Furumine Jinja

This beautiful shrine is hidden on a mountain near Tochigi Prefecture in Kanuma City. On the way up to the shrine is a huge statue of Fudo Myo Oh as well as a very impressive Tori gate. A very nice image to show the divinely protected grounds of the shrine. Interestingly, this shrine is dedicated to the Tengu. The Tengu ( Lit."heavenly dogs") are a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore and are often associated with Martial training. They are sometimes credited with teaching both warriors and priests (shugenja) a variety of skills. It is said that they take their name from a dog-like Chinese demon. The tengu were originally thought to take the forms of crows (karasu) and they are traditionally depicted with both human and crow characteristics. The shrine is covered with a variety of statues, masks, etc that depict several types of these Tengu. Within the confines there are a number of beautiful things to see. There is a huge dining hall in which you can have a traditional style lunch with some very simple foods. These foods are sometimes eaten by the religious practitioners due to its purity. It is also served with a sip of Sake (rice wine) for purification. One can also participate in various festivals and ceremonies throughout the year. On the temple grounds is also a beautiful Japanese garden as well as a traditional tea house.

A special thanks to Nishimura Mizue for sharing this beautiful place and its treasures with me.