Category Archives: Rocks

Awesome Alan Watts

Posted on April 10, 2013 by John D.

There was a recent Alan Watts podcast that was so good that I had to make a transcript.  It’s from a series called Images of God (no. 1) and concerns the importance of Wonder, which lies at the heart of … Continue reading →

Posted in Animism, Rocks | Leave a comment

Okinawa 5: Seifa Utaki

Posted on December 4, 2012 by John D.

  Seifa Utaki is the Ise of Okinawa.  It’s a sacred site associated with royal patronage that lay at the apex of the Ryukyu kingdom’s religious structure.  I think of all the spiritual places I’ve visited in Japan, this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Rocks, Shrine visits, World Heritage | Leave a comment

The allure of rock

Posted on October 8, 2012 by John D.

  What is it about rock temples?  Some of the most stunning spiritual sites are those that perch on cliffsides in China and Burma.  Tohoku too boasts the wonderful Yamadera.  And on my recent World Heritage trip to the Deep … Continue reading →

Posted in Rocks, Syncretism, Tohoku | 1 Comment

Pagan connections 1) Sacred rocks

Posted on July 24, 2012 by John D.

  Avebury stone circle There are sacred rocks (iwakura) all over Japan, but I’ve never seen a date put on them. The supposition is that they date to the Yayoi Age (300 BC-300 AD), when waves of immigrants brought new … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestor worship, Folklore, International, Paganism, Rocks | 2 Comments

Jizo rocks !

Posted on May 9, 2012 by John D.

  Walking down the Kamogawa river the other day in Kyoto, I passed a wayside Jizo shrine (see above). Nothing very unusual – you see them all over the place.  Jizo has to be the most popular deity in Japan, … Continue reading →

Posted in Rocks, Shamanic connections, Syncretism | 9 Comments

Getting into the spirit of rock

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Green Shinto

The island of Shiraishi in the Inland Sea is studded with rocks of so many sorts and sizes that you can’t help being ‘struck’ by them.  Small wonder it’s called White Rock Island, and that sacred rocks are numerous.  Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Rocks | 7 Comments

Mt Matsuo’s rocks and roots

Posted on October 12, 2011 by John D.

              All hail to Emperor Kammu!  When he founded Heian-kyo (Kyoto) in 794, he took note of the surrounding hills. ‘The mountains and rivers are the collar and belt of this area, and make … Continue reading →

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Kibune Jinja (Kyoto)

Posted on July 30, 2011 by John D.

Kibune Jinja is small but special; in Heian times it was designated one of the top 22 shrines.  It’s noted for being dedicated to a water kami and is located just above the river.  There is water gushing all around … Continue reading →

Posted in Kami, Kyoto shrines, Rocks | 1 Comment

Koshikiiwa Shrine (Nishinomiya)

Posted on July 24, 2011 by John D.

A Mighty Megalith Small but potent is how you might describe Koshikiiwa Jinja.  It’s not  one of Kansai’s famous shrines.  Located on a hill at Korakuen, it’s  an appendage to the grander Nishinomiya Shrine and enshrines the same deity: hence … Continue reading →

Posted in Rocks, Shrine visits | Leave a comment

Rocking on Shiraishi Island

Posted on July 14, 2011 by John D.

Amy Chavez has written an article in the Japan Times on the sacred rocks of the island where she lives in the Inland Sea. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110709cz.html I’m a big fan of the island, and particularly of the rocks there… they come … Continue reading →

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Posted in Rocks | 1 Comment