Since writing about Oiwa Jinja in June 2015, reports have come in that the shrine has been tidied up. So with the promise of spring in the air, Green Shinto set out to take a look. We can report that, yes, indeed, there has been a considerable amount of cleaning and repairing. Who by?
There were a couple of elderly locals visiting at the same time, so we made enquiries and one of them replied that it was done by the owners of the otsuka small shrines, many of whom live in Osaka. I cannot be certain about that, but it seems entirely plausible that someone managed to organise family descendants of the original donors into making a collective effort to rescue the shrine.
Someone had provided fresh bibs for the komainu. A jar of saké too.The Haiden had been completely cleaned up and furnishings provided.Some of the otsuka were looking in much better shape than before.
Even the ‘misogi’ are was looking good, which must please Fudo MyooTorii and a fox guardian placed in front of the Big Rock, main object of worship.Koiwa, The Little Rock, had been given a smart new surroundIt is now much easier to see the detail in the torii. Here at the base of one of Domoto Insho’s creations is the figure of Bishamonten, a Buddhist guardian.The parents of artist Domoto Insho, who died aged 70 and 95 respectivelyPlenty of work still to be done though…Meanwhile the nearby Kyoto Trail has been ‘beautified’ by clearing away trees to open up the landscaped views – of solar panels!
I discovered your blog after searching for information on Shintoism, chiefly on the architecture as well as the role of Shinto shrines in Japan’s society. I couldn’t stop reading about the Oiwa shrine – an excellent read, I was glued to it and couldn’t rest till I finished all five parts!
I now consider this blog as an essential part of my readings into delving deeper on Shintoism. Carry on the good work, Sir, and salute; many thanks for your effort on writing and sharing all that you know :)
I visited this temple last month and I have been searching information about it since then (in English or Japanese) but it is only today that I stumble upon your 5 articles.
It is such a beautiful temple with exceptional Torii that it would be such a waste to let it abandoned this way.
From what I understood, some cleaning has been done by a Hiking association (maybe because it is on the Kyoto Trail?), as written on the black board in the temple.
A local person also comes and feed the little cat that lives there.
I will try to visit it regularly. I wish I could do something to help maintain it.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for those great articles!
Thanks for the update. I think you may be right that its location on the Kyoto Trail has led to some action being taken to clear it up. If you find out who is running that, please let us know.
I discovered your blog after searching for information on Shintoism, chiefly on the architecture as well as the role of Shinto shrines in Japan’s society. I couldn’t stop reading about the Oiwa shrine – an excellent read, I was glued to it and couldn’t rest till I finished all five parts!
I now consider this blog as an essential part of my readings into delving deeper on Shintoism. Carry on the good work, Sir, and salute; many thanks for your effort on writing and sharing all that you know :)
Thank you for taking the time to write in, and thank you too for the very kind remarks. That certainly motivates me to carry on….
I visited this temple last month and I have been searching information about it since then (in English or Japanese) but it is only today that I stumble upon your 5 articles.
It is such a beautiful temple with exceptional Torii that it would be such a waste to let it abandoned this way.
From what I understood, some cleaning has been done by a Hiking association (maybe because it is on the Kyoto Trail?), as written on the black board in the temple.
A local person also comes and feed the little cat that lives there.
I will try to visit it regularly. I wish I could do something to help maintain it.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for those great articles!
Thanks for the update. I think you may be right that its location on the Kyoto Trail has led to some action being taken to clear it up. If you find out who is running that, please let us know.