Yoshimizu
Shrine is located at Yoshino in Nara which is a very popular tourist spot,
especially to see sakura cherry blossoms. Several history makers visited here.
It has
the oldest Shoin (traditional Japanese residential architecture) which is
designated as a UNESCO world heritage. We can see many historical assets in the
Shoin. Surprisingly enough, natural light comes into the exhibition room and we
can take photo freely. That's great.
桜の名所・奈良県吉野山にある吉水神社の書院には多くの文化財に展示されています。吉水神社は、後醍醐天皇をご祭神とし、楠正成公と吉水院宗信を合祀しています。神仏分離に伴い明治8年に、吉水神社となりました。
頼朝に追われた義経が住んだり、後醍醐天皇が南朝の皇居としたり、豊臣秀吉が花見の宴を開いたりした由緒ある神社です。また、書院は、日本住宅建築史上、最古でありユネスコ世界遺産に登録されています。
重要文化財を含む展示品が、自然光の元で展示され、撮影も自由なのが素晴らしいです。というか、驚きです。
There is a viewing point of sakura cherry blossoms inside the gate. The view is called “one thousand of cherry trees at sight”, but sakura just started blossoming when I visited at the end of March.
門の右手には、一目千本の眺めですが、桜はやっと咲き始めでした。
Momoyama style garden on the left,
桃山様式の吉水院庭園を左に見て、
We reached the main hall.
コンパクトな本殿に向かいます。
The manner to pray is different from the normal way. Bow twice, clap 17 times and bow twice. We clap twice normally, but we clap 17 times for 17 gods here.
17神に対し、17拍手の参拝を行うのが吉水神社の作法です。
This is the Shoin building.
本殿の先に広大な書院があります。
We watch the relics of history makers here.
吉野を訪れた貴人の遺物を拝観します。
Crane pictures on the sliding doors welcome us.
まず、狩野山雪の「群鶴」の襖絵が出迎えてくれます。
The next room is where Yoshitsune (military commander in the 12th century) hid out. There is a small room for Benkei who was a loyal subject on the right.
続いて、義経潜居の間。右側に、弁慶思案の間があります。
The photo above is the throne seat of Emperor Godaigo. He led Yamato dynasty back then, but he was unhappily expelled from the palace in Kyoto and resided in this mountainous area in 1336, so here was a palace at that time. Actually, new dynasty was established in Kyoto. It was an internal war time called "Nanbokucho (south and north dynasties) period.
後醍醐天皇玉座
Picture on the wall: The room was restored by Hidyoshi. He was a ruler in the 16th century and hosted sakura viewing party in 1594.
文禄三年（1594年）に、南朝を偲んで花見の宴を催し、五日間滞在した秀吉が修復したといいます。
The natural light comes into the exhibition space.
宝物が置かれている間は自然光が入っています。
Late 12th century、文治年間
Yoshitsune’s armor: he was a tragic hero who was killed by his elder brother.
義経の鎧（重要文化財）
Yoshitsune(left) and Benkei(right)
https://publicdomainq.net/matsuoka-eikyu-0017153/
https://publicdomainq.net/utagawa-kunimasu-0023690/
Reference (Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Wiki):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamoto_no_Yoshitsune
Mid-14th century、南北朝年間
The document which is discreetly placed is written by Emperor Godaigo. It is designated as an important cultural asset.
さりげなく展示されている後醍醐天皇の御宸筆は重要文化財でした。祈りのこと、から始まり消息を伝えています。
The book above is a poem anthology selected by the prince and general Muneyoshi who was a son of Godaigo. He owned this book “Shinyou wakashu”.
南朝の将軍として活躍した後醍醐天皇の皇子・宗良親王（むねよししんのう）が所持していた『新葉和歌集』。宗良親王はその撰者でです。
Masashige Kusunoki, who was a powerful general and Emperor's faithful servant, had this small Buddhist statue (Bishamonten) and probably fought in the battle field.
楠正成公が所持した毘沙門天は、ポケットに入る大きさでした。
Belongings of a royal family are exhibited casually.
南朝時代の皇室の品々がさりげなく展示されています。
Reference
Emperor Godaigo (Wiki): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Go-Daigo
Masashige Kusunoki: Shimamoto history and
culture museum 島本町立歴史文化資料館
End of 16th century、安土桃山年間
The ruler Hideyoshi came here with five-thousand people including Iyeyasu to see the sakura blossoms. He sat in front of this folding screen. I was surprised because this deteriorated screen was not a copy. The one in the near side is called “bamboo picture” and the one behind is called “sakura picture”. Yoshimizu Shrine was the HQs of sakura viewing.
豊臣秀吉が、家康や利家ら五千人を従えて花見をした時の金屏風。傷んではいますが、実物なのが驚きです。手前が竹の図、奥が桜の図。吉水神社を「花見の本陣」としました。
A kettle and a big cooker were donated by Hideyori who was the son of Hideyoshi.
豊臣秀頼寄進の釜もさりげなく置かれています。
Documents of Ikkyu and Mitsukuni
一休和尚や水戸黄門の書も展示されています。
Reference (Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Wiki):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotomi_Hideyoshi
The garden of Shoin、書院の庭から
Hokuketsumon (gate) faces north where Kyoto is. Emperor Godaiga, who wanted to return to Kyoto, prayed here. Yamabushi priests who climbed Mt. Omine prayed here for their safety.
後醍醐天皇が凱旋を目指した京都に向かって祈ったという北闕門（ほくけつもん）。山伏達が大峰山への入山前に邪気を払うために行う「九字真法」の作法が書かれていました。
Sakura was blooming.
庭の桜は咲いていました。
The view of Zaoudou hall from the shrine; it is dignified.
吉水神社から望む蔵王堂は威厳タップリです。
Walking around Yoshino、周辺散歩
Zaoudou is the main hall of Kinpusenji (temple) which was established by En-no-gyouja in the late 7th century. He carved Zaougongen on the sakura tree, therefore sakura trees have been preserved and donated here. Yoshino is one of the most popular sites of sakura viewing.
7世紀後半に役行者によって開山した金峯山寺の蔵王堂（国宝）は安土桃山時代の再建です。東北の蔵王山はこちらから勧請されました。役行者が山桜の木に蔵王権現を彫ったことから、山桜がご神木とされ、保護され献上されて、吉野は桜の名所になったとのことです。なお、ソメイヨシノは、東京･染井（巣鴨辺り）で作られた別品種です。
Yoshino town in the morning has good atmosphere, however many cars come soon.
人気が少ない朝の吉野の町。いい感じです。もうすぐすると車が連なります。道が狭い。
The specialty of Yoshino is Yoshino-kuzu which is starch of kuzu plant. Those are ingredient of Japanese sweets and cuisines.
吉野名物の吉野葛。葛根からとった澱粉で和菓子や日本料理に使われます。
Early-blooming Shidare-sakura had already come out. The major sakura in Yoshino which is White Yama-sakura would start blooming a week later, the hotel staff said.
早咲きのしだれ桜が咲いていました。吉野の桜は白山桜で、この一週間後くらいから開花が本格化するそうです。
Visited in March, 2020
Website: http://www.yoshimizu-shrine.com/
(in Japanese), accessed in September, 2020
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