After visiting Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura, a famous temple of the Rinzai sect, I climbed Mt. Shojoken in the precincts and watched the sunset. I could also see Kamakura Gakuen below. I sang the words to the classic Southern All Stars song, ”Bid farewell to the sunset’. Sagami Bay can also be seen beyond Wakamiyaoji Street. It was a beautiful sunset.
Its official name is crepuscular rays. It is also called an angel’s ladder or Jacob’s ladder (derived from Genesis). Since a strange cloud covered Sagami Bay in the morning, I climbed Shonandaira, a scenic spot in Shonan, and waited for dusk. As I aimed, an angel’s ladder descended from a gap in the clouds above the Izu Peninsula and the sea surface off Odawara began to shine like a spotlight. I enjoyed the mystical scenery that reminds me of the movie ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ for a while.
I enjoyed the Koharubiyori of Mt. Azuma in late autumn. Mt. Azuma near Ninomiya Station on the JR Tokaido Line is a small mountain 136 meters above sea level with a wonderful view overlooking Tanzawa, Fuji, Hakone, Izu Peninsula, Oshima, Miura Peninsula and Sagami Bay. How is Chami, the idol cat of Mt. Azuma in Scottish Fold walking up to the top of the mountain? It was a beautiful sunset.
That is the 77 th temple of Shikoku 88temple pilgrimage.The principal image is Yakushi Nyorai.That is the head temple of Daigo school of Shingon sect.From Konzoji Temple, I walkIed about four kilometers through Tadotsu’s rural area toward the Seto Inland Sea. The pilgrimage goods store in front of the gate of Niomon creates an atmosphere of pilgrimage. There are many small hokora (small shrines) in the precincts of the shrine.
Ritto has come again this year. It is said that the day of 24 divisions of the old calendar is the day when autumn reaches its climax and the sign of winter begins to appear. From now until the first day of spring is winter. The day before the first day of winter, the Chigasaki Beach saw a spectacular sunset that seemed to welcome the first day of winter.
In October, there were two full moons in a month at the beginning and the end of the month. The first one was the harvest moon of the first day and the second one was on the 31st. It is rare for a full moon to occur twice a month, but once every two or three years. The second full moon is called a Blue moon. I watched the full moon climbing toward Kamakura from the bank of Chigasaki fishing port.
That is the 76 th temple of Shikoku 88temple pilgrimage.I walked about four kilometers toward the Seto Inland Sea from Zentsuji. The principal image is Yakushi Nyorai.The temple belongs to the Tendaijimon sect, which is rare among the 88 sacred places, and this temple is known as the birthplace of Enchin, the founder of the sect. It is also said that Maresuke NOGI lived temporarily for three years while he was a divisional commander of the Zentsuji division of the Army. Due to the layout of the temple, the precincts of the temple have a spacious and clean impression.
Autumn has advanced, and it is the season of frosting of 24 sekki. It is said that it is the time when dew is cooled by cold air and falls as frost, but today’s Chigasaki is blessed with good weather and many fishing boats are out. The air was becoming clearer and the sunset more vivid. The sunset is beautiful.
That is the 17th temple of Shikoku exceptional Sacred Sites.Its principal image is Yakushi Nyorai and its founder was Kobo Daishi. It is said to have been built by Kobo Daishi with the reward he received when he renovated the Manno-ike pond on the order of Emperor Saga. It is about 25 kilometers from Hagiwara-ji Temple, which is the 16 temple of the special sacred ground. Although it is a small temple, it is surrounded by greenery and has a charm. A statue of this temple Kobo Daishi on a small hill watched over the Manno-ike Pond in the rain. The Manno-ike, which I visited after a long time, was still beautiful and large. It is surprising that the flood control system that Kobo Daishi devised 1,200 years ago still exists today. I ate udon with healthy vegetables while looking at the pond at ‘Karintei’ near Mannoike. From the bank of the pond you can see the streets of Tadotsu and the Seto Inland Sea.
Today is the day of the harvest moon in 2020. According to the lunar calendar, the sky is the clearest and the moon is bright and beautiful in this period of the year. As the name suggests, the beautiful moon rose on the Chigasaki Beach, entertaining the visitors.
