Kannabiji
| Kannabiji is a lovely buddhist
temple on the banks of the Gonokawa. The temple has been on this
site only since 1886. The
original temple, which dates back to the 9th century,
was built high on the mountain about 1 kilometre upstream. In 1885
a seismic event, the Hamada earthquake, caused the spring at the
temple to dry up, so it was dismantled, carried down the mountain,
and rebuilt at the current site. |
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| 2 fierce-looking Nio (gatekeepers)
stand guard either side of the entrance gate, and behind the main
temple building a steep stone staircase goes up to a small Shinto
altar. There is no competition between the 2 main religions of Japan,
Buddhism and Shinto. Along the side of the building are a line of
sculptures, one by the 8th century monk, Gyoki, who is known for
his work among the peasants and for constructing 49 temples, as
well as his sculpture. |
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| But its not the temple itself
that makes it noteworthy, rather what it is home to. In the temples
storeroom, now converted into a small museum, is a National Treasure
of Japan, the remains of a suit of armour dating from the 8th century,
making it the third oldest in Japan. A little to the north of here,
in the area of Mihara, there used to be a castle, and the lord of
the castle was a patron of this temple. Not much is known about
him, but the magnificence of his armour suggests he was a relatively
important lord. The museum also contains many other relics, including
a full suit of armour that is 300 years old. The Imae Art Museum
in Kawado has a full-size replica of the 8th century suit. |
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