Lessons in Time From Haguro-san
A Lesson From The Ages
Kia ora Koutou, Tim Bunting, Kiwi Yamabushi here on the Japan you never knew you wanted to know.
In this article (lovingly shared by JJ Walsh), Sakamoto Shin’ichiro of Yuyado Sakamoto in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa, discusses how people always comment on how old his Ryokan is. The building does look as though it was built 100 years ago. Imagine, however, their surprise to learn the building is in fact only about 30 years old.
On a windy day a few years ago, a cedar tree fell and landed smack-bang on top of Haniyamahime-Jinja, one of the numerous Massha shrines that line the stone stairway up Haguro-san. While insurance meant the shrine could be replaced, we could never replace the cedar.
Ever since, I have watched with intrigue at how the colour of this newly-constructed shrine, a once bright tan-brown building with equally-brown copper roof, has slowly turned into one of the other, dated, Massha shrines. It is still noticeably newer than all of the other shrines, but soon enough, we won’t be able to tell the difference (see the above video to see what it looks like).
Just this week I had the honour of being a Sendatsu (Yamabushi Master) for two groups on Haguro-san. The snow hadn’t quite fallen, yet, (it has now) so we got pretty deep into the woods. Plus, the scaffolding had been removed from the Five Story Pagoda, and we got to see it warts and all.
For over 650 years, when the snow of Haguro settles in earnest, locals have climbed up through the middle of the Five Story Pagoda, come out through a small port hole on the uppermost roof, and cleared off sometimes 3 or 4 metres of snow. Without this sustained effort over the centuries, who knows what state the Five Story Pagoda would be in.
If it were to still exist, that is.
Finally, the thatch on the belfry at the summit had been newly replaced, giving it a colour not unlike fox’s fur as well.
Slowly but surely, the things that need replacing, get replaced. Entire cultures can be passed down through the centuries, and nowhere does this better than Japan. But it takes the efforts of tons of people over centuries for us to be able to enjoy them.
The Same Axe
For the record, it is the same axe.
Yamabushi Training on Miyajima
My friend and fellow yamabushi Kuniyoshi-san will be Sendatsu for a yamabushi training on Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture, in April. Yes, that Miyajima. Those interested can get more details here (Japanese).
Daily Yamabushi for This Week
Daily Yamabushi posts for the week of December 8 to December 14, 2023.
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Ka kite ano.
Tim.