MOUNT YASHIMA
2012年12月08日
The assignment for the City’s Takamatsu Promotion for last month was Mt. Yashima. Being an important part of Japan’s long history, the mountain’s own history is of course very old & rather violent. In Medieval Japan, 1185 to be precise, a fierce struggle for the control of the entire nation was waged here and it is well documented as the Battle of Yashima. At the top of the mountain the ambience of things past is very palpable still, and this is not a place I could spend the night.
The mountain itself is easily recognizable as a flat plateau or table-top mountain and it’s this area we explored. Once you’ve made it up to the top either by walking from an access track off the peninsular road and marked with a small sign, although a bit hard to find. I’m happy to answer queries about this if you write to me.
The car ride from the foot to the top is at 620 yen per car and about three kilometers, the most expensive toll per kilometer in the country. Although worth it to experience the ‘mystery zone’ half-way up. I put the car into neutral and turned the engine off and although the slope was clearly running down the mountain, actually felt the car start to move the other direction. Weird …
There has been a lot of archeological work done in recent times on the fortifications made in pre-medieval and the medieval era. We’ve looked at these in our video reports on the Takamatsu City’s home page so for the details please go there.
http://arttakamatsu2.ashita-sanuki.jp
The movie Kwaidan or 'Kaidan' as it is sometimes called, is based on the spooky stories of Lafcadio Hearn and had a big impact on me as a young man. This is the era of Yashima and its history and if you know the story on ‘Miminashi Hoichi the blind biwa player and how he came to lose his ears, this will be familiar. If not, please do watch this movie as for me at least, it encapsulates Yashima and it’s scary past.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvb1Z6f1a-A
What I noticed was the beautiful modern architecture inspired by the lines of traditional temples. Forgive me, but I prefer the newer style somehow? This building in particular had very pleasing lines.
The Henro san (pilgrims) dressed in white come from all over Japan on the 88 temple and one of the main temples is here at the top. The young couple I photographed were from Korea.
At the top of the mountain there is an oval- shape walking track on the very top of the plateau. It’s about 4 kilometers or so and an easy walk on a paved surface and no, you won’t get lost. So please think about a visit here if you’re coming to Takamatsu.
OK, I’ll be back very soon as we’ve been told to post all our blogs early this month. Until then …
"Pat has lived in Takamatsu continuously since arriving here on a one year study and leave 1981. Originally from Tasmania, Australia, he was involved in education at a variety of levels including as a specialist teacher for children with learning difficulties, and at senior high schools throughout the state. Pat is employed full-time by the i-pal Kagawa International Exchange as a co-oridintaor for international relations amongst other duties including traveling to schools and giving talks in Japanese to kids about Australia. He has been involved with youth education exchanges between Japan and Australia for many years.
Pat has been many things in his colorful life including a seaman, helmsman, welder, carpenter, traffic warden, scholarship/studentship winner at the university of Tasmania, staff at the Australian Embassy in London to name but a few. Pat has far too many hobbies which include tennis, playing jazz flutes and saxes, riding bicycles with the Takamatsu Cycling Club all of which his long-suffering family tolerate. Recently he's become interested in painting again. His wife wishes he would put more time in to helping around the house and the garden which he artfully avoids ..."
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Posted by pat at 22:16
