a straight line facing west, while the fourth stands just beside the third. This arrangement of shrine buildings is rarely seen in Japan, as shrines built during and after the Nara Period (710-794) mostly face south, pertaining to Chinese geomancy.

Leading to the entrance of the main shrine grounds is the beautiful Sorihashi Bridge, which creates a uniquely high arch over a pond. During hatsumode (first visit to a shrine on New Year), Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of the most visited shrines in the country.

Fukuoka Station Christmas Tree Decorated with Lost and Found Items

 

A train station in Fukuoka Japan is decorated with unclaimed lost and found items, ranging from a guitar to summer hand held fans, as well as sunglasses and other unclaimed items. According to JR Kyushu, approximately 240,000 lost and found items were turned in during fiscal 2024. Cash and plastic umbrellas are the most common items, but scarves and gloves increase in the winter. If the owner fails to recover the lost and found items, the finder can claim it after three months. I wonder how many items were recovered from the tree. I think it is a great idea!  

Merry Christmas!

Work in Progress Wednesday

The Tale of Genji progress

Trip Cross Stitch

Ibaraki Shrine and Ibaraki Castle

I took the local JR train to Ibaraki Station in Osaka. Ibaraki Shrine is about 15 minutes walk from the station.  This information is from the internet:

This shrine enshrines Susanoo-no-Mikoto as its main deity, and the inner shrine is said to have been enshrined over 1,200 years ago. It has long been revered as the guardian deity of Ibaraki Village and Nakajo Village, and is famous for its ring-passing ritual in June and the summer festival portable shrine procession in July. In addition, at the back of the shrine grounds, there are remains of a well called Kuroi no Shimizu, which once provided an abundance of water, and it is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi used this water during tea ceremonies.

 

A short distance from the shrine is the location of what used to be Ibaraki Castle. All that is left is the gate, with a school standing on the site where the castle used to be  

This information below is from J-Castle.

The sign at the Karamete Gate in Ibaraki Shrine says this castle was built from 1334-1336 by Kusunoki Masashige but the early history of the castle is not well known. The earliest historical record for Ibaraki Castle appears in 1467 in a mention of the Onin War. At this time the Ibaraki clan were lords of the area. When Nobunaga took control of the region, the Ibaraki joined forces with Nobunaga. In 1571 at the Battle of Shiraikawara, the Ibaraki clan was completely defeated by Araki Murashige and the castle came under his control. From 1577, Nakagawa Kiyohide became lord of the castle under Araki and renovated the castle making it larger. Kiyohide died at the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583 and his son became lord of the castle until 1586 when he became the new lord of Miki Castle. Ibaraki Castle came under direct control of Hideyoshi as a government office until after the Battle of Sekigahara when Katagiri Matsumoto became the new castle lord. The castle was dismantled under the one castle per province edict in 1616, leaving only Takatsuki Castle in the Settsu Province.