Kyushu 2023 - Kunisaki Futagoji Part 2

While my husband is busy trying to restore back my laptop, let me continue on updating this blog with my mobile. I am aiming at a daily update and hates it when I break the thread. Continuing on with the magical forest, climbing up the stairs and going thru the torii gate into the land of the Gods....

Here is one of the aunty in our group. She is so old and petite, yet she just rushed ahead up the stairs like that's the most normal everyday things old people in Japan does! Salute to all the ladies in our group! You gals are amazing! 

Reaching the top of the stairs, we ended up at some flat ground with more stone statues and trees.

I kinda like looking at every single one of these stone carving if I have the time. I find that each of them are unique and kinda cute. Perhaps telling a story? Like a picture someone from the past left behind for us, trying to convey some messages. 

There was also a tranquil pond with koi in it. Water features always calms the soul. And watching the fishes swimming around without a care in the world. How come they don't have to work to earn a living? Why do only humans work to survive?

Semi round red bridge, for the Gods to cross over the little stream in the jungle. Yup, I read that they are semi round cause they weren't meant for humans. But you could still cross it. Don't go around blaming people if you fall! But that touch of red among the greens, lovely!

More steps. Stairways to heaven. It seems Hell was easier to visit than all these holy places in Kunisaki! Lol. Beppu Hell Pass even comes with Bus Pass valid for a day! 

Kyushu 2023 - Kunisaki Futagoji Part 1

 

Blogging this on my Google Pixel since my MacBook Air just died while I was trying to upgrade it's OS.... Bummer. Anyway, the main reason I wanted to be visit Kunisaki at all, was to see this beautiful sight that seems so magical to me! How could anyone not love this? 

So I read on the internet that this was one of the power spot in Japan in terms of spirituality. Then I found out most sacred site was deemed power spot anyway, so that kinda dampens the appeals, but only after I've visited the place, thankfully! 

So we were dropped off just at the start of the stairs up, and the two guardian in the forest greeted us intimidatingly lol. Some friends commented why I love visiting these scary sites. But to me, these were rather peaceful ancient sites filled with so much mysteries and secrets and energy! What is there not to love about them? Don't you wish you knew their secrets too?

A fellow traveller shared with us that these guardian can take away your body pain. As long as you touch the guardian at the same body part as where you want to be heal, they will heal you. Lol. But the guardian was so tall, it was almost impossible to reach the very top. At most you could only reach the leg region. So much for helping! 

I also love it that the forest was so dense that it create a dark vibe all over, adding to the mystery of the place. The ancient trees. I love ancient trees! It's like something out of a story book for me. 

Since I travelled so far and spend so much effort to come visit this place, I'm just gonna put all the photos I have of it, cause no matter which one I looked at, they looked so magnificent to me. And you could climb up all the way to the entrance there, which was where we were all headed. 

Imagine sitting here alone in the woods, meditating or just contemplating life. There is just so much joy to be in the presence of this very spot, it was just hard to describe. 

Ok, enough of my ranting. Here is the last photo before I moved on. 

Kyushu 2023 - Kunisaki Kumano Magaibutsu

Driving on into more villages, and discovering more hidden treasures and power spots of Kunisaki Japan! The next one is my most challenging place to visit! The laughing Buddha carved into the stones on a hill.

The guide didn't follow on this one, and now I know why! The walk up was innocent looking enough, it even came with nice flat stone steps. In the photo was probably the youngest guy in our group walking up. We were quite in front of the group at this point....

After the steps ran out, we were walking on path leading up slightly. It was still a nice walk at this point as the trees shading us was just beautiful, and walking in such a beautiful surrounding was a blessing!

 

But soon we came to more stone steps, and this time, the stone steps were not as polite as the one before. These stone steps were larger and narrower. At this point some of the older aunties were ahead of us..... talk about stamina! These ladies fear nothing!

Enter thru the stone torii, and we were supposed to be in sacred realm, but I found my personal hell instead. As you can see here, the stone steps were not even from here onwards. So it was more like walking up a stone mountain. Thankfully there were hand railing to help you. Plus, it was such a steep climb!

My climb of terror! While I was climbing it, I was trying not to think about the path coming down. It was so steep going up, I was pretty sure I was going to have trouble coming down. But I was so invested now that I told myself I was gonna make it up there no matter what! Lol. What a dumb idea, right? I have injured myself hiking before, yet  I don't seems to learn anything. But I did eventually reached the laughing Buddha, but all I could do was take a photo and concentrate on my breathing. After that I made my way down right away cause I knew it was going to be harder than climbing up here. On my way down, I was just hanging on to dear life on those hand railing as I try to lower myself down. At this point, some of the older ladies were just coming up. Even they were getting a beating from these stone steps. I tried to encourage them with my limited Japanese, but to me, they were all amazing in my eyes already. They really show no fear at all in front of any path before them. They just needed more time to climb this. Not a single of these ladies turned back from the challenge before them. 

The peaceful laughing Buddha. I didn't really had time to appreciate it's serenity when I was up there. There was just so much thoughts and fear in my mind when I reach the top. But I am glad I made it up there. After encountering these stone steps, no steps really bother me so much any more when I come across them, except maybe the steps of Old Man of Storr..... but in my defence, it was more due to the lack of time than the lack of courage to walk up those steps  :P  That, my friend, is for another post when my blogging reach my Scotland Adventure!

Kyushu 2023 - Kunisaki Makiodo

Kunisaki area was quite an ancient Buddhist area, and there were many stone carvings and signs that can be found here. Our next stop is kinda like an ancient archeological site. The front of it was just by the road, and we were greeted with this cute stone guarding on our way in.

There was also a more modern looking sign next to it.

Here is the start of the ancient culture park. It was fun looking out for stone statue to photograph.

Some has signs next to them telling you a little bit about the piece.

Stone lanterns. 

But some were just random, and I'm pretty sure this little guy here is no ancient at all! Probably part of a souvenir left here. 

The stone carving were actually nice to to look at. I always find it much more interesting to see things as they are, where they were mean to be, instead of seeing them in a museum somewhere. 

I wished we had more time to explore here, but this wasn't actually the main thing we came to see here. We were here to see the ancient Buddhist wooden carving at the main hall, which was actually at the front of the temple. The cultural park was just a side attraction!

This may be a grave perhaps? Of someone important or a monk?

The usual stairs leading to God.....

National treasure, the huge iron bell.

And the shrine at the top.

Inside the shrine on top, photographs were allowed inside, so above is what it looked like. But the actual ones in the main shrine were kept in darkness with minimum sun light inside to preserved the wood carving and colours. If you want to see what they looked like, just google "Makiodo" and click on image search to view. They were pretty impressive.

Some grave behind the temple. I find graves very peaceful to be around.

The fields directly across the temple entrance. It was so lovely and peaceful. You wouldn't have guess if you drove passed that here lies ancient treasures in the temple. I have zero regrets joining this tour!

A traditional hut nearby. Love the window design and the seat. 

And scarecrows! So many of them all over the place. They do looked kinda spooky. These I do not find peaceful to look like! They do not spark joy in me! But they were unique, so I took a few photos. There are some villages in Japan that are just inhabited by scarecrows! And they probably come alive at night too!

Kyushu 2023 - Kunisaki Vegetarian Lunch

At midday we stopped for lunch at a remote vegetarian restaurant. I bet I won't know how to go back there again since I have no idea where it was! But it was a charming little restaurant, and the whole place was occupied by our whole group. 

There was a field and river just in front of it with ducks in it. Check out the cute signs about feeding the ducks. 

Here is what it looked like inside the restaurant. We can pick where we want to sit, so we choose to sit on the floor. We placed our lunch order cards on our table, and the owner came around to collect them and taking our order. A while later, our food was served.

This is the soba noodle set. Note everything here is vegetarian. Soo even though it may look like some slices of sashimi was among the dishes, they were actually just a type of jelly. Pretty delicious meal.

This is the rice cake set I think. With rice dumpling in the soup. Only the large bowl of soup was the different, everything else served was the same. I love how even a vegetarian set is so elaborated in Japan. Please note that vegetarian meals in Japan is rare but unique and delicious. Do try it if you come across it. Shojin Ryori is a very delicate was of preparing the vegetarian food with minimum waste, and subtle taste. I really love it.

After lunch, we got on back on the bus and drove to the next spot. Along the way, we saw some cool site like this weird looking torii in the middle of nowhere and leading to nothing in particular....

Or this small shrine just by the road..... Shintoism is so fascinating!