On the 27th my JT Yuko took me to Saijo to see main Ishizuchi Shrine. This had been something that we planned to do back in August but we just didn’t have the time to get together. However on this weekend just before Halloween we were able to arrange a time to meet and go to the shrine.
We met up just before noon and grabbed Udon
for lunch. This is the second time I’ve had Udon since moving to Japan and
though Shikoku is known for Udon, it’s not my favourite meal. It was a nice
lunch though and filling for the day ahead.
From there Yuko drove us up to the shrine.
It’s a small shrine dedicated to Mount Ishizuchi. Like most shrines in Japan
it’s a beautiful and though man made is mixed in with nature. This shrine is
located at the base of the mountain and to get up to the shrine building you
pass through two torii – one painted red and the other made of stone. From
there we parked and headed up the stairs to the main building.
We passed a small koi pond and Yuko told me
that in Japan it’s a hobby and skill to breed koi of certain colours and sizes.
She also told me that to buy a koi from Japan you could be spending up to $6000
dollars, which I didn’t believe could be the cost for a fish.
After that it was up to the main building.
We were lucky as that day the shrine was holding a wedding. It meant that I got
to see inside the main shrine building as well as seeing traditional wedding
clothes and a ceremony. We didn’t stay for the whole ceremony, but I did snap
some photos of the couple.
The shrine is also one of the best places
to get a panoramic view of Saijo. From the side of the shrine you can look out
and see the city laid out below. Though it’s not the top of a huge mountain it
does make you feel like you are on top of the world.
Bonus: Picture of a spider.
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