The eerie ruins on this island will take your breath away.
Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture is a vacationer spot so stunning it’s ranked as certainly one of Japan’s three most scenic views, alongside Amanohashidate in Kyoto and Miyajima in Hiroshima.
With a reputation that interprets as “pine tree island”, Matsushima is definitely a bunch of islands, and though they’re finest explored by sightseeing boat, some may be reached by foot through bridges from the mainland. One land-connected island is especially particular, because it’s thought of a sacred place, with mysterious stone buildings that create an otherworldly ambiance. Generally known as Oshima, this can be a hidden “energy spot” that’s not usually spoken about, so at present we’d prefer to take you there, and introduce you to the “different aspect of Matsushima”.
The quiet entrance to the island lies on the ocean aspect of Matsushima Seaside Park, which isn’t removed from JR Matsushima Kaigan Station.
There are caves even earlier than you enter the island, and also you’ll be instantly struck by the distinctive ambiance.
To know the mysteries of Oshima, now we have to return to a time when it was a spot of coaching for monks and pilgrims from everywhere in the world…and a spot for burial. The monks spent a very long time reciting sutras, erecting stone pagodas, and carving stone Buddha statues as a part of memorial providers for the useless.
A few of them have been excessive monks who severed ties with the secular world and lived on the island for greater than 10 years. Visiting at present, their presence lingers within the air on the island, and it may be felt as quickly as you step onto the vermilion bridge, which has the identical title as a well-known bridge in Kyoto, “Togetsukyo,” and is alleged to be a bridge that ends unhealthy relationships.
▼ It’s additionally acts as a boundary line between this world and the world of the unknown, type of just like the bridge within the Studio Ghibli movie, Spirited Away.
There are strolling trails on the island, with each clockwise and counterclockwise routes. Whereas we weren’t certain of the official etiquette, we advocate heading clockwise for sightseeing, and the rationale for that we’ll clarify somewhat later.
The very first thing you’ll see on this route is a torii gate. You’d be forgiven for questioning what a shrine is doing at a sacred web site for Buddhism, however that is an Inari shrine which, in keeping with an anecdote from the Edo interval, was erected when a ship that was on the verge of changing into misplaced and was rescued by a white fox.
▼ Inari shrines are devoted to the god of inari, which is linked to foxes.
As you proceed strolling, you’ll come throughout stone monuments, stone Buddha statues, and five-storey pagodas, all lined up on the aspect of strolling trails, within the bushes, on the edges of cliffs…in all places.
Among the oldest statues have been discoloured by the wind and rain, making the inscriptions laborious to learn.
Though there are “haiku monuments” inscribed with the writings of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), the esteemed poet who described Matsushima as essentially the most stunning place in all of Japan, a lot of the stone buildings are “itabi”, a sort of Buddhist memorial stone that was generally used in the course of the Muromachi (1336-1573) interval.
There are additionally “cave ruins” at close by Zuiganji temple, which point out that the customized of excavating rocks for the aim of holding memorial providers for the useless was fairly standard on this area. Nonetheless, solely a small portion of those stone buildings may be seen now. There was dozens of them, and lots of of them have been thrown into the ocean, so that they have been relocated when the park was being developed.
One of many highlights of Oshima is the positioning of a hermitage referred to as “Shogin-an Ruins”. Though the constructing right here now not exists, there are numerous stone monuments and names inscribed on the partitions right here.
That is the place you are feeling the robust presence of…one thing. Whether or not it was spirits from the previous or the vitality from the individuals who as soon as lived devoted lives right here, there’s definitely an otherworldly feeling right here that might transfer even the toughest skeptic.
It’s not scary or creepy as such nevertheless it does have a novel ambiance that may render you speechless. Simply as spectacular views of nature that surpass human understanding can depart individuals with emotions of awe, locations that individuals have poured their deep ideas and efforts into also can depart the identical impression, changing into a so-called “energy spot” for its emotions of intense vitality.
Persevering with alongside the path, you’ll come to the “Myokakuan Ruins” on the tip of the island. That is the place the place Kenbutsu Shonin, a high-ranking monk who practiced asceticism in seclusion on the island for 12 years, and Raiken, who adopted swimsuit and practiced asceticism for 22 years, lived.
This lifetime of isolation is much like these of different monks, similar to these at Mt Koya, however right here issues really feel totally different because it’s an island that’s so small you possibly can in all probability stroll round it in 5 minutes at a brisk tempo. Isolating right here could be fairly tough, as there’s no technique to go for a protracted stroll, and no alternative to take pleasure in huge variations by way of surroundings, seasonal flowers or wild birds. This could’ve been the positioning for a really ascetic life.
▼ Continuing additional, you’ll come to the spotlight of the island, Okunoin.
Surrounded by timber, Okunoin is a darkish place even in the course of the day, and there’s an eerie tunnel that individuals can go by, including extra thriller to the positioning. There was a corridor referred to as Kenbutsu-do right here, the place the aforementioned Kenbutsu Shonin is alleged to have recited 60,000 copies of the Lotus Sutra.
It’s stated that Kenbutsu Shonin gained religious energy by his coaching and carried out numerous miracles. There could also be some exaggeration to the legend, however everybody agrees that the monk displayed a tremendous psychological power.
After passing by the tunnel, you’ll return to the Togetsukyo Bridge, and this why we advocate going clockwise across the island. The exit from the tunnel simply earlier than crossing the bridge will make you really feel as in the event you’ve been reborn as you come back to the actual world.
It’s stated that within the early fashionable interval, Matsushima turned an increasing number of standard as a scenic spot, largely resulting from Matsuo Basho introducing it to different nations as essentially the most stunning spot in Japan. After visiting the island, you’ll actually get a way of the awe-inspiring magnificence that Basho was speaking about, and there are many different distinctive websites within the space ready to be found as properly, which can look even higher when seen by the native warlord’s single eye.
Associated: Matsushima Tourism Affiliation, Matsushima City Trade and Tourism Division, Tsunagu Bay Challenge
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