Pat's Blog

When my editor asked for another article not in the usual trajectory of mediocrity but in my better breezy style, I happily picked up my pen on the Tamura Jinja (shrine). This is one of the most popular places of worship for people in the greater Takamatsu area, especially at New Year. Shinto shrines, not to be confused with temples (although until the Meji period they’ve often shared locations) (and they’ve borrowed freely on temples’ designs) are most easily identified by the large ‘Tori’ gates at he the entrances, usually stone stairs lined either side with ‘Toro’ stone lanterns all leading to the ‘Honden’ or main hall.

Tamura Jinja


It's important to remember that when visiting, these are considered sacred places and should be treated with if not veneration then respect. You'll see a ‘Chozuya’ or Temizuya area near the main hall and this is for you to rinse your mouth and clean your hands before offering a prayer. A small bell with a red and white tassel dangling down is yanked. One then claps one’s hands three times, closes the eyes then bows forward and offers a personal prayer. Custom requires a small offering of coins to be tossed into the offertory box at the front.


Around this area, there are many small wooden plaques with prayers or wishes. Usually for safe pregnancies, luck with examinations, speedy recoveries, divine interventions, unrequited loves and loves lost, these mustn't be touched as they are still just that; other peoples' prayers. On the lighter side, I saw a dog on that day in front of hundreds of people frantically burying a sausage in the main grounds and probably stolen from one of the nearby vendors. No guesses needed to know his prayer …


The pieces of paper tied onto the branches of trees are from the New Year period also. These are the second and third rate draws from the shrine's fortune readings and are considered best left at the shrine where they were first taken. The first rate luck-for-the-year draws are of course taken home and treasured.



I've always liked Tamura Shrine for its atmosphere of peace and quiet and the photos I've shown here are from the last New Year's celebrations when throngs descend on the place at all hours day and night and a few lucky ones like myself were allowed into the main hall to receive a blessing and a small sake cup with the Year of the Tiger's tiger on it. We were poured a small thimbleful and had to be content. (photos)




There is much to learn about the shrines as intermediaries between the ‘Kami’ gods and we mortals. The Kami Masters in the past were considered as holy men capable of miracles some people say, and accomplished many with the assistance of purification rites on believers. There are believers today who say this was commonplace.
Tamura Jinja in Tamura Cho to the south, is well worth an afternoon stroll and is ten minutes by bus from the Takamatsu Central Bus Terminus right out front of the Central JR Station.

  

Some time years ago, I visited Negoro Temple near the top of Go Shiki Dai (the five colored hill) near Takamatsu. First impressions are always lasting and more than the temple, I can’t forget the huff-and-puff effort of the bicycle climb from Takamatsu itself. By the time I arrived even my bike was exhausted.




Negoroji (the suffix ji means temple) is temple number 82 on the 88-temple circuit of the Shingon Buddhist sect (the esoteric school) that the white robed pilgrims circumambulate the island of Shikoku as a part of their practice that is expected to be completed once in a believer’s lifetime. Believer or not, it’s well worth a visit especially in the fall as the place has some incredibly beautiful maple trees in the grounds. The temple grounds are in a miniature valley that visitors descend and then ascend at the other sides.


But the real attraction for me to this place is the history, the thousands of candles, deities, miniature Kannon samas placed in row after row by devotees (the goddess of mercy and in my book, the very same Mary of the Christian church) and its place in urban legends as it has a big reputation for ghosts! Wooooo Woooo … Apart from the statue in the lower grounds of the ‘Ushi Oni’ which legend has it was/is a bipedal critter with big tusks, and membrane wings (yikes … ) big fangs too … It’s a scary looking statute for sure and legend has it was slain by an archer who donated the horns along with a picture he painted of himself and still kept by the temple.




but it’s the green public telephone box outside the temple grounds that frighten me. Many people had told me stories about making calls from this phone box at night and ghosts appearing outside and looking in. Deceased relatives answering on the other end etc. I had to try this myself, worked up the courage and did one night.


To keep this within the editor’s word-limit guidelines, I’ll cut it short as upon arrival by car late on a winter’s night, (I was far to scared to go on my bicycle of course) I left the engine running, went in and made a call … and it was then I had one sudden, cold, lucid thought. A distant and deep voice was none other than Abraham Lincoln who answered and I can tell you I was shaken up! All right, I made that up, he didn’t answer at all but it was one hell of a creepy experience and yes, I went cold but although I didn’t see a spirit with icy blue eyes radiating hate and torment, but there definitely was some weird presence for sure, as I was told there would be.



Try this for yourself if you dare.